For all the details and to sign-up, head over to: http://kristinecanhelpme.com/coffeedate. For more info on Kristine herself check out her main website. Here’s an except from the website:

The story behind this whole thing:
I want you to meet some really awesome people

Hi, Kristine Oller here! If you’ve had any contact with me before, you know I strongly believe in the value of having coffee dates with folks.

By “coffee date” I mean a conversation – with someone who seems like they know what they’re doing – during which you can, among other things, get some guidance from them.

Anyway, there are several key friends and colleagues that I refer folks to for coffee dates quite often because these particular peeps ROCK and they are smart, proactive and generous about sharing their knowledge and paying it forward.

Bostin is one of those people.

BUT, lately I’ve been getting worried that Bostin (and the others) would soon burn out after repeating their wisdom to everyone I sent their way…

…so I’m creating this series of conference calls to record live “coffee dates” with my favorite fun, savvy, go-to people for two main reasons:

1) to protect their time,
2) to enable others – many others – to learn from their insights, successes, and mistakes.

The best part:
These folks have nothing to sell to you

This event is exclusively about them sharing their guidance with you.
There will be no sales pitches.

Nor will you be teased with just a tiny bit of helpful info and an offer to “buy the rest.” Nope. Everyone who participates is here to share their story and advice candidly. That’s it.

The other best part:
You don’t have to leave your house

This event takes place on the phone! Get cozy, call in, listen to Bostin’s guidance, ask him questions.

And everyone (whether you can make the call or not) will receive an unedited mp3 recording of the call in their inbox soon after the event.

To get the details and sign-up, head over to: http://kristinecanhelpme.com/coffeedate.

Project: Otis Movie

OK…so, after like a million years, I am posting some more Otis pics. These were an easter egg hidden on the official Otis Website that my buddy Dr. Bear found and forwarded to me. Enjoy…Click the photo below or go directly to the album. Of Course, I recommend you turn up the volume and play the slideshow with music and all…

Click the Photo for the Full Album

Press Release – In My Pocket wins Audience Choice Award

Hopefully, more screenings, film festivals and a theatrical release to come. Stay tuned!!!

UPDATE: HERE IS THE INTERVIEW – September 2008
I have edited the original to start where my interview begins, to listen to the whole show, follow this link…Without Your Head Horror Radio

I will be interviewed tonight on Without Your Head radio at 9pm EST.

Check out http://www.withoutyourhead.com for more and call in at 508-644-8503.

Hope to hear you TONITE!

“The family that slays together, stays together”

KSKA, the public radio station in Anchorage, does a weekly show on local theatre called Stage Talk. The week after the conference on June 27, 2008, I was a guest on Stage Talk. We wrapped about the recent theatre conference in Valdez as well as Otis and it’s playing in Anchorage.

Bostin Christopher Interview on KSKA’s Stage Talk, June 27, 2008

Interview with Tony

Interview with Bostin

It’s not often a horror-comedy is going to win any awards, so the fact that OTIS won TWO at the recent International DV/HD Festival is pretty cool. They haven’t uploaded their pictures yet from the event, but when they do, I will post them. Read more to see the Warner Bros. Press Release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

OTIS WINS BEST PICTURE AT

2008 INTERNATIONAL DV/HD FESTIVAL

FOURTH FEATURE UNDER “RAW FEED” PRODUCTION BANNER ALSO PICKS UP BEST ACTOR TROPHY FOR BOSTIN CHRISTOPHER

BURBANK, CA (April 3, 2008) – OTIS, the provocative black comedy which chronicles an all-American family’s collision with the dark world of a serial killer, took home the award for Best Picture at the 2008 International DV/HD Festival in Los Angeles. In addition, the film was also honored with a Best Actor trophy for Bostin Christopher, who plays the title role and was on hand to accept his award at the festivities.

“”We were thrilled to have been invited and it was indeed a wonderful surprise to win. OTIS is a quirky, political horror/satire, and I know all those who worked on the film are tickled by this award — especially those huddled hard in the HD monitor tent on set. Bostin Christopher deserves particular praise for his emotional and at once disturbing and sympathetic performance,” said Producer/Director Tony Krantz. “We had a great and dedicated cast and crew, and these awards are a testament to the hard and wonderfully creative work they all did.”

OTIS was chosen to be part of the festival from hundreds of submissions and selected Best Picture from a field of more than 75 feature and short films. Established in 2003 and focusing on creative works shot only in Digital, Video & High Definition formats, the International DV/HD Festival is seven-day movie festival recognizing the best Narratives, Documentaries, Music Videos & Animations in friendly competition.

Produced and directed by Tony Krantz (Mulholland Drive, Sublime, “24”), OTIS written by Thomas Schnauz (“Reaper”, “X-Files”) and Erik Jendresen (Sublime, “Band of Brothers”) and is WHV’s fourth acquired title from the “Raw Feed” film franchise.

In addition to Bostin Christopher, OTIS stars Daniel Stern (Home Alone, City Slickers), Illeana Douglas (Ghost World, Factory Girl) and Kevin Pollak (A Few Good Men, The Usual Suspects). Also featured are Jere Burns (Beverly Hills Cop II, “Dear John”), Ashley Johnson (Fast Food Nation, What Women Want), and Jared Kusnitz (Dance of the Dead). John Shiban (Rest Stop, “Supernatural”, “X-Files”) and Daniel Myrick (Believers, The Blair Witch Project) are also producers.

OTIS will debut on uncut DVD and Blu-ray™ Hi-Def June 10 from Warner Home Video (WHV).

Synopsis

OTIS is a story of suburban America gone haywire. In the midst of a serial abductor/killer’s rampage, a beautiful young teen, Riley Lawson (Ashley Johnson), goes missing. When her desperate parents, Will and Kate (Daniel Stern and Illeana Douglas), are contacted by her kidnapper, an insufferable FBI Special Agent (Jere Burns) takes charge of the case.

But, from deep within the psychopathic subterranean world created by Otis (Bostin Christopher), Riley turns the tables on her tormentor, manages to escape and to contact her parents. Fed up with the tragi-comic inability of the FBI to find their girl, Will, Kate and Riley’s brother, Reed (Jared Kusnitz), decide to take matters – and justice – into their own hands. But when Otis’ brother, Elmo (Kevin Pollak), shows up unexpectedly, the Lawsons find themselves mired in one of the more unusual and macabre consequences of vigilantism.

Far from proclaiming ‘Mission Accomplished,’ the backed-in-a-corner Lawsons will further complicate their already deadly predicament with a surprising, unfortunate and frankly hilarious final choice.

Films under the “Raw Feed” banner are a mix of thriller, horror and sci-fi with a strong psychological and dramatic edge, and are as much psychological as they are thriller or horror genre. The films have been released on DVD in rated and uncut versions, featuring innovative extra features and bonus content. The “Raw Feed” label originated from the creative minds of Tony Krantz, Daniel Myrick and John Shiban. The first film in the series, Rest Stop (written and directed by Shiban), debuted on DVD in October 2006 and has sold more than 1.5 million units worldwide, making it the top-selling MFV title in WHV history not based on a previous films. Rest Stop was followed by Sublime (directed by Krantz) in March 2007 and Believers (directed by Myrick) in October 2007.

Otis

 http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/sxsw-2008-otis-review/

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/11535

I am sure there will be more to come. Also check out this link which talks about the upcoming DVD release and the DVD extras included with the film.

http://www.cinemablend.com/dvdnews/Otis-Gets-A-DVD-Announcement-Prior-To-SXSW-Debut-9328.html

More to come…

IFC Interview

Originally uploaded by Bostin.C

Hey all!
Just did some fun interviews for IFC Channel. Ashley and I did one, which
was great! And then Kevin, Jere and Illeana did one. And oh my, they were
insane and funny. It was great. It will eventually probably be on the IFC
channel, which is at http://www.ifc.com/sxsw. Not sure when it would be
posted, so I will post about it, or it someone sees it, please leave a
comment.

Fun times, fun times…

Otis will be screening at various festivals over the month of March. Please, check it out if you are in the area or pass along to those who may be located in these areas of Austin, Cleveland or Boston! Much appreciated…
The trailer is also available online.

Ways to see the film:

South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival – Friday, March 7th and Wednesday, March 12th – http://2008.sxsw.com/film/screenings/film/F10116.html 

Cleveland International Festival -  Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th – http://www.clevelandfilm.org/ciff_films_find-details.php?fid=2482

Boston Underground Film Festival – Sunday, March 23rd – http://bostonunderground.bside.com/?_view=_filmdetails&filmId=50532074

DVD is scheduled to come out on June 10th at this point. (Subject to Change).

I am headed to the SXSW Film Festival this weekend. I will be phone-casting and posting photos if folks want to follow along: http://www.bostinchristopher.com.

Description of the Film (From the SXSW Website):
OTIS is a story of suburban America gone haywire.In the midst of a serial abductor/killer’s rampage, a beautiful young teen, Riley Lawson (Ashley Johnson), goes missing. When her desperate parents, Will and Kate (Daniel Stern and Illeana Douglas), are contacted by her kidnapper, an insufferable FBI Special Agent (Jere Burns) takes charge of the case. But, from deep within the psychopathic subterranean world created by Otis (Bostin Christopher), Riley turns the tables on her tormentor, manages to escape and to contact her parents. And, fed up with the tragi-comic inability of the FBI to find their girl, Will, Kate, and Riley’s brother, Reed (Jared Kusnitz) decide to take matters – and justice – into their own hands. But when Otis’s brother, Elmo (Kevin Pollack), shows up unexpectedly, the Lawsons find themselves mired in one of the more unusual and macabre consequences of vigilantism. Such is the premise of OTIS, a bold satire of the teenager-in-peril- grindhouse horror genre, and the fourth film of the successful Raw Feed series of DTV movies for Warner Home Video. Far from proclaiming ‘Mission Accomplished,’ the backed-in-a-corner Lawsons will further complicate their already deadly predicament with a surprising, unfortunate and frankly hilarious final choice. In the black-comedy/absurdist tradition of Blood Simple, Fargo and A Simple Plan, OTIS represents a new and satirical twist on suburban horror, family values and the chaotic consequences of American homemade justice.

“We are thrilled that OTIS will be premiering at SXSW,” said Jeff Baker, WHV’s Senior VP and General Manager for Theatrical Catalog. “The festival has a long history of making bold choices in their selection process and it’s an honor to be included in that mix.” 

“Otis is a satire of a ‘Leave it to Beaver’ world colliding with the gore-porn world of a modern-day serial killer. Revenge and justice are sought — and found — in a blackly comedic way. Otis quietly talks about the politics and morality of this American moment,” said director/producer Tony Krantz. “I am delighted that SXSW has chosen us for the midnight show on opening night, signaling the festival’s sense of fun, satirical humor and an embrace of a new film out of the ordinary.” 

Produced and directed by Krantz (Mulholland Drive, Sublime, “24”) and written by Thomas Schnauz (“Reaper” “X-Files”) and Erik Jendresen (Sublime, “Band of Brothers”), the film stars Daniel Stern (Home Alone, City Slickers), Illeana Douglas (Ghost World, Factory Girl), Kevin Pollak (A Few Good Men, The Usual Suspects), Jere Burns (Beverly Hills Cop II, “Dear John”), Ashley Johnson (Fast Food Nation, What Women Want) and Bostin Christopher (Unbreakable) as “Otis.”  John Shiban (Rest Stop, “Supernatural”) and Daniel Myrick (Believers, The Blair Witch Project) are also producers.

OTIS is a story of suburban America gone haywire. In the midst of a serial abductor/killer’s rampage, a beautiful young teen, Riley Lawson (Ashley Johnson), goes missing. When her desperate parents, Will and Kate (Daniel Stern and Illeana Douglas), are contacted by her kidnapper, an insufferable FBI Special Agent (Jere Burns) takes charge of the case.

But, from deep within the psychopathic subterranean world created by Otis (Bostin Christopher), Riley turns the tables on her tormentor, manages to escape and to contact her parents. Fed up with the tragi-comic inability of the FBI to find their girl, Will, Kate, and Riley’s brother, Reed (Jared Kusnitz) decide to take matters – and justice – into their own hands. But when Otis’s brother, Elmo (Kevin Pollak), shows up unexpectedly, the Lawsons find themselves mired in one of the more unusual and macabre consequences of vigilantism.

Far from proclaiming ‘Mission Accomplished,’ the backed-in-a-corner Lawsons will further complicate their already deadly predicament with a surprising, unfortunate and frankly hilarious final choice.

Films under the “Raw Feed” banner are a mix of thriller, horror, and sci-fi with a strong psychological and dramatic edge, and are as much psychological as they are thriller or horror genre.  The films have been released on DVD in rated and unrated versions, featuring innovative extra features and bonus content.  The “Raw Feed” label originated from the creative minds of Tony Krantz, Daniel Myrick and John Shiban.  The first film in the series, Rest Stop (written and directed by Shiban), debuted on DVD in October 2006, followed by Sublime (directed by Krantz) in March 2007 and Believers (directed by Myrick) in October 2007.

Otis – Exclusive On-Set Cast Interviews and Scenes

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On the Set of Otis – BLOODY-DISGUSTING.COM

Heads Up poker has caught fire and the flames will be fanned at L.A.’s newly renovated Crystal Casino & Hotel. On February 5th – 8th, 64 of the world’s top players will compete in a $10,000 buy-in series of heads-up (one-on-one) Texas Hold’em matches, as players represent one of four international regions in their quest to be crowned the “World Heads up Champion”. This star-studded poker-pro tournament launches with a live pairing party on Monday, February 5th, hosted at the nearby Yosh’s Sushi Bar in the legendary Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens. Players will be divided into 4 brackets (regions) and will advance by winning their first heads up match against their randomly drawn opponent, and with each subsequent win according to the structure.Produced by Joker Gaming, LLC, the event will be televised and broadcast live via the Internet on Liveatthebike.com and PokerNetcast.com. The public is invited to be part of the action for all three tournament days, as players play down on 8 one-on-one poker tables. Seating will be limited; get there an hour in advance of filming. After Monday evening’s pairing party, February 5th, the event moves down the street on Tuesday to the newly owned Crystal Casino & Hotel, with the first round beginning at 2:00pm. Day two begins at 2pm, February 7th, and the final day’s events culminate on February 8th, again at 2:00pm, with quarterfinals through the last, and best man or woman, standing. The heads up format attracts the most ferocious and courageous of poker players who love the pressure and limelight, along with major prize pool opportunities. This event will boast a prize pool of $640,000 and has brought a stellar cast of players to the tables including Chris Ferguson, Joe Hachem, Daniel Negreanu, Patrik Antonius, Antonio Esfandiari, Mike M izrachi, Gabe Kaplan, Cyndy Violette, Erick Lindgren, Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott, Phil Ivey, Annie Duke, John Phan, Huck Seed, Yosh Nakano, Gavin Smith, JJ Liu, Jennifer Harman, Joe Sebok, Mo Fathipour, and Lakers’ own Jerry Buss and Frank Mariani, to name a few. To see the pros up close and personal, come down for heads up – real poker, high stakes and the title of World Champion.