Local films showcased at Shanghai's Dada Bar

Shanghai, 14 July 2010 -- The second monthly installment of Cinemashup played to a full house on July 14 at Dada Bar, Shanghai. Tina "Sprinkles" Blakely and top local DJ Laura Ingalls selected the content for the night. They also provided some visual and sound presentation.

"I am really interested in experimental film," said Blakely. "I like blurring the boundaries of art and film."

There were locally made  films showcased in the lineup. One film by film by first-time local filmmaker Tim Chu with his short  film "Shattered" that is a psychological horror. Another was "Outsiders" by American filmmaker Richard Trombly. In this experimental short, Trombly utilized an SLR camera to take over 1500 still photos inserted in sequence to provide a form of stop-action animation. This was mixed with camera footage to provide an experimental love story

Actors Zhu Tianjie (left), Karl Dominik and Christy Shapiro in "Outsiders"

Blakely said that she is planning another lineup of international experimental shorts for the next event at Dada Shanghai on August 11, 2010. Submissions of all kinds -- especially locally-made films -- are welcome. To submit or for more information contact: cinemashup@gmail.com

  

Meiwenti's film contest v.9 -- Awards Ceremony - get your tickets now

Meiwenti's film contest v.9 -- Awards Ceremony - get your tickets now

Meiwenti has done it again. The best filmmakers in Shanghai have make their entries and are ready to premiere them to the public and the best will win the top awards. Come to the Xinguang Arts Center, 586 Ningbo Rd on Saturday, June 26, 9:30pm!

Buy your tickets now!!!!!!!!!!!

The time has come to know who's Shanghai's best filmmaker!

Saturday, June 26, 9:30pm!

 Tickets in advance ONLY through SmartShanghai.com:

Areas A, B and C :  RMB 90 (inc. ticket, DVD and after party ticket at Sin Club with one free drink).  

VIP:  RMB 150 (inc. ticket, 2 free drinks (wine, beer, sodas), DVD and after party ticket at Sin Club with one free drink).  

at the door:

Areas A, B, C:  RMB 130

VIP:  RMB 190

-- 

Fan Yuming starts filming "Huo Guo"

Director (Andy) Fan YuMing kicks off filming the short trailer-style film "Huo Guo" ("hot pot") today. This modern gangster comedy film presents a satyric look at modern China as local and Italian forces struggle to gain a piece of art from China's heritage. Mix all the ingredients and wait until it comes to a boil.

A typical spicy hot-pot

I feel like I am going out of the frying pan, (or at least the hot pot) and into the fire. I am acting in this little production and will be speaking in Chinese.. Wo zhen hai pa, yingwei wo Zhongwen zhen shuo de hen cha !!! (I am nervous because my Chinese sucks!)

including some lines in Shanghainese -- so now I know the meaning of "Nao zi wa te le!" a local insult meaning literally "your brain is broken"and have found it is useful in Shanghai traffic.

Westview Films announces "Dark Waters"

Westview Films announced its new feature film project, DARK WATERS.

Like director Richard Trombly's other Mandarin language films in China, this story centers on the struggle Chinese youth face in balancing 5000 years of tradition and the crashing wave of modern society and western culture.

Even as the modern world should offer endless freedom of choice, there seem to be so few options to many young Chinese. It is like being on a boat and seeing so many possible destinations in the distance around you while being restricted in choice to merely going up or down stream.

(one of China's ubiquitous riverboats)

"When I arrived in China 6 years ago, China had few highways and few tractor trailer trucks to deliver things. China was, however, embarking upon a great effort to create a vast national highway project and has made incredible progress," says Trombly. "But for now, there are still huge numbers of riverboats traveling the "water highways" in rivers and canals across the country. Thousands of families live on these riverboat barges that remain the backbone of the logistics in China. But times are changing and the modern highways and improved rail systems are slowly spelling the end of this way of life."

Trombly is fascinated with this way of life that will soon disappear and how it fits the struggle of young people in China. This setting makes an ideal backdrop for exploring some of the issues and challenges faced by China's youth. The restricted and claustrophobic environment leads to interpersonal conflicts against a counterpoint of some of the loveliest rural scenes in China.

Trombly said the script is currently in development and will be filmed later in 2010. Trombly is working with some top Chinese talent to develop this story with native authenticity and international perspective.

Director's Statement FATHER JOHN: Into The Shadows

Why Father John?

First of all, this is the archetypal hero’s quest. A flawed hero is thrust out into the greater world where he faces and overcomes great challenges. He also learns about himself, faces his faults, grows stronger and then brings this knowledge, maturity and strength back home to solve problems there. And Father John does this in a delightfully fresh new way.

When I came across this script, I immediately saw the potential in doing a neo-noir spy tale in Shanghai. The signature Shanghai architecture, the Shikumen-style housing blocks, are twisted mazes of narrow alleys that leave you turned about and confused or facing a dead end. And that also reflects the traditional lives and personal relations in those communities along those longtang lanes. Famed Chinese writer AnYi Wang said that in these neighborhoods, truth, lies and dark deeds all vanish into the mist.

With a bunch of recent films showing famous Shanghai views of the riverfront with the iconic Pearl Tower or the neon lights and international fashion brands of Nanjing Lu, I wanted to see a film that went deeper into the “real” Shanghai I have come to know and love. It is an ocean teeming with the endless ebb and flow of humanity.

There are some incredibly rich and vibrant views of Shanghai that will add depth and texture to this story. From the dingy back alleys and the dilapidated dwellings to fresh new neighborhoods of the new class of upwardly mobile professionals, Shanghai is an amazing backdrop for any drama.

I also was intrigued by exploring the inner conflict in John. Spies have to do some dark things that you would only expect from confidence men, thieves and murderers. The only difference is that spies can pretend to themselves that doing it for a good reason, in service of their country, makes it ok.

John’s way of maintaining his identity and self-respect in this environment is to take on the role of nice guy; almost to a fault. He tries to make an orderly world in his office where he can dot the “I”s and cross the “T”s and everything will be alright. In a world of shoot-from-the-hip rule breakers, John tries to follow the rules and a personal code of ethics. John quite effectively carved out this niche for himself in London where, under a business cover, he could effectively play the well respected man about town. But John has been lying to himself about his nice, perfect life and the darker side of his own nature.

When he is thrust into Shanghai, his life turns upside down. In London, John kept a perfectly ordered life while in Shanghai, everything is unsure. He is out of his element and not only are the people in his new office nearly hostile to him, but there is also a traitor in their midst. His partner Bill is uncooperative and on the verge of hostility toward John.

A local Chinese staff at the office and Yuri, a shadowy figure that rescues John from a mugging, seem to be his only friends. He does not know who he can trust. But he has to learn quickly if he is going to survive, because his predecessor did not.

Greetings all

It has been several months since I have written. I have been devoting myself to developing the Feature film production of the international spy film : FATHER JOHN : Into The Shadows.

This is a neo- film noir spy story about a spy who is a true gentleman perfectly suited for London but has his cover blown in London and finds himself thrust "into the shadows" of Shanghai, in a world filled with intrigue and deception. In this environment, who can you trust? John forms a tenuous alliance with an enigmatic figure named Yuri and he must unravel a terrorist threat before the terrorists carry out a contract to assassinate him.

update projected shooting : Fall 2010

We have been slow to raise money in this current economy, but the interest is developing and we expect some strong financing shortly. But we have deeply revised and perfected the script and a few actors have read the script and expressed interest. We are able to name two actors that have committed their interest in this project.

Juliet Landau

Juliet Landau ( famed for the film Ed Wood and her recurring role as Druscilla in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) is up for the lead female role as John's primary love interest in London.

Peter Stomare (Prison Break, Fargo, Constantine) is the ideal casting for the shadowy Yuri.

I have spoken with Elias Koteas about playing the role of John's partner in Shanghai, Bill. I hope to have the honor of bringing these three great actors together. If the funding picture keeps on it s current optimistic track, I am hoping we can secure the fund to attach the lead star to play John.

more info to come:

thanks to my friends for the help and spiritual support in this time of struggle

Time in USA with family

After living in China for 6 years, it is always nice to spend some time in the USA. Especially when my lovely kids are in the U.S. and I still live in Shanghai. I arrived home in Belchertown, Massachusetts on April 8 to freezing temperatures and chilling winds. Thankfully before I left I had some real spring weather and saw the cherry blossoms come out and heard the "peeper" tree frogs emerge and perform their spring serenade.

Speaking of serenades, my (former) sister-in-law Katerina Korolov lives with my kids currently and she has a lovely dulcet voice and is handy with a guitar, banjo and some other string instruments. 

Katerina Korolov plays guitar while singing a tune she composed

I guess that side of the family is responsible for the musical artisitry of my 14 year old Anastasia. Anastasia regaled me with her own musical skills. She has gone just a bit Goth on the fashion   but she is still primarily a sweet and lovely geek....

Anastasia Trombly provides musical accompaniment to her drama club musical play 

She is also playing musical accompaniment to the Belchetown middle school's drama club musical play.  I was honored that my teenager asked her director dad to help organize the show and assist the drama club teacher, Mrs. Edwards. It is an adaptation of the classic Peter Pan. Next stop: NeverLand....

Why is it almost all of Neverland's "lost boys" are girls?

My son was a delightful companion during the week of school vacation I shared with my kids. He is an active 11 year old boy. Always playing frisbee, hiking, biking, on the swing (or jumping from it) and swimming on the school swim team.

 Basil jumps off his swingset but is not as aerodynamic as Peter Pan

Took a nice day in Boston to visit the Boston Science Museum and saw the Omni-theater presentation Roving Mars about the Mars rover mission. We also visited Quincy Market in downtown Boston and the Boston Common.  

Richard and Basil Trombly hiking on Mt. Toby

Basil also accompanied my on a nice hike in Western Massachusetts on the fun climb up Mt. Toby to the summit. 

April 28 I parted with my sweet kids and boarded a plane ot China - 20 hours and a day lost over the international dateline later, I arrived in China.

 

Shanghai 2020 completes filming

19, April, 2009, Shanghai -- The Science Fiction action/adventure SHANGHAI 2020 wrapped filming today. The 20 minute short film is the brainchild or Meiwenti Productions founder Juan Vargas. This is a community film production using the resources of Meiwenti members and some creative but effective rundraising methods.

In a time when the entire economy is in a slowdown, Vargas and his Meiwenti Productions simply respond, "Meiwenti." This is Mandarin Chinese for "No Problem." That is the mindset that Vargas takes to film making.

The iconic  Shanghai 2020 "SWAT chicks" get ready for some action on set

The Meiwenti community approach to film making has allowed talented amateurs to connect with seasoned film professionals to rapidly produce quality film while providing essential cultural exchange between local Chinese and expatriate foreigners.

Even as this production wraps filming and prepares for postproduction by Meiwenti professionals, Vargas and Meiwenti are preparing for the next project. The independent feature film FATHER JOHN.

For more information please visit

www.meiwentiproductions.com

See more photos from the set of Shanghai 2020 at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?page=1&aid=244651&id=741605563

"Father John" feature film casting now

I am preparing for directing the feature film, FATHER JOHN. A unique an spellbinding spy thriller much more in the Hitchcock style than a Bond 007 or a "Jason Bourne" action story. This is an independent film but we have great equipment, are attracting expert crew and are assembling a great list of credited professional actors.

Director: Richard@trombly.com

casting director: "Lola" Le Guan casting@meiwentiproductions.com

line producer: Juan Vargas juan@meiwentiproductions.com

to learn how you can get involved in this unique feature film project....

SYNOPSIS -- "Father John"

He is the nicest spy you could ever meet in London… He has just been re-assigned to Shanghai. His whole world is about to be turned upside down! 

"Father" John is aptly named for his gentle ways and reputation for always getting critical intelligence and "confessions" from even the hardest of sources. His style is uniquely suited to London, from polite society to the mean streets. He has it all - the respect of his office, a covert love affair and prospects for promotion after successfully unveiling a terrorist plot. That is, until one of his sources ends up dead, his cover is blown and a contract is issued on his life so John is reassigned – to Shanghai.

 

Shanghai is modern and international with a bright and shiny skyline, but there is a dark underbelly beneath it all. John finds a complex web of relationships and intrigue that takes him deep into the dark “long tang” lanes and the labyrinthine Xikumens of the real Shanghai. He must learn in this new environment to recognize his enemies from allies in this unfamiliar environment.

 

He starts out on the wrong foot with all the Shanghai office and gets beaten by a gang on the Shanghai streets. It seems his only friend is a dubious Russian named Yuri who claims to be in the shipping industry. Things turn around when he befriends  the office assistant everyone calls Susie and he cares enough to learn her native Chinese name, Fei Yuying. John enlists her aid to help him learn the ropes in Shanghai. She helps him make connections and unravel the levels of international deceit and deception. She also shows him some of the real China and its culture that the other foreigners miss as they travel only in the restrictive expatriate circles. 

 

John begins to master the situation is Shanghai, but he finds he is up against the Russian mafia, Korean crime lords and the same terrorist organization that he faced in London. Will he be able to navigate these turbulent waters, bring down the terrorists and save London before they can carry out their contact on his life?

Producer Steve Long Finalizes Script for "Father John"

28 March 2009 Shanghai -- Steve Long of Golden Quill Productions penned the script for his latest production "Father John" to be shot in Shanghai in late May/ early June 2009. Long says the script is currently undergoing final revisions. 

Long tapped Richard Trombly as director for this film noir-style intrigue and espionage thriller. The feature-length film is expected to premier in Shanghai this summer and then enjoy an international video release. Trombly is currently in Kunming, China as Associate Producer on the feature film Distance Runners.

"I immediately realized the potential of this script when Steve Long first discussed this project with me," says Trombly. "It draws from his background of experience within the American Consulate and other departments of the foreign service."

Trombly expects the film to have wide appeal because it will feature some off-the-beaten-path views of Shanghai and will draw and Long and Trombly's familairity with China's most international city.  

"Shanghai offers a unique mix of the traditional Chinese culture alongside a thriving and modern metropolis," says Trombly. "Shanghai is also ideally suited to a spy film. The mere name 'Shanghai' evokes the mystery and allure of the East."  

The film will offer some cloak and dagger action with a host of international villians, says Trombly. He also hopes to show some of the charm of the city and its people that has drawn him and thousands of other expats to enjoy living in this swarming metroplolis.

For production support, Long looks to Meiwenti Productions. This will be a micro-funded production. Long, currently head of the IT department at the US Consulate in Shanghai, is a devoted  tech-lover and will be using much of his own equipment accumulated over the years. Much of the crew and cast talent, however, will come through the Meiwenti network. Meiwenti will help locate active members in the independent film community that will bring this project together at a rapid pace and micro-budget. 

Distance Runners meets the press

March 18, 2009 Kunming, China - As Distance Runners kicked off filming in Kunming, China, several reporters turned out to see the stars. Huang Lu and Shao Wen expressed their eagerness to be in this film by first-time director, Robert Vicencio. (Vicencio is known for his role in Miss Saigon and as a performer.)  Local reporters and press from Chengdu (Huang Lu's hometown) came to interview the actors and crew of this feature film about running an ultramarathon in the remote countryside of Yunnan. 

Huang Lu 黃璐 said she was happy to return to Western China for this feature.  Since her starring role in Mang Shan (Blind Mountain) 2007, Huang has starred in several internaitonal features, including the acclaimed (The Red Awn 2007)  and director Xiaolu Guo's (She, a Chinese 2009) which was filmed in London.

Huang Lu joins the cast of Distance Runners

Shao Wen is the male lead in this sports/drama film being shot in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. He plays a runner that recovered from a crippling accident and must face his past. 

Scriptwriter Richard Trombly poses with the lovely Huang Lu and co-star Shao Wen

For helping to make this film possible, Vicencio said he appreciated the support of shoe maker, New Balance.  Expect a product placement or two. 

Beijing Film festival/ Kunming Filming "Distance Runners"

Films at Beijing New International Movie Week. 

Since the Meiwenti Swat Chick party on Feb 26, I went to Beijing Feb 28-March 2 for the Beijing New International Movie Week, where I presented my Chinese language short films Dengdai (The Waiting) and Gua Shuo Shidian (Melon Harvest) to audiences in Beijing. http://www.beijingfilmfest.org My short films can be viewed at: www.vimeo.com/richardtrombly  

The director (me) got a chance to have a question and answer session after the film. It seems the films were both well-received by the Beijing audience. The event was covered by local news media and I was interviewed by several reporters but I was unable to stick around to see the next night's news report.

I basically got off the plane from Beijing and was right off to Kunming out in Yunnan Province, China. We did a whilrwind 2 week period of preproduction and opened filming on "Distance Runners" on March 17.

Swat Chick party a grand success

Swat Chicks Rock Shanghai

I regret to say that I have not posted a blog since before the February 26 Swat Chick GALA fundraiser in Shanghai's Latitude Lounge for the short science fiction/action film Shanghai 2020.

Juan vargas and the Meiwenti International Swat Chick Squad

The Swat Chick party drew around 200 people to come out on a rainy Thrusday night to support Meiwenti, the heroic badboys of independent film, led by Juan Vargas.  I was part of the scriptwriting crew, mostly as the futurist and technology consultant.

Severin of Shang Hai productions is a co-director is SH 2020

Shanghai 2020 is deep into filming with a crew of 40+ and more than 200 actors and extras. All these people are donating their talents and time to make this film happen. It is all people who are employed in other fulltime work... though some are film professionals. SH 2020 is being filmed over 4 weekends and some evenings and will soon be wrapped and going into an intensive postproduciton.    The meiwenti crew wants to premier this film in MAY 2009 in Shanghai, so the schedule is tight..... but Meiwenti means "no problem" in Chinese, so  --  Meiwenti!!!!

Learn more at www.meiwentiproductions.com