Ten Inch Hero

Long Time!

2010-06-21T23:09:00.001-07:00

Hey all you Ten Inchers out there! Long time!!

Just wanted to pass along the latest:

1) TIH is now available by PPV and VOD on most subscription TV through Time Warner.

2) Phase 4 will be releasing the film within the next few months in retail stores throughout the US and Canada (REGION 1). When we know which stores, we'll post it. There may even be an online store. Check back for more info!

3) Ladies, looking for a different TIH shirt? Try eBAY: http://myworld.ebay.com/teninchhero/

--Betsy

More Ads!

2009-04-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

More advertising this Thursday during Supernatural.

This time, we're running ads in Davenport again, and also on California's central coast, including Santa Cruz. Yay!!

Thanks to MackerDude for recording the ad in Davenport last week and putting it on youtube!!

Any TIFs In Davenport Iowa?

2009-04-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

You guys, this is so cool. We're going to have a commercial this Thursday during Supernatural!!

The test market is Davenport Iowa. We're just going to see how it goes.

Okay, the big question: does anyone know anyone there who'd record a copy for us? Maybe put it on youtube or send it to me to put it on youtube? Pleaaassseee?

Betsy

Release Info (and Help Needed!!)

2009-02-18T22:26:00.000-08:00

Ten Inch Hero is Released!

Ten Inch Hero has been released for rentals in the U.S. at Blockbusters.

So you want to buy TIH?

We hear you!! We are CLOSE to announcing a deal for purchasing it via Amazon and other places. (That should make our Canadian TIFs happy, yes?). We'll be taking pre-orders soon.

AND, we'll be selling t-shirts then too. Details soon!

Help Wanted!!

We need to make some updates to the website, and frankly, everyone is too busy with the release.

So if you have mad HTML skills, and are willing to do some work for a free t-shirt and DVD of the film, can you shoot me an email? Thanks!!

Ten Inch Hero at Blockbuster on Feb 17!!!!

2009-01-29T15:08:00.000-08:00

Ten Inch Hero will be available to rent at Blockbusters all over the U.S. on Feb 17. The film will also be available on blockbuster.com.

At this time, no word on which stores will be selling copies as well. This depends on availability over the next few weeks. We are confident there will be copies available for purchase by April, but just can't be sure before then.

So please help an indie film out, and spread the word!!

Ten Inch Hero to be Released in February in USA!

2008-12-06T10:28:00.001-08:00

Great news! Ten Inch Hero will be released in the USA this coming February!

Blockbuster is handling the U.S. release, which means you'll be able to see the trailer playing in your local Blockbuster in the next 3-4 weeks. Of course, it will available online as well.

And David and Mark are working hard to include as much bonus material as they can to the DVD. How cool is that?

Without a doubt, we have the best fans in the world. You helped this come true for us, and we're so thankful for your support! Please come through for us one last time, and promote the hell out of this release!!

New Fan Vid with Special Announcement!

2008-11-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

How cool is this?

Our good friend Nisha made us a new video to celebrate the upcoming Ten Inch Hero screening, with some good news tucked inside!

Be sure to watch and let Nisha know what a terrific job she did!!

Ten Inch Hero Screening in LA on Nov 24

2008-11-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

We're having a screening of Ten Inch Hero in LA on Monday November 24 at 7:30 pm.

Regent Showcase Theater
614 N. La Brea Avenue (at Melrose)
Los Angeles, California 90036

Cost is $10 at the door.
Free street parking starting at 7 pm.

So, if you're coming to CA for Thanksgiving break, this is your chance to see the film on the big, big screen!

Please spread the word--we know it's short notice and we'd like to get the word out to as many people as possible!

Thanks, and we'll see you in the theater!
Betsy

Fandom Rocks

2008-08-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

Besides the upcoming UK screening (Did you get your ticket yet? Are you bringing all your friends????), we are very stoked to be supporting FandomRocks.

We've donated two cool items that will be up for bid later this month.

So check them out, get some nice bling, and help a good cause.

TIH on Facebook

2008-07-31T08:13:00.000-07:00

We've opened a Facebook fan page because it's so much easier to chat all of you.

Drop by sometime and become our fan!

Facebook Bumper Sticker

2008-07-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

A friend made some TIH Flair for me (::Smooch::), but I'd love a TIH Bumpersticker to share on Facebook too. Any artists out there willing to help me out???

Thanks!

About the Ten Inch Hero screening in the UK

2008-07-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

The screening will be at the Odeon Cinema in Kingston Upon Thames (about 30 min by train from Waterloo) on Saturday September 6. They are planning two screenings: at noon and at 3 pm. Plan to arrive early, as they cannot delay the start.

Please buy your tickets ASAP, and remember to bring your friends, your dog, your granny (but, ahem, not your six-year-old niece—for mature audiences only!).

To purchase your tickets, go to the LJ community and follow the instructions.

If you have ANY questions, please email Cassie and Company: tihscreening@googlemail.com.

About the London TIH Screening

2008-06-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

We're getting questions about the September 6th screening of TIH in London. Here's the scoop:

Screenings are very difficult to arrange. It seems simple: get a theater, show the film. But whew, it's not like that. So even though we would dearly love to screen all over, it's just not something we can arrange easily from here in LA.

Enter Cassie and her contingent of crazy TIH fans in the UK. They have taken matters into their own hands (there's a Ten Inch joke in there somewhere, but I'll refrain), and are determined to set up a UK screening. They're tracking down a cinema AND arranging projection, and are spreading the word to make sure there are enough people who will attend to make it work.

And just like Shoeless Joe, if they build it, we will come.

The screening is tentatively set for mid-day on Saturday September 6th. If you plan to attend, please email Cassie and let her know how many to expect: tihscreening@googlemail.com.

If enough people reply, we can make it work!

Cannes Update

2008-06-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

David's just been back from Cannes, and we'd like to give our wonderful friends out there an update on where we are with distribution.

As many of you know, distribution is literally a "one country at a time" deal. It often takes indie films 2 to 3 years to get distribution in any particular country.

As of today, Ten Inch Hero will be distributed and shown in the following countries: Germany (Yay for Kimmy and Dagmar), Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Belgium (waves hi to the twins!), the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Lichtenstein.

When will be movie be available in these countries? We're not sure. But it's happening, so hang in there.

If your country is not on this list, don't worry...we're working on it! Some countries are just harder to sell than others. But we're making it happen--one country at a time!

Plastic!Priestly's Pilgrammage

2008-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

You need to see this!

Long time TIF Trillian traveled with Anteka (of PWT fame) down to San Pedro to see if Beach City Grill was still around.

Here is what they found!

Eyecon Thanks and Busy TIFs

2008-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Eyecon was a terrific time! A huge thanks to Kenny and Voni for all their hard work and professionalism.

Here's a shot of long time TIF Jenn, with two of the more shady characters at the con:

The TIFs have been busy again!

Shellz has made a name tag for Asylum, so the TIFs can find each other:

And check out:

* Karie's Wallpaper
* Renee's Priestly Sketch
* Robin's Stamp

Thanks so much to all of you--we have the BEST fans!!

Yo!

2008-03-08T08:20:00.000-08:00

It's been quiet around the old shop lately, and I do apologize. We don't have any news, but we do have some terrific fans. So I'm gonna share some of their offerings.

But first...we adore Dave Lichens, who appears on the TIH soundtrack. (His song "Blue" plays during the scene in the bar when the girls take their road trip.) Dave has a show coming up in LA on March 21, and I'm hearing he will play "Blue" if he knows there are TIH fans in the audience. So head on over for a good show--and let everyone know you love "Blue" AND TIH! For more info, go to Dave's page

Have you checked out TIF Kimmy's puzzle about TIH? She did a terrific job!

And speaking of terrific jobs, check out Briana's Priestly!

We do like fan art here. Here's a fun drawing by Jaimee:

How cool is this? Apparently, TheLadyScribe felt her friend Beow87 needed to put his kilt to good use around campus. Here's the end result:

Beow87 is a patient man, that's for sure!

Finally, we made another appearance on campus recently. This time, TIF Breezy dressed up as Priestly and used the tampon scene as a monologue for drama class! Check her out!

That's all for now! Thanks to our wonderful friends and fans out there!

EyeCon, Gainesville, and the Podcast Link

2008-01-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

EyeCon

Yes, it's true! Thanks to the wonderful fans who rallied for this, we will be screening at EyeCon in Orlando in April!

For more information, go here. And be sure to thank the terrific EyeCon folks for all their hard work in bringing you our film.

Please bring your friends. And their friends.

Gainesville

Do not forget our screening in Gainesville, which is just days away!! If you don't have your tickets yet, order them now!

WinchesterBros Podcast

We came, we saw, we talked for-freakin-ever!

If you missed the podcast, you can catch all 100+ minutes of it here. Thanks to PixieQueen and Clarity for hosting us.

Cool TIF Stuff

2008-01-11T05:12:00.000-08:00

Check this out: someone has actually started a petition to convince the people with the money to release our film. How cool is that? I'm gonna go sign it!

Also, here's a nice review from the December screening in LA that Diana had. Warning: mild spoilers.

And don't forget the podcast on Sunday!!

Update on the Podcast

2008-01-07T22:33:00.000-08:00

Update on the Winchester Bros podcast:

The podcast is this Sunday, Jan 13, at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. for you east coasters).

Talk to you all then!!

WinchesterBros Podcast

2008-01-04T23:01:00.000-08:00

The fine folks at WinchesterBros.com have invited Mark, David, and Betsy to participate in a podcast. Best part: you guys can email in your questions to us.

So, if you have something you've been longing to ask (and it's not too personal...ahem!), hop over to WinchesterBros for details!

Dates and other info available soon.

Our New Year's Gift: The TIH Trailer

2008-01-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all our wonderful friends and fans! To celebrate, we have a gift for you: the trailer for the film!

It's here!

Okay guys, you know what to do: watch it, comment, favor it, and tell everyone you know: I want my TEN INCH HERO!

I hope 2008 is good to us all, and that every one of you sees the film this year. At least once.

Slender Regular?

2007-12-25T16:48:00.000-08:00

C'mom, admit it.

How many of you have checked to see if they really make Slender Regulars?

BTW, we've enabled comments! So feel free...

Oh, and if this post makes no sense to you, drop on by.

p.s., Stay tuned for something new coming soon.

Creative TIFs

2007-12-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

There's no question, we have some creative friends out there. Danie just sent me a snow-Priestly (who is apparently now friends with Bowie! Can't wait for that Bowie/Priestly rendition of Under Pressure).

Then, our Oz TIF Jodie weighed in with her own version of that infamous picture:

And just the other day, TIF Kimmy showed us some of her art. Check out her myspace to see!

And Rosebud sent me some wonderful art as well! Hard to pick, but I think this one is my fave!

Plastic!Priestly On the Line

2007-12-10T08:17:00.000-08:00

TIF Trillian recently sent me this pic of Plastic!Priestly fighting the good fight! Rock on, Priestly!

Monrovia and Florida Screenings

2007-12-03T11:04:00.000-08:00

The Monrovia screening was heaps of fun. People who arrived early got to see Sean Wing looking a little like Satan, but Mark spread the chicken bones and chanted a bit (with some help from Zo, I think), and made it all work out.

Thanks to everyone who attended, especially everyone's favorite Ten Inch Hero, Plastic!Priestly:

(although, with that 'hawk, he's more like an 11 Inch hero, no?) Thanks to Trillian for bringing him! We have a few other pics, uploaded to myspace.

Okay, next screening is in Gainesville, Florida on Friday Feb 1. Seating is limited, and tickets are on sale now! To order tickets, please visit the website or the myspace for the Florida ART Film Festival. Hope to see you there!

LA Screening, Florida Screening, and a Humble Request

2007-11-29T23:41:00.000-08:00

LA Screening:

There are a few more good seats left for Sunday's screening in Monrovia (near Pasadena). Mark and Betsy will be there, and David should be arriving right at the very end of the show. Please email us for more info (or check below!).

Also, if you forget your toy for admission, there is a doll store right next door to the theater. If you tell them "Cindy says I get a 15% discount" you'll get the discount!

Florida Screening:

We are delighted to announce that the East Coast premiere of Ten Inch Hero will be at the Florida ART Film Festival in Gainesville, Florida. The screening will be the opening night event, on Friday Feb 1. David and Mark will both be there--they'll host a Q&A session after the film.

We will post more info next week.

A Humble Request about the Clip:

Please view the Priestly tampon clip ON YOUTUBE whenever possible! That really helps our counts.

We don't mind people downloading it, but it pains us to think of all those views on live journals and other sites that aren't being recorded. So, if you don't mind...please, please keep watching it on youtube. Thanks!!!

Wow. Just Wow.

2007-11-26T17:36:00.000-08:00

We've always said the TIH fans are the best, but today you're shocking even us. Thank you guys so much for the comments, the views, the ratings, and the love.

This is so much fun. Please keep it going and maybe we can make this thing happen. Never underestimate the power of the fans!!!

Ten Inch Hero Scene on You Tube!!

2007-11-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us, and we're in a giving mood. So we've posted a short clip from Ten Inch Hero on youtube!

And if you have the holiday spirit too, here's what you can do for us:

Watch the clip! Ask your friends to watch it. Watch it again. Leave comments. Recommend it. Rate it. Email youtube and ask them to make it a featured video.

Please let everyone know: I want my Ten Inch Hero!!

I STILL Want my Ten Inch Hero

2007-11-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

Team Winchester is at it again!!! Check these out:

And because it's possible that one or two of you may be interested in a copy of that new Priestly pic, here it is:

I want my TEN INCH HERO!

2007-11-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

It's official: we have the best fans. The talented folks at Team Winchester gave us a Thanksgiving present:

This is the best timing, as we are starting a huge publicity campaign for the next month or so.

So please pop over to Team Winchester and tell them they rock.

And use the banner so everyone knows you want your TEN INCH HERO!

The COOLEST Ten Inch Hero Screening Ever!!

2007-11-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

You guys are gonna love this.

Long time TIF Diana is having a birthday. One with a zero. You know the one I mean.

The cool part: To celebrate, Diana is giving herself a gift: a screening of Ten Inch Hero, so she can see the movie again, this time with her family and friends.

The really cool part: Diana's offering the remaining seats to the other TIFs out there. Right now, she estimates there will be about 50 spare seats up for grabs.

The so-beyond-cool part: She is charging admission: one unwrapped toy (worth $10 or more) to be given to a needy child this holiday season.

So, you get to see the movie and do something good for a kid at the same time.

Here's the scoop:

Date: Sunday, December 2nd
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Place: Krikorian Theatre
410 South Myrtle Street
Monrovia, CA 91016
626-305-7469 (recorded directions)

If you (and a friend) would like to join us at Diana's party, please RSVP to her at: Dpanchuck@hotmail.com

If you have questions, or if, for some reason, you don't hear back from Diana within a day, contact me on the gmail account.

Tickets are first come, and your name MUST be on the list to get in the door.

So come on out and join us! Hope to see you there!

The Seans and More Bethany Joy Pics

2007-11-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

TIH PA Cynthia Boris just wrote in to let us know that Sean Wing (Tad) will be on Journeyman tomorrow night. And Sean Patrick Flanery (Noah) will be on an upcoming episode of Numb3rs. Very cool!

Thanks so much for all the nice comments about the Bethany Joy Galeotti candids from the recording session. We found 2 more today, and thought we'd pass 'em on. All five are in the pics area on myspace, if you want to see them or comment.

Behind-the-Scenes Shots of Bethany Joy

2007-11-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

Taking a step behind the camera, here are some candids of Bethany Joy Galeotti when she was recording three songs featured on the Ten Inch Hero soundtrack.

Priestly for Halloween?

2007-10-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

Now THIS is one dedicated TIF:

Well, she assures us it's a photoshop (but it's a darn good one, girl!).

So it got me wondering...is anyone else planning to be Priestly this year for H'ween? Even in photoshop land? If so, send your pic in to the gmail account!!! We'd love to see it.

Vancouver Screening Update

2007-10-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

We've been asked to pass along the following:

All ticket purchase confirmations for the Ten Inch Hero screening and bus tickets (available to Something Wicked attendees only) have now gone out. Thank you to everyone for their patience in this matter.

If you paid by PayPal and DIDN'T receive a confirmation of purchase, please send a note to customerservice@fansfirstinc.com and tell us your name, when you sent payment, and what you bought; we'll look into it right away.

**PLEASE NOTE:** If you sent payment by e-cheque through PayPal, we will wait until the cheque clears before sending a purchase confirmation; however, your name is on the payment list in good faith. If the e-cheque does not clear we will notify you privately and discuss the matter further.

There are still tickets left for the screening, and we are still selling tickets to Something Wicked as well, through the website.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us at customerservice@fansfirstinc.com.

Also, we've announced the winner in the caption contest. Whew, so many good ones. See page 3 of the myspace blog for details.

More about the Vancouver Screening

2007-09-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

More about the screening:

Date: Saturday, October 27th
Time: 12:00 noon
Theatre: The Ridge Theatre, 3131 Arbutus Street, Vancouver, BC

For more info, and to buy tickets, visit fans first. Tickets are discounted for those attending the con.

Please understand this is a private screening. The only way to guarantee admission is to buy your tickets in advance. While they will make any left-over tickets available at the door, that's risky and we don't recommend it!!

Ten Inch Hero Screening in Vancouver, Oct 27

2007-09-28T14:28:00.001-07:00

We will be having a Ten Inch Hero screening in Vancouver BC on Saturday, Oct 27 at noon.

This is brought to you by the fine folks at Fans First Inc, in conjunction with Something Wicked - The Supernatural Fan Gathering.

I don't have the details yet--cost, exact location, etc--but will shortly. I do know the tickets will be sold online and picked up will-call style at the theater. As soon as I know more, we'll publish it.

Guys, lots of people--including a very determined TIF--have worked very hard to make this screening possible. So circle the date and clear your calendar. We want to PACK this cinema and prove that people all over want their TEN INCH HERO!

Actor and Caption News

2007-09-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

ACTOR NEWS

Be sure to catch the premiere of Heroes on Monday night! Also, Season 1 is out on DVD now--pick that up to see Adair AND Clea!

Supernatural is back on Oct 4. Rumors are that, with only one year to live, Dean plans to go out with a bang. So to speak. And I'm sure you have all picked up Season 2 on DVD already!

Edited to add: Yikes! Alert TIF Paula also let me know that Danneel will be on CSI on, yes, you guessed it, Oct 4. As Paula says "Thank Jebus for TiVo!"

Our favorite TV reporter and PA, Cynthia Boris wrote in to let us know that Sean Wing (Tad) has a recurring role as a record producer in South of Nowhere AND on Oct. 8th, he'll be co-starring in an episode of Cold Case. Cool!!

CAPTION CONTEST

Well, Meg and Ria have certainly outdone themselves, so I think they are the caption queen and the caption goddess. I'll let them sort out which is which!!

As for the winning caption...man, this is hard. Let me think about it for another week!!

Caption Contest (on Myspace)

2007-09-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, we're having a caption contest. Below is a picture from the film.

We've also put the picture over in the myspace blog. Enter your caption--or even a few lines of dialog between Piper, Jen, and Priestly--as a comment in the myspace blog.

If you've seen the film, and you know what's happening in this scene, no spoilers, okay?

Winner gets, um, bragging rights. Hey, it's an independent film--what do you expect??!

More from the TIFs

2007-09-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

Lots of questions about screenings and soundtracks and all that. Best thing to do is watch this blog or the myspace page. Because as soon as we know something for sure, this is where it will be!!

TIF Rockstar2 created a Ten Inch Hero forum.

So, if you're a fan of the film and its actors, it's a good place to chat with others!

AND, check out this great Priestly sketch from Hollywould. Didn't she do a great job??

"I Want Ten Inch Hero!"

2007-08-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

How cool is this???

Fantastic TIFs Ciara and Cherryvamp raised a little hell with their video camera at the Conventry convention, and here is their result!

If you get a chance, hop over to YouTube, tell them they rock, and that you want your TEN INCH HERO too!

New Pic

2007-08-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

Had a nice email exchange with a Danneel/Elisabeth fan this week. Elle, here's a new picture for you. Thanks for all your good wishes!

Empire Mention

2007-08-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to longtime-TIF Ciara for finding a letter about us in Empire Magazine. She's reprinted it over on JRA Unlimited, and has written in to give more info.

Thanks Ciara!

Going to Comic Con on Friday?

2007-07-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

If you're going to Comic Con on Friday, watch for 2 people walking around in the famous Ten Inch Hero cast and crew shirts!

The first person to walk up to them and say 'hi' gets a free Ten Inch Hero shirt of their own!

Common Screening Questions

2007-07-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Here are the answers to common questions about the screening in LA on July 25.

1. If you want to attend, you must have received an invite from David and Mark AND you must have RSVP'ed to the address provided in the invite. Only people who have RSVP'ed to that address will be admitted.

2. We haven't been confirming RSVP emails, but if you're concerned, feel free to send a second email asking for confirmation.

3. The theater could end up being full, in which case not everyone who RSVP'ed will get in. Best to get there a little early, as seating is first-come first-served.

I gotta admit...I've been having fun re-decorating! Here's another new picture.

That's Sean Patrick Flanery (Noah), Adair Tishler (Julia), and Elisabeth Harnois (Piper).

Wondering how you know Adair? She was terrific this year in the hit show Heroes where--small world--she worked with Clea DuVall, who plays Jen in TIH.

Screening Info!

2007-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

We are now less than a week from our LA Screening of Ten Inch Hero! The screening will be Wed July 25 at 7:30.

If you will be in LA and you want to be put on the screening list to see TIH, send us a note ASAP at the gmail account (teninchhero@gmail.com).

And if you're planning to come, but haven't sent in your RSVP yet, better hurry! There will be no "drop ins" at the door.

I dunno...maybe we're just excited about the screening. But lately I've been thinking this blog needs more...green.

There, that's better.

Can't...Breathe.

2007-07-04T20:40:00.001-07:00

Can't...breathe. Laughing...too...hard. Send...help.

Screening Qs & a Portrait from TIF Aurelia

2007-06-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Lots of questions about the screening! Here's what we know:

YES, we are still taking names of people interested in the July screening of Ten Inch Hero in LA.

NO, I do not yet know where, when, what time, or the number of available seats. We will do our best to accommodate as many people as we can.

Please send your name and email to the teninchhero@gmail.com account if you are interested in more info as it comes available.

Priestly by Aurelia

How cool is this? Talented TIF Aurelia drew a portrait of Priestly for us. Thank you Aurelia!!!

I'm moving Aurelia to our top friends over on Myspace for a week or so as a thanks...make sure to send her a note!

Cannes Report & Upcoming LA Screening

2007-06-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

We're getting lots of questions about Cannes and about upcoming screenings. We don't have lots of info, but here's what we CAN say at this time:

About Cannes...

Cannes went really well for us. We were over there strictly to work out foreign sales for the film. And, while we can't give any specifics right now, rest assured the deals are in progress.

What does that mean for our overseas friends? It means this: we will definitely be releasing the film in most foreign territories--maybe all of them, over time.

But the ink isn't dry yet, and you know us...we never say anything out loud until it's official.

So sit tight, and keep checking the blog/myspace for announcements over the next several months.

Ten Inch Hero Screening in July in LA

In late July, we're having a screening of TIH in LA for lots of industry folks. However, it's a big theater and we are expecting to have some extra seats, which we'd like to offer up to our TIH fans.

If you plan to be in LA at the end of July and you want to come to the screening, send us your name and email address, and we'll get in touch with the details soon.

Please use the gmail account: teninchhero@gmail.com. Don't leave messages over on myspace--it's just easier to track this via email.

Keep checking...more info coming soon!

This and That

2007-06-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

* Did you guys see John Doe (Trucker) in this week's Entertainment Weekly? They asked him to list his five favorite albums.

(Betsy's note: as if I didn't think he's uber-cool already, John put Joni Mitchell's "Blue" as number 3. ::happy sigh::) When you get a chance be sure to pick up John's latest solo album, A Year In the Wilderness.

* Jensen Ackles (Priestly) has been getting great reviews all over the place for his role in A Few Good Men, down in Texas. Congrats, Jensen!

* As we've mentioned, David Mackay is up in Vancouver directing a film. We've had some people ask about it, so there's a press release about it here.

* Just a warning: I'm seeing various sites offering downloads of parts/all of the movie, unreleased pictures from the movie, or mp3s from the movie. Don't be suckered into this! As far as we know, there are no clips of the movie and no pictures taken in the theater (and if some DOES try to take a camera in, I'm sending Anteka over to talk to them--heh!**). There are also no music files, except for those that the artists themselves make available, such as Dave Lichens's Blue.

So, practice safe computing! Don't go into these creepy dens of spyware and trojans. You're not going to find anything you can't get elsewhere.

**Edited to add: Dudes. Come on. It was a joke.

I posted it before the accusations started flying and y'all got into the discussions about fans and their creed. We are not taking sides, nor would I express a personal opinion (of which I have lots, trust me) on the film's page. So, while I appreciate all the traffic a few sites are sending us, we'd MUCH rather talk about the movie, okay?

Tara and Andy in TIH Shirts

2007-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Remember the cool video Tara and Andy made for us at the Phoenix Film Festival? If you don't, go down and look in April, and you'll find it. Or shoot over the myspace page.

So, below is a pic of Andy and Tara modeling the Ten Inch Hero cast and crew shirts we sent them (along with our gratitude of course!!) Don't they look great?!

Mail: How did the cast entertain themselves on the set?

2007-05-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

Another question from the mailbox!

What did the cast like to do "between shots" on the set of Ten Inch Hero?

Well, Director David Mackay is quick to point out that there's isn't much time between shots on an independent film. The pace is pretty grueling! Still, not everyone is in every shot, so there is SOME downtime.

So how did everyone unwind? We asked PA Cynthia Boris, whose primary responsibility was keeping track of the actors at all times. We figured if anyone knew, she would. And she did!

Cynthia Boris says:

Shopping was a popular way to pass the time between takes. Danneel Harris, Elisabeth Harnois, Clea DuVall, and Judith Drake all enjoyed shopping in the vintage clothing stores that lined the street where we were shooting.

One of our more crafty neighbors was selling hand-painted surfboards and he convinced Jensen Ackles to buy one. While shooting at Port o'Call, the actors stopped to check out rows and rows of colorful and sugary Mexican candies.

Next to shopping, coffee runs were tops on the list! Even though it was over 100 degrees out, all of the actors took time to dash up 6th Street to the coffee house for a pick-me-up and a few minutes of quiet time with the newspaper.

Short breaks were mostly filled with chatter. The actors swapped stories, passed around magazines, worked crossword puzzles, and listened to music. John Doe is a famous singer (both with X the Band and on his own) so he entertained the group on the van rides with a CD of his latest tunes.

The actors also got a lot of mileage out of toys they found in the local 99 Cent Store. The light up spacemen ray guns were particularly popular.

Sean Wing battled to be the champion chess player. Our youngest star Adair Tishler played games with her set teacher to pass the time; she doubly enjoyed hanging with the movie's canine star.

Once production was moved to the beach, Clea and Sean Patrick Flanery took advantage of some meditation time by the ocean. When the sun went down, Jensen and the girls would play a fast round of pick-up basketball.

David Mackay adds:

Just wanted to add that that Jensen, Clea, Danneel, and Elizabeth bought me one of the full size surfboards from that shop. A beautiful present! It is actually designed to hang on the wall, and it's a huge amazing oldstyle wooden board. It's really a piece of art that holds many large photographs, which I am filling with stills from the shoot!

It was an awesome present and I LOVE it!

Feel free to send in your questions...either to the gmail account or on myspace!

Digging Deep in the Mailbox

2007-05-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

This week, we thought we'd dig deep and answer some of those questions that have been sitting in the mail box for a while. So here ya go:

WC Fields advised film-makers to never work with animals or children, but Ten Inch Hero has both! How was that?

Director David Mackay answers:

The reason WC Fields said that is because it's time-consuming and can be frustrating, trying to give direction to things that typically don't take direction!

Fortunately, we had no problems, with either the children OR the pets.

Adair Tishler (Julia), who was 9 years old at the time (but was playing 8), was GREAT! She goes to a performing arts school and is trained as an actress. She is VERY good at learning her lines and understanding the blocking. She also takes direction very well.

I am so proud of Adair's performance...she did all this and had to study for school between scenes!

We were very lucky in the animal department. Lucille (Judith Drake) carries a chihuahua in her bag, called Bam-Bam, in the movie. The pup was very well behaved, and would even yelp on cue.

The dog came with his own wardrobe! We changed his outfit every day too, but for some reason no one noticed it quite the same way they noticed Priestly's ever-changing assortment of t-shirts. Our big regret is that we forgot to put Bam-Bam in his little tux for the final scene of the movie.

John Doe...man, I've been listening to him forever. Did he talk about his music on the set?

Sure! John had a CD coming out shortly after filming, so he played cuts from it to entertain the cast and crew.

As for getting him to play on the set, well, David has a funny story about that:

TIH has one scene that takes place at Trucker's (John's Character) pad. So I asked the art department to put a guitar in the living room...thinking that maybe Trucker--a 60's child--would play the guitar.

I was also just hoping that John might pick it up and jam between takes.

So, when I saw John find the guitar and sit down with it, I got excited and anticipated that he might just break out into an X song! So I walked over to him, and he said "You sure I would have this in my house?" I asked why, and he replied "Well, it's the kind of guitar you'd give your kid."

I wish the art department had been able to find a real Fender!

Grab Bag o' Stuff

2007-05-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

We put a slide show up on the myspace with shots from Newport Beach and Santa Cruz. I'll move the pics to the album soon, but for now, it's a public slideshow so even you guys who hate myspace should be able to get through it without too much pain.

The web site has been updated with the latest pics.

Be sure to catch TIH's adorable Adair Tishler (Julia) on Heroes next week.

We had a wonderful time in Santa Cruz. Thank you to Jane and all the terrific film fest volunteers who work so hard. Special thanks to all the fans and friends who came to see us. We are especially proud to win the Festival's award for best soundtrack.

Checking In Between Film Fests!

2007-04-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Report from Newport Beach

By now, I'm sure many of you have seen reports from the NB screening...it was truly a wonderful night. Thank you SO MUCH to all the cast and crew members who came down to lend their support. We just wish David had been able to be there, but he's very busy directing another film in Vancouver.

A special thanks to everyone who just stopped by to tell us how much you loved the movie. I especially love putting faces to internet names (Ahem, Ash? You guys WERE the ones I was looking for!)

When we get back from Santa Cruz, I'll put together a slide show. So if you have a picture you want to include, please send it to the gmail account.

And On to Santa Cruz

Next Stop? The Rio theater in Santa Cruz! This Saturday (April 28), at 7:30. Since Ten Inch Hero is set in SCruz, we're very excited to be "coming home!"

And after that...?

We don't know. Really. We're working hard to get the movie out there so all of you can see it. Trust me--we want every one of you to see the movie on the big screen.

When we know about future screenings or film fests, we will put it on the blog or the myspace. So keep checking!

What can we do to help?

We LOVE that you guys ask us that.

The best thing an indie movie can have is BUZZ, so just keep spreading the word. And if you've seen the movie and you love it, a quick review and/or rating on IMDB goes a long way. We really appreciate the reviews we've received out there so far.

I remembered something I wanted to ask!

Hey, we're still taking questions! Feel free to send them in. We'll answer some more after Santa Cruz.

Ten Inch Hero in Phoenix by Andy and Tara

2007-04-18T19:12:00.000-07:00

TIFs Tara and Andy made this terrific video of the sights and sounds of Ten Inch Hero's screening at Phoenix Film Festival.

The music is by Feeder, and is featured in the Ten Inch Hero soundtrack.

HUGE thanks to Tara and Andy for making this, as well as to all our new friends who agreed to participate.

Film Festival Update

2007-04-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Report From Phoenix

We are stunned, humbled, and just so excited by the "arms-wide-open" reception we received this weekend. Amazing feedback and reviews we're reading.

We can't wait to get some pictures and/or video...please send them to the gmail account, and we'll post them! Remember, the coveted TIH t-shirt is at stake!

And on to Newport Beach!

With Phoenix behind us, we turn to our screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival in Orange County, CA on April 25.

Please note that two of the Phoenix screenings sold out and had to turn people away. Please order your NB tickets ASAP. As far as we know, there WILL be a Q&A session following the screening.

And the Santa Cruz Film Festival...

Close on the heels of Newport Beach is the Santa Cruz Film Festival. The show is Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rio Theater. That theater is HUGE, but, as the closing show of the film festival, we are hoping to PACK IT!

You mean you've been waiting...

2007-04-12T00:10:00.000-07:00

...for one of these? Oh! Why didn't you say so?!

Our Poster is Here!!!

2007-04-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

You'll have to head over to myspace if you want to see it bigger, but this should give you a good idea!!

Mark on the Radio!

2007-04-11T00:08:00.000-07:00

Just a note: If you're coming to Phoenix on Friday...

Be sure to get to the theater no later than 15 minutes before the show time. In fact, I'd shoot for 30 minutes early! They're expecting the show to be packed.

See you there!

Mark's On the Radio!

Click here to download the audio of Mark on the radio! Warning--it's a biggie, so don't do it if you have a dial up! Thanks to Cynthia and Amber for their help.

(If you have problems with this, shoot me a message...I *think* it's working properly).

Producer Mark Witsken to be on the Radio!

2007-04-08T23:04:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (Monday) morning, producer Mark Witsken will be a guest on public radio in Santa Cruz around 10:30 am pacific. He will be part of a panel talking about the upcoming Santa Cruz Film Festival, where TIH is the closing show.

If you're not in the area, you SHOULD be able to listen in on the feed at KUSP.ORG, but with live radio...no promises, okay?

We'll try to get a recording of it for the myspace page one way or the other.

Mark's Mammoth Music Blog

2007-04-07T23:58:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Mark Witsken, producer of "Ten Inch Hero." A lot of people have asked us about some of the music in our movie. Brace yourself for a long entry. I apologize in advance. [Note: If you are hyper-ventilating, frantically scanning for the words "Bethany Joy" to appear, you can skip to the middle of paragraph 4.]

The process of finding and creating songs for our movie has been a blast, and very important to me. Being a musician myself, I am thinking about it all the time; I kept a list of songs for a year that I wanted to use in the movie, in the end, -0- of them made the final cut! Which is cool because we found so many great new bands and artists, and produced a few songs for the movie ourselves. Director/producer David Mackay, Music supervisor Andrea von Foerster, and myself got together many times to exchange lists and listen to ideas.

Some other time I may write more of a blog on the new artists we discovered and their songs we chose for the movie. In the meantime, check this one out, the song is called "Blue" by up-and-comer Dave Lichens. Go to www.myspace.com/davelichens and listen to the track. Then watch "the BLUE recording session" video posted underneath the blogs – very cool!

As I said, we (myself and David) produced 3 new songs ourselves, along with composer Don Davis. Don is a world-class composer of many films such as The Matrix and Behind Enemy Lines. We were honored to have him score our film, and it was an amazing learning trip to watch him compose and record his music. He also takes criticism surprisingly well on his bass playing. He composed the original score for our movie, and he and Bethany Joy Galeotti wrote some new songs, sung by Bethany Joy, for the movie soundtrack. The 4 of us kicked those ideas around for months, sending demos back and forth across the country, until we settled on a few songs and recorded them.

But here is how the whole thing with Bethany Joy Galeotti (who is one of the stars of the CW network show, One Tree Hill) came about:

Last spring I was talking to my teenage pal Madison A. who is a really good friend, and she has great musical taste too, it turns out... I knew she was a One Tree Hill fan so I told her David & I were going to be meeting with Bethany Joy about the movie. Madison was excited and told me, "you know, she's a great singer too, I saw her at the One Tree Hill concert and she was amazing." Well, now I had to hear more....

So at the end of our meeting with Bethany Joy, (which went great and David and I have been fans of hers ever since), I asked about her music and did she have a demo CD or anything. She said she did in her car but needed to go burn me a copy... so she runs out and burns a copy on her laptop, comes back in like a half-hour and hands me this CD-R with song titles written on a piece of paper. I went home and listened to it, and I don't want to be melodramatic but I was blown away. And that happens very rarely. Amazing vocals, wonderful vocal style, very real and natural, great phrasing, and 100% natural real sound, none of that over-processed, auto-tuned to death stuff we're all used to hearing now. Two songs in particular grabbed me and would not let go, "Blue Sky," and "Never Gonna Be." (I have probably listened to Blue Sky now 50-100 times; it's a cover of a Patty Griffin song.) So I gave the CD to David and told him this is no ordinary singer, she's amazingly good. He listened and felt the same way I did.

At this point it looked like it would not work out for Bethany Joy to be involved in the film for various complicated reasons. And then she sent an email to us, which I can't get into the details... but just saying something to us about the movie, in her own special way... and it made such an impression on both of us. We both read it separately, and then I walked into David's office and we were looking at each other like, she HAS to be involved in our movie!

So we got to talking along those lines, and at first wanted to possibly use one of her songs on the CD in the movie but the rights were owned by major companies, and were difficult to license. So then we thought, hey let's see if she wants to record a new song for the movie. Well as soon as we told Don Davis about the idea, he was totally into writing something with her... so we all jumped into the project and she started sending us a few demos of ideas she had, and Don started writing the music for some songs, for Bethany Joy to add lyrics. In the end we used 3 songs from this process, 2 rock songs and an emotional ballad.

The songs were recorded at Don's studio in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. Bethany Joy flew in while on a break from OTH filming, and she recorded ALL the vocals in basically a day and a half. I was very concerned to have her cram that much singing into 2 days, this was mostly new material, very little rehearsal time, and one of the songs had brand new lyrics, I think she just wrote them on the airplane or something! But she is such a pro and so in control of her voice that it was a piece of cake.

Her husband Michael came in too, he arrived late because he missed his flight, I think he hadn't shaved and looked like a terrorist, or maybe he forgot his license, I can't recall. But he flew in later to have dinner with all of us. Great guy, I am amazed to this day because he sat there, with the 3 of us blow-hards, (David, me and Don, not Bethany) pontificating and lecturing on all this and that, as people will do when creating anything by committee... and Michael sat there and didn't say a word, he just held his tongue even though I'm sure he had plenty of opinions on what was going on. He's a talented musician too, in a band called ENation. They are excellent, Bethany Joy gave me their CD. In fact, she made me listen to the whole thing on the long drive up from the L.A. airport. She's like, "Oh, hope you don't mind, do you? Check this out…" as she's putting the CD in and blasting the volume... But it was great, luckily. So check them out.

The 3 songs we recorded are titled "The Long Way," "Get Your Love" and "Something Familiar."

I don't know if they will be released before or after the movie comes out, that is a whole [business/ record company /soundtrack] scenario that is impossible to predict. But the one thing I do know is we feel blessed to have been able to work with Bethany Joy Galeotti and bring more of her talents to you! Hope you enjoy the results.

Thanks for being interested in what we do-
Mark Witsken

Free SCruz Tickets are Gone!

2007-04-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure yet who was first--I need to sort out the time stamps between the different places. But the free SCruz tickets are definitely gone.

However, there are still plenty available to buy. Hope to see you there!

Ten Inch Hero at the Santa Cruz Film Festival & New Contest!

2007-04-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that Ten Inch Hero has been chosen as the special closing night screening at the Santa Cruz Film Festival. The show is Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rio Theater.

Ten Inch Hero is set in Santa Cruz, so we are especially excited to be "coming home." The Rio theater is very large, and we're hoping to PACK IT!

To celebrate, we have five pairs of tickets to give away--these will get you into the screening as well as the closing party after. We'll give the tickets to the first five people who email us and ask!

So as of now, here are all the upcoming shows of TIH.

Phoenix Film Festival

Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14 at 9:20 a.m.
Sunday, April 15 at 4:00 p.m.

Newport Beach Film Festival

Wednesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m., Edwards Cinema in Fashion Island

Santa Cruz Film Festival

Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m., Rio Theater

New Contest for a T-Shirt

We know there are lots of TIFs out there who are disappointed they can't come to Phoenix next weekend.

So we're asking our TIFs who ARE attending Phoenix to share the love by taking pictures for us. People in line, the poster on display, the Q&A session, David eating popcorn--even a short video of fans waiting to go in, fans saying how much the movie rocks, etc.

We'll pick the 10 or so we like best, put them on display, AND give you full credit. Then we'll somehow reach consensus on our favorite and send you one of our cast & crew t-shirts, just like the one that's in the mail to Tiffany (our manip winner) right now.

Just please keep it PG13, so we CAN display it. Yeah, we know what you were thinking...

We Have a Winner!

2007-03-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Tiffany for winning the Priestly Manip contest with #8, Broom Hawk. Tiffany, send me your address either at myspace or the gmail account and I'll get your official cast & crew shirt out to you.

Thanks also to all the TIFs who voted and left such nice comments. I'm sure the artists appreciated the love. I'll leave the manips up on myspace for a little while longer.

I know there's been speculation that one may be real, but nope, they were all manips. All I can say is I wish we still had enough shirts left to send one to all of you. You guys ROCK!

Look for a new contest later this weekend--and this one won't require artistic talent.

NEW PICS: We have some new pics up on the website--be sure to check them out.

Ten Inch Hero at the Newport Beach Film Festival!

2007-03-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

After Phoenix (see below), we are proud to announce Ten Inch Hero will next appear at the Newport Beach Film Festival, in Orange County, CA.

Please plan to join us on Wednesday APRIL 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Edwards Island Cinema in Fashion Island. We are very excited to be part of this terrific film festival.

See the film festival's website for ticket information.

(Sorry guys--I had written June. The screening is APRIL 25. D'oh!).

Wait! Before you send in that question...

2007-03-24T00:12:00.000-07:00

Over here in Ten Inch land, we love to hear your comments. And we're happy to answer questions when we can.

But, since the Phoenix Film Festival announcement, we're understandably seeing some of the same questions over and over. So, before you ask, check below to see if we've answered already. If you still have questions, by all means, send 'em in!

1) Will TIH be screening at (insert film festival name)?

We are navigating the world of film festivals right now. We will definitely be appearing at more festivals all over the country. And once we have dates, times, and locations, we will announce it. Trust me, you will know!

But, until then, we just can't comment on all the film festivals out there.

2) Will (insert favorite actor's name) be at the (insert film festival name)?

We know everyone's excited to see their favorite actors. But we really cannot commit to other people's plans. And we would hate to announce that someone plans to attend, just to have a scheduling conflict prevent them from coming.

So, unfortunately, we can't answer these kinds of questions other than to say that some of the actors will definitely be attending some of the screenings. And any actor attending a screening will be invited to hang around after, participate in the Q&A, etc...schedule permitting, of course!

3) What can we do to help?

Truly, the TIFs are the best fans in the world. We appreciate your support and kind words more than you can imagine. Right now, the best thing you can do is keep spreading the word--and pack those screenings!

4) Will you be putting a forum on the blog/myspace so the fans can chat?

Not at this time. However, long-time TIF Ciara has just opened a fan group on myspace. So feel free to head over there and chat away! We'll pop in from time to time.

5) You promised to talk about the music!

We haven't forgotten you! Mark is working on a blog entry about the music, which he hopes to post in the next week or two. He's just swamped right now, as you might imagine!

Ten Inch Hero at the Phoenix Film Festival!

2007-03-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce that Ten Inch Hero will be screening at the Phoenix Film Festival!

At this time, the show days/times are:

Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14 at 9:20 a.m.
Sunday, April 15 at 4:00 p.m.

Be aware that times and locations often change during a film festival. Contact the film festival for the most recent information.

We hope to see you there! Click here to order tickets.

Don't live in Arizona? Keep checking back for more festival information over the next few weeks!

Mail Bag

2007-03-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

Some new questions from the mail box:

Will Ten Inch Hero be in a film festival near me soon?

Film festivals are an entire art form in themselves! Some have very strict requirements, others have a specific focus, while some are mutually exclusive. So, while we'd love to come to them all, it just doesn't work like that.

When we know the date, time, and place of a film festival showing, it'll be on the myspace, the webpage, the blog, and everything in between.

And yes, we'll have some announcements very soon, so keep checking.

My photoshop skills are non-existent, but man, I want a shirt. Will you have other contests?

Yeah, we'll probably have a few more. We have a few ideas, but if you have a cool contest idea, send it in!

And yes, we know the voting system this time is easily skewed, if you have nothing better to do than vote over and over. But we just don't have the time to track down a better way. If you know how to do this, let us know!

Which character owns the cause-mobile? I see Tish driving it in the pictures, but it seems out of character.

The cause-mobile belongs to Trucker, but he's generous with lending it.

That picture you guys use, with Elisabeth, Clea, and Danneel in the wind: whose ashes are those?

Priestly's.

Just kidding.

Or maybe not.

Or maybe it isn't even ashes.

By now, you guys should know we're not giving away ANYTHING! ::wink::

Jensen's on Jimmy Kimmel Tonight!

2007-03-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to watch Jensen Ackles (Priestly) on Jimmy Kimmel tonight. Jensen will be promoting Supernatural, which is stuck in a very competitive time slot against Grey's Anatomy and CSI.

So tune in and show your support. Because, while hospital and morgue shows are cool, it's a lot more fun seeing how the bodies ended up there in the first place!

Inspiration and Perspiration

2007-03-12T01:38:00.000-07:00

Lots of inspiration and perspiration this week!

Myspace Update

We've opened the myspace page, and put up the Priestly manip contest. Unfortunately, you have to be a myspace member to see the manips--given the time we had, I didn't see an easy way around that.

Great love being given out for the artists over there. Special thanks to Penny who gave feedback on each one.

I know not everyone has a myspace account (ahem, PANDA!), so we'll try to blog in both places as long as we can.

John Doe's New CD

Speaking of perspiration, John Doe--the hardest working guy in town--has a new CD out. Nice article about it here. Please check it out.

Q&A

Yes, we're still taking questions as we can. You may get a private answer, or we may publish it here. And speaking of inspiration, we got this letter recently.

I know you are still finishing the film. I never really thought before about how much you have to do. What keeps you inspired during it all?

Producer Mark Witsken answers:

What gives me inspiration is the idea of seeing our movie through to the end, which I'm sure is how every filmmaker feels about their baby. I guess it's like having a child... OK so I've been working on this film already for 3 or 4 years... Well, you don't stop loving your kid when they get to be 3 or 4, right? It's kind of like that.

I'm proud of what we've done, and there's this drive that you have to make it the best it can be, and hope other people enjoy it too. Also, I feel a lot of responsibility to all the people who worked on the movie, as well as the investors who made the entire thing even possible. I want them to all be satisfied and feel it was worth it.

Director David Mackay answers:

I think for me, inspiration comes from confidence. If I am confident in a movie that I directed, I will work 24/7, until it's done, and completed as good as I can possibly make it. The other day, I spent 3 hours watching the audio laydown of the movie. I didn't NEED to be there, the tech could have done it himself. I've seen the movie about 150+ times now, but I just wanted to make sure it was perfect.

I am really confident that A LOT of people are really going to LOVE this movie, so I'd work, and work, and work, to make sure they see my best possible effort.

Myspace is Live!

2007-03-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

Our myspace is now live!

Head on over there, sign in, friend us...

...and check out our Priestly Photoshop contest!

Grab Bag

2007-03-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

New Website Picture

Very cool new picture up on the website of Elisabeth, Clea, and Danneel with the cause-mobile.

Update on the Manips

We're getting some great new Priestly manips in. We're sure glad this is a poll, and we don't have to pick, because it would be too hard.

Remember, please send yours by this Wednesday to be included in the running for a Ten Inch Hero t-shirt.

Did Someone Say "Myspace?"

Okay, let's see if I can cover them all:

Yes, we are opening a myspace page.

It will be open soon. You can do an Add now if you want, and I'll let you in when we open.

It's still very much under construction, which means no clips, no music, no trailer yet.

Yes, the Priestly manip contest will be on there, provided I can figure out how to make a poll.

No, we (probably) won't slip in a real Priestly picture. Heh.

And finally, no, myspace is not some kind of porn site (snort!).

Any other questions, send them to teninchhero@gmail.com
Have a terrific week!

Fun with Priestly Manips...

2007-02-27T21:31:00.000-08:00

Remember those Priestly photoshops? We just received another outstanding one from TIF Supernana494. We're so impressed with the talent out there, we've decided to have a little fun with it.

Here's what we'd like to do:

If you are working on a Priestly manip (yep, that still sounds dirty), please send it to us by next Wednesday (7 Mar). We're going to take all of the pictures we've received and set up a little poll to see which is the most popular.

It'll either be here, or over on our new myspace page if we get it open by then.

What does the winner get?

Well, bragging rights, which is no small thing. But also an official Ten Inch Hero t-shirt! This is no promo shirt you can buy at a store. This is the official cast and crew shirt--the one actors and crew took home from the shoot. A collector's item!

And let's be honest. You guys out there--how many of you have ever really had the opportunity to wear a shirt that announces to the world that you are a Ten Inch Hero. Hmmm?

So send your Priestly 'shops to teninchhero@gmail.com (If you've already mailed one, we'll assume you want to be included, unless we hear otherwise).

And, if you're new around these parts, and you have no clue what we're talking about, no worries. Just scroll down to the Jan 24 and Jan 29 posts.

Let the games begin!

Bloopers!

2007-02-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

Will Ten Inch Hero release some bloopers with the movie?

These decisions depend on our eventual distribution. But director David Mackay says:

Yes, as far as I'm concerned, there definitely should be a blooper/outtake section on the DVD. We have A LOT of really funny stuff that happened on film before I said "action" and after I said "cut!"

Clea DuVall (Jen) is a very funny woman, so we have lots of material with her.

Jensen Ackles (Priestly) did something funny or goofy in practically every scene. Some of them--things that should have been on a gag reel--we ended up using in the movie. His improvisation was awesome!

In addition, I hope the DVD will have a commentary with myself, lead producer Mark Witsken, and hopefully some of the actors.

New Pics!

2007-02-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

We have a new Picture of the Week on the website! It's a cute behind-the-scenes shot of Elisabeth Harnois (Piper), Clea DuVall (Jen), and Elisabeth's pup.

And make sure to check out the Preview section, because there are 4 more new shots in there, including one of David Mackay and Mark Witsken. David and Mark write the blog, so now's your chance to put faces with those names!

Q and A Time

2007-02-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

As promised, we're tackling some of the more common questions in the Ten Inch Hero IN box:

How's Post Production Going?

It's going great, thanks for asking! The movie is coming together quite well, and we're all pleased with it. We're currently finishing up the sound mix, color timing, the final credits, and other details.

Any chance you'll be showing Ten Inch Hero in my town's film festival/in test screenings near me?

Until we're done, we really don't know. Right now, we're focused on finishing the film, and then we'll explore options in terms of film festivals and test screenings.

But when we do, we'll put it on the website and this blog. And then we'll be counting on you guys to help us pack the theater! (And come say hi to us at the end, of course!)

What will Ten Inch Hero be rated?

It's so hard to predict what the rating board will do. Right now, we estimate the film is somewhere between a soft R and a hard PG-13.

Knowing that many of our TIFs are under 18, it's entirely possible that the movie will be distributed as a PG-13, with the deleted R scenes as a DVD bonus. But again, that's just speculation.

When can you tell us more about the music/soundtrack?

Soon. Mark is busy sorting all that out. When he's done, he plans to devote an entire column to music news.

We can say the music is a very eclectic mix that works well together--just like the characters in the film!

When will you put up a poster?

Mark and David are working on one now. Again, the priority is finishing the film, but it should be soon.

When will you have a trailer/post a scene online?

Well, much of that depends on what we do in terms of distribution. But we'll probably be able to at least put a clip or two up before too long.

Will you put up a Ten Inch Hero myspace?

We've kicked it around, but haven't made a decision yet one way or the other. But definitely not before we have the poster and can release scenes/music clips.

Have a question or comment? Send them to the Ten Inch Hero gang at TenInchHero@gmail.com.

Cast and Crew News -- Random Ramblings

2007-02-03T17:48:00.000-08:00

Clea DuVall's IBTC Premieres Next Week

Just heard that Clea DuVall's (Jen) film Itty Bitty Titty Committee (huh, and you talk about OUR title!) is opening next week.

According to the release, it’s premiering at the Berlinale Film Festival on February 10th. Then, it will be in competition and make it’s U.S. premiere in Austin at South by Southwest on March 11th. Next, it will be the Opening Night Film of the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on March 21st, and the Closing Night Film of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival on March 25th.

Danneel Harris Goes Higher in Harold and Kumar 2

One of my favorite guilty pleasures of the past few years was Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. Love, LOVE that movie. Don't even get me started on the Cheetah.

So I was thrilled to hear that Danneel Harris (Tish) is currently filming the sequel! Apparently it picks right up with the last one left off, with the boys heading to Amsterdam (where Kumar is mistaken for a terrorist--"bong" does sound a lot like "bomb" doesn't it?!)

Danneel's playing Kumar's long lost love--how cool is that?!

Release Date for Alice Krige's Lonely Hearts

Alice Krige's (Zo) Lonely Hearts is set to release on April 13 (a Friday no less). The film co-stars John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Salma Hayek, and Jared Leto. Make sure to check that out!

Mention of John Doe on MTV.Com

I read an article on MTV.com this week with a nice mention of John Doe (Trucker):

"It's one of the great crimes of rock history that the seminal L.A. punk band X aren't better known, but odds are you've seen one of their leaders in his side gig. Over the past two decades, John Doe has managed to balance a musical career — both solo and with the intermittently regrouping X — with small but memorable acting jobs in movies like "Road House" (1989), "Boogie Nights" (1997) and "The Good Girl" (2002), as well as dozens more movies and TV shows. But you should still buy his records."

MTV, we couldn't agree more! Full article is here.

Cynthia Boris Writes for Gather.Com

TIH PA and Special Blog Correspondent Cynthis Boris now writes a weekly column for Gather.Com. You can read her column every Wednesday, including the first one here.

Cynthia's written some nice columns for us (including one I haven't even posted yet!), so be sure to support her in this latest writing gig.

What Are You Doing Thursday?

We all know Thursday night is dominated by the showdown between Grey's and CSI, which results in Supernatural--staring Jensen Ackles (Priestly)--on the CW being overlooked because it's stuck in that same timeslot.

But ya know what? In this day of tape and Tivo, there's no reason to miss Supernatural.

The Supernatural guys are working hard to create a unique program at a time when most other shows seem to be all about hospitals, forensics, and bad singing. Let's face it: any show that can work revenge, fratricide, vampires, compassion, and a chopsaw into one episode can't be bad!

So, do yourself a favor--tape McDreamy... and instead spend this Thursday with McNightmare!

And finally...the answer to about half the questions we receive is...

"Not yet."

Please remember, we're still in post-production. Until the movie is done, we just can't share or speculate on certain things! When we know details for sure, we'll report here and on the website.

(Next blog, we'll answer some specific questions. Promise!)

More Stabs at Priestly

2007-01-29T14:21:00.000-08:00

Again, these are fan art. Manips (which always sounds like a body part to me, but hey...). These are not real pics of Priestly.

Two more submissions from TIFs this week, and they are kicking!

First, Sylph gets credit for not just a fine 'hawk, but for working in the beach. If you've been keeping up on your Ten Inch'ing, you'll know the beach features prominently in the story.

Nice work, Sylph!

Next, check out this pic from Adlin, an indie film friend in Puerto Rico:

Adlin, the guys and I are especially impressed with the goat and the neck tat. Well done!

Thank you both for sending these. We're LOVING it!

Question, comment, or more photoshops? Send them to Ten Inch Hero gang at TenInchHero@gmail.com.

Fans "Shop" For Priestly

2007-01-24T21:37:00.000-08:00

***Important: These are fan-created pixs. PhotoShopped. Not the real thing. (Although, I am evil enough that I considered slipping a real one in, and passing it off as 'shopped. Heh heh heh.)***

So, after poison_love got it rolling on IMDB, we had two other TIFs (Ten Inch Friends) jump in with their own photoshop efforts.

Man, we are stunned. Really.

First, Tiffany sent her greetings to the cast and crew, as well as her rendition:

Tiffany, that is one impressive hawk. Not like Priestly's, but I'd stop the car to see **anyone** in that 'do. Nice work.

Then, Asha jumped in with a lovely email, as well as this, all the way from France:

Asha, nice work. Definitely closer in some ways, but not really there yet. But, I will tell you this: at one point in the film, Priestly's hawk is just about that exact color.

Thanks, guys, for giving us a terrific laugh.

Close, but not quite....

2007-01-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks to "poison_love" on IMDB who apparently got impatient waiting for Priestly pictures and took matters into her/his own hands.

And, am I seeing some eyeliner there too? Very nice.

Thanks, p_l, for a great laugh!

If anyone else wants to send us a link to their Priestly efforts, feel free. But please keep it family-friendly (you guys know who you are! Ahem.)

Pods and the Lovely Alice Krige

2007-01-15T23:23:00.000-08:00

A big thanks to alert TIF (Ten Inch Friend) Caro for letting us know that Ten Inch Hero was mentioned in a One Tree Hill podcast!

If you want to hear Matt Barr (Brad) talk about his experiences with the film, go to the OTH Podcast Page. On the left side, scroll down to the list. Find 405: Commentary with Mark and Matt Barr--it's about a third of the way down the list. The TIH mention comes about 7 minutes in.

Now let's take a question about Alice Krige, who plays Zo in the film.

What you can tell me about Alice Krige's role and involvement in this film?

Director David Mackay replies:

Alice was on our short list for the part for some time. We cast her while she was in South Africa, so she had to fly over quickly to begin shooting!

Alice is a beautiful woman and embodies everything that Betsy described Zo as: warm, loving, flowing, spiritual, and earthy. She got along great with John Doe (Trucker), so I was very excited about their chemistry. She was great to work with and looks amazing in the wardrobe that Sara Jane picked out.

Do you have a question about our film? Email it to TenInchHero@gmail.com. We swear we'll get to it eventually. Really.

Saints, Demons, and Danneel

2007-01-08T19:25:00.000-08:00

Guess what I finally got around to watching this weekend?

The Boondock Saints, starring our very own Sean Patrick Flanery (Noah).

All I can say is wow. Just...wow. I can see why this is a love-it-or-hate-it movie. I'm firmly in the "love it" camp. I can't believe it took me this long to see it, especially being the Irish lass that I am.

(AND...I haven't forgotten my promise to watch Empire Records. It's next on my queue.)

Speaking of viewing: Don't forget the new Supernatural episode this Thursday!

Let's take a question about Danneel, all the way from a fan in France!

Why did you hire Danneel Harris? Did you already know her?

Director David Mackay answers:

Danneel (Tish) came in and read three times, and she was consistently in the top 5.

It was always going to be a decision about the overall mix of the three lead women--one of whom, at that point, was going to be Clea DuVall (Jen). We were leaning toward casting Jensen Ackles (Priestly) early on, so we wanted to find a good match for him, too. That was a big part of the equation. We didn't know that he and Danneel were actually friends at all!

And I didn't know Danneel from before. She and I are represented at the same talent agency, so her agent had a little extra pull with me, however.

One day we had Jensen come in and read with three other possible Tish candidates--this is called a "mix and match" casting session. In fact it was as much an audition for Jensen, as it was a callback for the three actresses. Up to that point, we had only met with Jensen, he did not perform for us. Jensen did great--he blew us away in fact! But we kept searching for the right Tish.

Our only concern with Danneel was that she was on a CW show (One Tree Hill), and so was Jensen (Supernatural). We wanted to spread out our cast over TV and features. We didn't want a cast comprised entirely of leads on CW shows (or so we thought!).

As it turned out, we did eventually all agree that Danneel was the best for the role of Tish, after reading over 100 actresses!

And, then, AFTER we finished shooting, other members of the TEN INCH HERO cast suddenly began appearing on One Tree Hill! Elisabeth Harnois (Piper) was cast as well as Matt Barr (Brad). Moreover, Bethany Joy Galeotti has written and recorded several songs for our soundtrack!

So hopefully the fans of ONE TREE HILL will really be excited to see TEN INCH HERO!

Do you have a question about our film? Email it to TenInchHero@gmail.com.

'Hawk Talk

2007-01-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

Did you guys all see the new picture of Sean Patrick Flanery (Noah) over on the website?

Also, thanks to PA Cynthia Boris and my pal Linda for alerting us: Star!Daily just featured Jensen Ackles (Priestly) as one of their "Stars to Watch."

My favorite quote: "The 28-year-old tv vet has shown such range that we have high hopes for his new movie Ten Inch Hero." Yay! I think this is our first TV mention!

You can watch the clip here.

In honor of that, let's take a Priestly question.

Did the character of Priestly have a mohawk in the script, or did that get added later? And why?

Nope, Priestly always had a 'hawk, right from the first draft of the script.

My brother (::waves hi to Alan::) once told me about a kid with one of those classic high-spike mohawks that was so tall, he couldn't fit upright in his own car. So the boy drove with his head down on his right shoulder--that was the only way he could fit in the car without damaging his 'do.

That just really appealed to me--the idea of a kid so devoted to his own style, that he was willing to drive around looking at the world sideways. That's my kind of guy!

And it just seemed like the kind of thing Priestly would do. So, not only did Priestly get a mohawk, he got one that changes color throughout the story.

Originally, the whole head angle thing was in the script: one scene opens with Priestly driving up, music blaring, head titled, while Trucker's (John Doe) outside working on the cause-mobile.

But Jensen’s 'hawk is shorter and a whole different style--so it didn't make it into the final cut.

Fun question--thanks for asking!

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-23T23:45:00.000-08:00

See you in 2007!

Ten Inch Heroes, Out and About (Part 2)

2006-12-21T23:07:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of Sci Fi magazine (the official magazine of the Sci Fi channel) names Jensen Ackles (Priestly) as one of the sexiest sci-fi stars of 2007.

Jensen gets a full page article, where they talk about Ten Inch Hero, have some fun with the title (obligatory), and even mention Priestly by name. Very cool.

If you see Ten Inch Hero mentioned in the press, please let us know at TenInchHero@gmail.com.

Ten Inch Heroes, Out and About

2006-12-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

While you're frantically shopping for last minute holiday supplies this week, don't forget to pick up a copy of In Touch Weekly, which has an article on Danneel Harris (Tish) and her Hollywood Hills home.

It's the issue with Britney, Nicole, and Jen on the front (oh wait, that's EVERY issue! It's the December 25th issue, specifically.::wink::)

And if you happen to be near Boston for New Years Eve, be sure to catch John Doe (Trucker) performing at First Night. Should be a rocking good time.

We have time for a few quick questions:

Cynthia Boris mentioned that some of the actors in Ten Inch Hero brought their dogs to the set. Can you tell us more?

Danneel had a very cute puppy named Kismet, which you can see in some of the photos in In Touch Weekly. Elisabeth Harnois (Piper) also has a small dog, which she held in her lap in some scenes.

And Sean Patrick Flanery's (Noah) dog is roughly the size of a small horse.

The format--friends working in a subshop--sounds like a fun TV show. Is there any chance Ten Inch Hero will spin off into a TV series?

Oh sure, we've talked about a TV series from time to time because, you're right, the premise lends itself to lots of possibilities. But that's REALLY jumping the gun, since we're still finishing up the film! There's just no way to even guess what will happen down the road.

Thanks for all your questions. We will get to them all eventually. If you have a question for the Ten Inch Hero gang, email it to TenInchHero@gmail.com.

A Day on the Set of Ten Inch Hero (Part 2)

2006-12-14T22:38:00.000-08:00

Our special guest blogger Cynthia Boris tells us more about a typical day on the set of Ten Inch Hero.

When we ended Part 1, the crew was getting hungry after a long morning. We pick up there:

Finally, it's time to break for lunch. Most of the crew goes back to basecamp to eat a hot meal whipped up by the catering truck, while others treat themselves to lunch at the local restaurants. If you'd been eating in town that week, you might have lunch at the next table over from Jensen, Danneel, Elisabeth and Clea!

An hour later, everyone is back at work. The actors are on set and make-up and wardrobe get "last looks," a chance to do quick touch-ups before the cameras roll again.

You know the old song, "second verse, same as the first?" Rehearse, shoot, shoot, turn the cameras and shoot again. It would be easy to fall into a slump, particularly after lunch, but the actors are pros and they keep their energy up just like it was the first take of the morning!

As long and hard (and hot) as the days were, the cast and crew of Ten Inch Hero still found the time to laugh and keep things fun. One day, the hair and makeup department really did a number on the actors!

Elisabeth channeled her inner Madonna with a leopard print bra on top of her shirt, strands of pearls and funky, chunky black glasses.

Clea went for street tough in a muscle tee, kooky visor and fake tattoos on her arms.

Danneel looked like something from a Dr. Seuss book with an eight-inch high bucket hat balanced on her head, blue and red striped fingerless gloves, slip-on pink plastic fingernails and a t-shirt that said, Hi Mom!

And who's that other pretty girl with the long brown hair, tiara and glamorous make-up? Yikes! It's Jensen. . . well, the left half of him anyway! Turn him to the right and he's still punked-out Priestly. Yep, half man/half woman -- and all hysterically funny.

The cast also had some fun telling the videographer tall tales while filming behind the scenes interviews (but don't worry, she caught them telling true tales, too!).

Since it was summer, night didn't fall until after eight o'clock and boy do movie set lights look bright after dark! Evening scenes are shot, and slowly, one-by-one, the actors are "wrapped." They head back to basecamp to change back into themselves then head home to catch a few hours sleep before turning around to do it all again.

With the actors gone, the crew closes up shop. To motivate us, our next-door-neighbor cooked us some delicious barbeque as a midnight snack.

Lights are broken down, props collected, director's chairs folded up and packed away. A runner takes the days film to the developer and the 2nd AD hands out "call sheets," the schedule for the next day. It'll likely be midnight when the last of us is done and drives away.

All in all, this is a very typical day on the set of Ten Inch Hero. I hope you'll think of everything that went into the making when you see the movie in the future!

Note from Betsy: Thanks very much, Cynthia!

New Pic!

2006-12-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

There's a new pic of Clea DuVall over on the website. Very nice shot of her!

A Day on the Set of Ten Inch Hero

2006-12-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

This week, we have a special guest blogger: Cynthia Boris!

Cynthia worked on the Ten Inch set, and she agreed to talk to us about what a typical day on the set was like. Part 1 of her story follows:

This past summer, I worked as a Production Assistant (PA) on the film Ten Inch Hero. It was a lot of hard work and great fun all at the same time! So when they asked me if I would contribute to the blog, I decided I'd take you on a (virtual) tour of a typical day on the set. Wear your good sneakers, because we've got fourteen hours ahead of us.

The crew arrives at "basecamp" at 8 am. I hand out walkie-talkies while the catering truck begins firing up breakfast. The wardrobe girls place the day's costumes in the actors' trailers and the 2nd AD (Assistant Director) drops off "sides" (little mini-scripts of what we're going to film that day). When the actors arrive, it's off to hair and make-up. We had three lovely ladies on the shoot but the joke was that, because of the tattoos and the mohawk, Jensen Ackles spent more time in hair and make-up than the three ladies put together!

Since we were shooting on location in the city, our actual set was a few blocks away from basecamp, which meant having vans to drive everyone to and from the set. While the actors were getting all dolled up, the crew headed to the sub shop set to get ready for the first shot of the day. Cameras, lights, props and set decorations all have to be put in place and it's quite a big job.

Next the actors arrive on set and are sent to "holding" -- in our case, a tented area a block up from the sub shop. This is where they hang out when they aren't in front of the cameras. Some actors spent quite a few hours in holding, passing the time by reading, doing crossword puzzles, and chatting.

Sean Patrick Flanery did his part by raiding the local 7-11 for yummy treats and magazines, which he dropped off for everyone to enjoy. Sean Wing amused us with his talent for water bottle juggling while Peter Dennis fascinated everyone with his repertoire of British accents (who knew there were so many?!). Jensen spent some of his time studying the season opener script for Supernatural and it took every ounce of strength I had not to peek! (But I didn't).

When everything is ready, the actors are called "to set," the director (David Mackay) does a "blocking" rehearsal (tells them where to stand and when to move), and then they're ready to shoot. Most scenes are short, less than five minutes and once they do it, they go "back to one" and do it again. When the director is happy with a "take", he sends the actors back to holding while they reverse the camera angle. If they started off shooting over Danneel Harris's shoulder looking at Clea DuVall, they have to flip the cameras around to shoot over Clea's shoulder looking at Danneel! This means moving all the lights and sometimes even the furniture and this can take awhile.

Since the actors spend so much time waiting between scenes, several of them brought their best friends along for company. The four-legged kind! Elisabeth Harnois, Danneel and Sean Patrick all arrived with their pets in tow and Jensen turned puppy photographer. (He always has his camera with him so he can shoot pictures of his co-workers between takes!).

Ready to shoot again? It's back to the set to do the same scene they already did. If there are four or five people in a scene there might be four camera setups and three to five takes each time! That's why it sometimes takes hours just to get one five-minute scene in the can. Everyone loves when the 1st AD calls, "moving on." That means the scene is over and it's on to the next.

Since movies are shot out of order (for a variety of reasons), a new scene often means a costume change for the actors. If it's a new day in the script, everyone has to have a different outfit on (among other things!). The actors get transported back to basecamp to change and have their hair and makeup touched up. Time is money and getting everyone where they need to be and back again is always rush, rush, rush. (The expression "hurry up and wait" comes to mind).

As if this wasn't enough to deal with, add to it one of California's worst heat waves (temps over 100 degrees and humid!), and the fact that we were shooting on a public street. We had some interesting visitors, some of whom looked like they had just walked right out of the movie!

And let's not even talk about the traffic when filming scenes that involved crossing the street! Yikes!

Join us later in the week for Part 2 of Cynthia's story!

Happy December

2006-12-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

Crazy times, as we prepare for the holidays and continue post-production on the film.

If you're looking to catch your Ten Inch Heroes on TV, you have lots of choices this week:

* Sean Wing (Tadd) will be on "What About Brian" either tomorrow or next Monday (conflicting reports!). He plays a surfer dude named Sven.

* Clea DuVall (Jen) is back on Heroes tomorrow.

* A very young Elisabeth Harnois (Piper) can be seen in reruns of "One Magic Christmas" for those of you who want to get into the holiday spirit.

* And we have new episodes of Supernatural and One Tree Hill. Yay! Looks like much will be revealed in Supernatural this week.

There's a new picture of Danneel over on the website.

And we have time for a few quick questions:

Will Ten Inch Hero have any advanced screenings or be shown in any film festivals?

I know I sound like a broken record (or is that a "corrupted mp3" these days?), but it's still too early to comment. We just don't want to speculate, and then be wrong.

Be assured, any upcoming screenings will be announced both here and on the website.

I've heard people compare Ten Inch Hero to Empire Records. Is that a favourable comparison?

Yeah, I think Jensen commented about that early on, and it's made its way around the net. A few other actors who auditioned also made the comparison.

I gotta be honest. I've never seen Empire Records. (::Betsy is embarrassed::)

But I'll tell you what...I'll put it at the top of my queue and watch it over the holidays, then I'll let you know.

I do know Empire Records has some very dedicated fans--that's certainly something we plan to ask Santa to bring us!

Have a question? Email the Ten Inch Hero crew at teninchhero@gmail.com.

Questions about the Script

2006-11-24T22:52:00.000-08:00

Did the movie change much from the script? And how much do the actors bring to it?

Yay--script questions!

::Betsy rolls up her sleeves::

Okay, it’s important to realize that a script is just a blueprint. From the day you type "FADE IN" until the day the film opens, the project is constantly evolving.

How did Ten Inch Hero evolve? Early on, we had some minor changes, which is typical.

Once the cast was in place, David, Mark, and I had some marathon sessions, where we went over the script practically word by word.

Even with that, the script continued to change once filming started.

Sometimes, it was pure logistics. For example, we had to cut a favorite line, because the script called for Trucker (John Doe) to be washing his hands when Zo (Alice Krige) comes in and gives the line. And there was no sink anywhere near that part of the shop.

Other times, David would say "Let's try it this way." Or the actors had ideas. David would sometimes film things in several different ways to decide later what worked best.

It's just part of the collaborative process.

This evolution continues after filming, as they edit and piece the film together.

As for what the actors bring...they bring the life! They take your 2-D words and create 3-D characters.

Here's an example of the process:

There's a tender scene toward the end where Priestly (Jensen Ackles) breaks the mood with a joke. It's one of those "laugh through the tears" moments.

By the time we were ready to film, David felt the joke sounded a little stale. So he, Mark, and I batted it around until we found a line we all liked better.

When they were filming that scene, I was listening on earphones with several people. The mood was all heartfelt and sweet...then Jensen delivered the line. And his delivery was so funny, it made the joke much better than it was on the page.

This was a line we had read over and over...and nevertheless we all busted up when we heard it through the earphones.

So writer came up with the line, the director made it better, and the actor improved it even more. And that's what makes a movie.

(Good God, look at the length of this answer. See? NEVER ask a writer to talk about her script. ::wink::)

Do you have a question about our film? Email it to TenInchHero@gmail.com.

Happy TG!

2006-11-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

Because of schedule conflicts, we're shutting down until Thanksgiving. We'll still be on email, and there may be a new picture of the week, but we won't be updating the blog.

So, have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and we'll see you on the other side of the turkey!

Mail: About Clea!

2006-11-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Lots of nice mail today...thanks for all your kind thoughts. We promise, we'll get to it all (maybe, eventually, even Shellz's questions about Priestly pictures!)

How did Clea DuVall come on board? She seems to be everywhere, and yet is still under everyone's radar.

Director David Mackay answers:

Several very good actresses read for the role of JEN before Clea. Though Clea had been in my mind for the part for a long time, I didn't expect her to audition. Her body of work puts her in a class of actors that no longer have to audition for a part. Those actors are referred to as "offer only" because we, as producers, offer them the part without an audition.

Anyway, Clea didn't think she was right for the part. After she read the script the first time, she passed.

But I told our casting director how much I liked Clea, and how perfect I thought she would be, and the next thing I knew, she was in the room, reading the part. She wanted to read in front of me, and talk about it, and hear why I thought she was right for it. Actually, I think she was auditioning ME!

From that moment on, she was the first one we cast in the movie, in our minds. We wanted to see who else was falling into place for the other two female roles, so we "put a pin in her" as her agent called it. Once we were close to selecting the other leads, we put everyone's picture on the wall and made groupings of the three girls. Clea fit easily into every combination.

We were so lucky to have her. She was great to work with and she has an awesome sense of humor. And she is the emotional center of the whole movie!

It's Heroes Night!

2006-11-13T16:53:00.000-08:00

In an interview on TV Guide, mind-reading Heroes cop Greg Grunberg has some nice things to say about them "sneaking" TIH's Clea DuVall into the cast:

"I was absolutely beside myself. She is so talented, she underplays everything.... There are actors who just 'have' something, and she has a watchable, magnetic quality. She brings it."

Greg, we couldn't agree more!

Click here for the full interview.

Do you have a question about our film? Email it to TenInchHero@gmail.com.

We've Updated the Website!

2006-11-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

Our terrific webmaster has updated the Ten Inch Hero website, including the new

(...drum roll please...)

Picture of the Week.

Sean Patrick Flanery fans will not be disappointed this week!

Ten Inch Hero in the News

2006-11-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

To hear Jensen's version of casting him as Priestly, click here and scroll down to "Sub-Stantive Departure."

Tuesday's Mail

2006-11-07T21:13:00.000-08:00

Why did you hire Ackles? Did you know him before from his previous work or through friends, or did he just walk in and blow you away?

Director David Mackay says:

I met Jensen two years ago, when we just started to get the project off the ground. His agent had read the script and gave it to him, and he loved it. Jensen had only been on Smallville at that point; SUPERNATURAL had not yet come to be.

Jensen has a great energy. He was VERY enthusiastic, and from that day on, he fought for the part of Priestly. And we really like to cast enthusiastic actors!

A year later he came in and read with various possible actresses for Tish. (None of which were Danneel. At that point she hadn't been cast.) Anyway, Jensen blew us away. I had a follow up lunch with him, and we really saw eye to eye. I could tell he was open to trying everything I wanted him to. To really create something COMPLETELY different from what he is known for. And that for me is what acting is all about. He was into it.

And he kicks ass in the movie.