Film News Archive - Page 7 of 57

How an Ashland University T-shirt made a surprise appearance on ‘Ted Lasso’

Posted on April 26, 2023

The character Trent Crimm (portrayed by James Lance) in season three, episode seven of “Ted Lasso”, where he can be spotted wearing an Ashland University t-shirt underneath his scarf. Photo courtesy of Apple TV+. Colin Hutton

SOURCE: Ashland Source | Nathan Hart, Report for America Corps Member
April 26, 2023

ASHLAND — Eagle-eyed viewers of the most recent episode of the critically-acclaimed Apple TV comedy show “Ted Lasso” may spot a piece of merchandise from right here in Ashland.

At around the 28-minute mark of Season 3, Episode 7 of the show — which was released on April 26 — the character Trent Crimm (played by James Lance) can be spotted wearing a purple Ashland University T-shirt underneath a blazer.

The costume designer for the show, Jacky Levy, said she bought the AU shirt at a “really cool vintage shop” on Brick Lane in London, England. Her and James Lance “loved the colour and everything about it” and decided to use it for Crimm’s wardrobe, she said.

“It just seemed to suit his style so well,” she said.

Beyond that, there is no “deep and meaningful” reason he wore the shirt, Levy said.

“Ted Lasso” follows American college football coach Ted Lasso (played by Jason Sudeikis) as he coaches an English soccer team despite having no experience with the sport. The comedy-drama premiered on Apple TV+ in August, 2020 to critical acclaim, and the show has won 11 Emmy awards since.

“We’re blessed with the capability to be able to make our own merchandise,” Brown said. “So we were able to kind of latch onto this pretty quickly.”

This morning, Daniel Gullotta, a religion and history instructor at AU, woke up and checked social media and was in “disbelief and shock” when he saw some of his Ashland colleagues posting images of Trent Crimm wearing an AU T-shirt, he said.

Daniel Gullotta started watching the show with his wife in 2021 after multiple friends recommended it, telling him it was “optimistic and feel-good.” They quickly “devoured” all the episodes and have followed it ever since. They plan on watching the AU T-shirt episode tonight, he said.

The surprise shirt appearance quickly became the top conversation topic among faculty, who spent the morning developing theories and texting each other.

“It’s been funny because I’ve shown people on my phone like, ‘Hey, have you seen this?’ And then later when I was getting a coffee, I literally saw other people saying like, ‘Hey, have you seen this?’ I was like, ‘Yes, I have seen it.’ So, like everyone’s talking about it,” Gullotta said.

Want to Film a Movie in Ohio? There’s a Tax Credit for That.

Posted on April 17, 2023

SOURCE: Ohio Department of Development
April 14, 2023

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Is your downtown picture perfect? Have you ever wanted to use film to share the story of your hometown? There’s a tax credit that can help.

The Ohio Department of Development (Development) today announced the application for the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit program is available.

The program provides a refundable tax credit of 30% on production cast and crew wages and other in-state spending for eligible productions, including feature-length films, documentaries, pre-Broadway productions, miniseries, video games, and music videos. Applications are now available on the program website.

“Ohio’s big cities, distinctive neighborhoods, and historic small towns can be the perfect backdrop for your next production,” said Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “This investment supports Ohio’s thriving arts and culture scene, brings good jobs to our state, and creates income for local businesses – that’s a win for Ohio.”

More than $36 million in funding is available. Applications are accepted online now through June 1, at 5 p.m. Projects will be awarded on or before July 31.

A $4.9 million tax credit supported the 2021 Russo brothers’ film, “Cherry,” starring Tom Holland, which was shot in and around Northeast Ohio. And more than $12 million will support the upcoming film, “The Bikeriders,” directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, which was filmed in Butler County in the fall of 2022.

Applications are reviewed and awarded in two rounds each year. $40 million is available annually, evenly divided between the two rounds plus any rollover amounts from the proceeding period. Projects are awarded first to television series or miniseries, then to all others, based on the extent of positive economic impact in Ohio and the effect on developing a permanent workforce in motion picture or theatrical production industries in Ohio.

The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit (OMPTC) was created in 2009 to encourage and develop a film industry in Ohio.
The application and additional program information can be found at development.ohio.gov/film.

The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.

For more information, contact Sarah Wickham, Ohio Department of Development Communications, (614) 466-2609

WATCH: Trailer released for movie on LeBron James’ career at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron

Posted on March 29, 2023

SOURCE: WKYC 3 Studios | Anna Meyers
March 29, 2023

AKRON, Ohio — Nearly a year after casting calls began across Northeast Ohio for a film on LeBron James’ young playing career, Peacock has released a trailer that gives fans an inside look at the upcoming film.

Shooting Stars is based on the 2009 autobiography by James and Buzz Bissinger, the author of Friday Night Lights.

The movie depicts the inspiring story of how James and his friends became the No. 1 team in the country during his high school basketball career in Akron at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School while setting him up for an illustrious NBA career.

“People think they know my story, but this is our story,” said James in the trailer. “This is how I met my brothers and how we became family.”

The full trailer for the movie can be watched below:

The teaser shows an image of the “Fab Five,” made up of James, Dru Joyce III, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee and Romeo Travis, the teammates who won the 2003 state championship with James at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

James took to Twitter on Tuesday night to share the trailer, posting, “My BROTHERS 4L!!!.”

My BROTHERS 4L!!! ♾️ https://t.co/Bi0IkO7XnZ

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 28, 2023

EDITOR’S NOTE: The video at the top of the story previously aired on 3News on April 18, 2022.

The film features a cast made up of Wood Harris, Mookie Cook, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalie Paul, Algee Smith and Dermot Mulroney.

Cook, a 5-star forward from Portland, who is committed to playing basketball at Oregon, plays the role of the high-school-aged James in the movie.

Many parts of the film were shot across Northeast Ohio over the past year.

“A lot of it we want to stay very true to LeBron’s story. So filming in that area and using Akron locals is so great for us because it’s real. And that’s what we want is truth and to tell real stories,” said Angela Boehm, the owner and founder of Angela Boehm Casting to 3News previously.

Shooting Stars will be released on Friday, June 2, and can be watched on Peacock.

Horror hit ‘I See You’ filmed in Northeast Ohio creates buzz after becoming No. 1 movie on Netflix

Posted on March 28, 2023

The scary flick, which has become the No. 1 movie on Netflix, was filmed in Lakewood and Chagrin Falls, among other locations, back in 2018.

SOURCE: WKYC 3 Studios | Ryan Haidet
March 28, 2023

LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Social media has been buzzing in recent days about I See You, which is a 2019 horror movie starring Helen Hunt.

Although it was initially released nearly four years ago, the fresh attention on the frightening flick is happening as the film has become the No. 1 movie streaming on Netflix in the United States.

But did you know the horror hit was filmed right here in Northeast Ohio back in 2018?

Here are some locations to watch for…

Chagrin Falls is showcased during the movie’s opening sequences, including an aerial shot that moves over the bridge and looks toward Grove Hill.

Most of the action, however, is set inside a lakeshore house, which is actually located on Edgewater Drive in Lakewood.

Editor’s note: Video in the player at the top of this story was originally published in a previous article about the movie on May 18, 2018.

IMBD lists other Northeast Ohio filming locations from I See You as Linwood Park in Vermilion and Sirna’s Farm in Auburn Township.

When the movie was being filmed locally, Hunt also paid a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland. In a tweet, which is no longer available, she posted: “Oh my God! At the RockNRollHall AMAZING!!!! If you haven’t seen it, get here!”

So what’s I See You all about? Here’s how it’s described by Netflix: “As he searches for a missing child, a small-town detective uncovers a malicious presence lurking in the crevices of his family’s already broken home.”

IMBD teases it up this way: “A policeman and his doctor wife have some marriage problems and the son blames the mother. For his job, the policeman investigates a case of a missing boy. The possible kidnapping looks like some cases from a few years ago.”

You can watch the trailer in the video below, which features footage from the Northeast Ohio locations:

Looking for more locally filmed horror on Netflix? You can watch 2017’s The Bye Bye Man, which was shot at multiple Northeast Ohio locations, including Baldwin Wallace University in Berea and Greenwood Farm in Richmond Heights.

Cleveland Magazine | Cleveland’s Short. Sweet. Film Fest. Features More Than 75 Local Filmmakers

Posted on February 28, 2023

SOURCE: Cleveland Magazine | Kiara Rodriguez
February 28, 2023

The regional fest centers around, you guessed it, short films, from local, national and international directors.

Since 2012, up-and-coming filmmakers have gathered in Cleveland for a night of cinematic brevity.The Short. Sweet. Film Fest showcases “short films in a big way,” as the organization puts it. Hitting town March 1-5, the festival gives filmmakers at local, national and international levels an opportunity to showcase their work.

This year will be the first time the festival is held at the Atlas Theater in Shaker Heights, allowing for two showings at once and more submissions than ever before. More than 75 of the 200 films offered this year are from local filmmakers, including Star Player (made by local students), Secret Honor by Kevin James Hogan and Boss of the Toss by Chris Harboldt.

Suglio and his friend Alex Pavloff started the festival after they went to see a punk performance at Now That’s Class — noticing everyone in the audience was friends with the band.

“They all supported each other because they all were doing the same thing,” Executive Director Michael Suglio says. “That was kind of the inspiration of just like, ‘Well, okay, we’re all making local films. How can we also further support each other?’”

Ahead of the event, Suglio took a few moments to discuss the importance of the festival and local filmmaking.

Valley View is the place to go for Bollywood films

Posted on February 27, 2023

“Pathaan” set the opening weekend box office record last month for Bollywood films in North America. Photo: Yash Raj Films

SOURCE: Axios Cleveland | Sam Allard
February 27, 2023

A couple weeks back, my wife and I ventured to Cinemark Valley View for a movie. We were amazed to find ourselves among throngs of South Asian families and groups.

Driving the news: Many were probably there to see “Pathaan,” which last month recorded the biggest opening weekend of all time for a Bollywood film in North America.

The big picture: In addition to its lineup of mainstream Hollywood fare, Valley View typically has several Indian films on offer every weekend.

My personal interest in these films piqued after seeing the Netflix sensation “RRR.”

What they’re saying: “There is such a rich storytelling history in South Asian filmmaking, and we’re proud to offer these spectacular movies on our big screens for their growing fanbase,” a Cinemark representative tells Axios.

“We have really seen the excitement for these films continue to build, particularly on social media, which amplified the interest and support for the genre. We are thrilled that as word-of-mouth has spread, the box office growth followed.”

The intrigue: Part of me wondered if the increased number of Bollywood showtimes might have been a response to lagging business during the pandemic — multiple theaters in Northeast Ohio have shuttered in the past two months — but Cinemark says it had been cultivating relationships with global film studios for more than a decade.

Pro tip: If you have a library card, check out the streaming service Kanopy, which has a rich library of foreign-language films that you can stream for free.

Forbes 30 Under 30: Cleveland-Born Animator Chaz Bottoms Illustrating A Diverse Future

Posted on February 20, 2023

Greater Cleveland Partnership

SOURCE: Greater Cleveland Partnership | Laura DeMarco
February 20, 2023

CBA is one of the few Black-founded animation studios in Hollywood

Cleveland-born animator Chaz Bottoms didn’t think he was going to make the cut for Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2023.

“I nominated myself in the summer and then I didn’t hear anything. I remember the day before the full list came out, I was thinking, ‘I must not have gotten in,’ because they would have contacted me beforehand.

“But the next morning I woke up to so many congrats messages. It was a cool way to find out. It felt surreal.”

Bottoms, 27, was honored for founding L.A.-based boutique animation company CBA Studios.

”As one of the few Black-founded animation studios in the world, CBA works with diverse artists connected by the love of Black culture. Built as a completely virtual studio, he’s directed and produced projects for Disney, John Legend, Steve Harvey, Lil Nas X, Lebron James, Hulu, Adult Swim and Sesame Street,” states the Forbes website in the “Hollywood & Entertainment” category.

Bottoms will be in Cleveland for the Forbes Under 30 Summit in October. But he’s certain to visit The Land before that. His hometown has played an important role in his creative development. And, he’s got a lot of family here, including his father, Chris Howse, President and CEO of Howse Solutions and member of GCP’s Board of Directors, who was an inspiration and tireless supporter.

Cleveland casting director extraordinaire: Meet Lillian Pyles

Posted on February 14, 2023

SOURCE: WKYC STUDIO 3 | Chris Webb
February 14, 2023

CLEVELAND — Lillian Pyles has had a more than 40-year career casting films with some of Hollywood’s biggest names. But her journey and what she’s seen along the way, is just as interesting from behind the camera.

Born and raised in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, Pyles got her start in the industry when she moved to New York City in her early twenties. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology before taking her first job in the film industry.

“I started out in New York. My best friend was a production coordinator. He hired me as his assistant,” she recalled. “So I learned this job on the job training.”

Pyles worked in film and TV in New York for more than twenty years, but in 1995, Cleveland came calling when Pyles realized she wanted to return home and live closer to family. She didn’t have to worry about keeping up her growing career for long.

“[My parents] were getting older, and I met a woman who was casting a TV movie and needed someone to cast extras. So I took the job. She gave me an office and about five interns, and like they say, the rest is history.”

Her resume grew quickly. Over the years, she was hired to help cast productions from top players in the industry – from Francis Ford Coppola to the Russo brothers, but for her, one experience stands above the rest.

“In New York, I worked with Spike Lee, I worked with Mario Van Peebles. I worked with Gordon Parks, but in Cleveland, Antoine Fisher came here and they hired me to cast the local cast and to work with Denzel was a pleasure.”

Pyles still remembers how that project was a particularly touching experience.

“The last day of shooting, we’re all walking back to our prospective cars and trailers, and [Denzel] taps me on the shoulder and says ‘Come with me. I want to show you what you did.’ And we go to his trailer, me and my assistant, and he shows me the end scene when the twins [in the movie,] open the door and all the seniors are sitting at the table and we’re watching that scene. And I look over at him and he’s welling up,” she said.

The twins cast in that scene were members of Pyles’ church.

Through her decades working in production, Pyles has seen the industry evolve.

“Now we have a big indie market. We have a tremendous group of people who do shorts, who shoot with their phones, and they’re beginning to show their creativity because that’s all Hollywood is. It’s somebody created it,” she said. “I get people to ask me all the time, how do I become a casting director? If you are lucky enough to learn the business the way I did, then I suggest that. The great thing about it is when you’re in that theater and you are watching that movie and you see your name on that screen, [there’s] nothing better than that.”

‘Lost & Found in Cleveland,’ an upcoming movie starring Martin Sheen and Dennis Haysbert, wraps local filming

Posted on February 13, 2023

“Lost & Found in Cleveland” stars Martin Sheen, Dennis Haysbert and Jon Lovitz. (File photos from Getty Images)

SOURCE: Cleveland.com | Joey Morona
February 13, 2023

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If you thought you spotted actors Martin Sheen, Dennis Haysbert or Jon Lovitz around town recently, you probably did. The actors are part of the ensemble cast of “Lost & Found in Cleveland,” an independent film that wrapped up a four-week shoot in and around Cleveland last week.

Directed by actor and Cleveland native Keith Gerchak and his producing partner, actress Marisa Guterman, the dramedy follows the stories of five very different people whose lives intersect when “Antiques Roadshow” comes to Cleveland.

June Squibb (“Nebraska”), Stacy Keach (“Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer”), Santino Fontana (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Yvette Yates Redick (“Inherent Vice”) Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”), Mark L. Walberg (“Antiques Roadshow”) and Cleveland native Rory O’Malley (Broadway’s “Book of Morman”) also star in the film.

“Dressed in a palette of pastels, nostalgia, and hope, ‘Lost & Found in Cleveland’ is an Americana portrait that will feel both familiar and magical to audiences,” Guterman told Deadline. “It’s a fable that honors small dreams that are big to the everyday heroes who dare to believe.”

“We always say it’s ‘Best in Show’ meets ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” added Gerchak.

With a modest production budget, the movie was filmed entirely in Ohio from Jan. 9 to Feb. 4 at various locations throughout Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, including Playhouse Square. The project was made possible through the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, which attracts film and television productions to Ohio with a refundable tax credit of up to 30 percent of their in-state spending.

In the works since 2016, the project, aimed at the same crowd that made “80 for Brady” a success, according to Deadline, now enters the post-production and editing phase. The movie has no release date yet as producers of independent films typically begin shopping for a distributor once it’s closer to being finished.

“Lost & Found in Cleveland” is the biggest movie to film in Northeast Ohio since the LeBron James biopic “Shooting Stars” spent parts of three months here last spring, and a film crew from “A Man Called Otto” shot a scene at Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s station in Brecksville around the same time last year, too.

“A Man Called Otto,” starring Tom Hanks, is currently playing in theaters, while “Shooting Stars” is scheduled to be released on Peacock later this year. Marvel’s “Blade” was supposed to shoot second-unit scenes in the area in late 2022 before a new director and writer were brought on board. There’s no word yet if or when that will happen.

Martin Sheen, Dennis Haysbert, Santino Fontana & Others Set For Dramedy ‘Lost & Found In Cleveland’

Posted on February 10, 2023

(Top L-R) Martin Sheen, Dennis Haysbert, June Squibb, (Bottom L-R) Stacy Keach, Yvette Yates Redick and Santino Fontana Getty Images

SOURCE: Deadline.com | Matt Grobar
February 10, 2023

EXCLUSIVE: Impossible Dream Entertainment and Double G Films have set a stacked cast for their dramatic comedy Lost & Found in Cleveland, marking the feature debut of writer-directors Marisa Guterman and Keith Gerchak. Leads for the film, currently in production in Cleveland, include Emmy and Golden Globe winner Martin Sheen (Grace and Frankie), Golden Globe nominee Dennis Haysbert (Far from Heaven), Oscar nominee June Squibb (Nebraska), Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Nebraska), Independent Spirit Award winner Yvette Yates Redick (Inherent Vice) and Tony Award winner Santino Fontana (Broadway’s Tootsie).

An adult drama targeted toward the audience that recently made Paramount & Fifth Season’s 80 for Brady a hit, Lost & Found in Cleveland is billed as a new American fable about the post-Industrial American Dream in the Industrial Midwest — a slice-of-life depiction over a 24-hour period that follows the personal odysseys of five very different people, whose lives intertwine when America’s favorite televised antiques appraisal show comes to their city.