Thursday, August 9, 2018

Interview: Actress Natalia Livingston Produces a Touching Documentary "In Their Shoes" About Men in a Prison Re-entry and Addicion Recovery Program - A Strong Message about Struggles, Society and Hope

A documentary on men in prison
by Natalia Livingston and
Cheryl Buchanan
Natalia Livingston, best known for her roles on the daytime dramas General Hospital, Days of Our Lives and Tainted Dreams  is not just an actor, an acting coach who owns an acting school but also a producer, having on her resume several shorts and shows. Far from the romance and typically light-hearted fare on daytime drama, her new documentary tackles a tough and disturbing subject, men in prision. And it seeks to send a message - showing us the human beings behind the bars. This documentary follows the lives of men in a prison reentry and addiction recovery creative writing program called Writers Without Margins. I had the opportunity to interview Natalia about this important and meaningful project.

Natalia first explained how this film seeks to understand - not glorify - those who have struggled with addiction, turned to crime to feed their addiction, served long prison sentences, and are now reentering society, struggling to recover from their addictions, and working to carve new paths in life. She hopes that this film helps people see the reality of the drug crisis, up close and personal, from the perspective of those who have lived it, thus the title "In Their Shoes." 

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Interview: Writer/Director Caytha Jentis' Series The Other F Word Gets Picked up on The Girlfriend Platform: This Sex nd the City-ish Comedy About Life Over 40 stars Judy Gold, Steve Guttenberg

Caytha Jentis is a filmmaker, a writer, director and overall creative person who just never stops thinking, dreaming, doing and forging ahead. Prior to her latest project, The Other F Word, she wrote and directed three feature-length movies, Bad Parents, The One and Then Came Love. She was recently named to Good Housekeeping Inspiring Women to 50.

Her latest venture, or rather adventure, was creating The Other F Word, a series about life after 40. Use your imagination but the "F" can mean anything, and after the show started airing, she realized from viewers that the F can mean forty, fifty, fun, fearless, and more.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

NJ Event Review: The Wedding Singer at Long Beach Island's Surflight Theater is a Joy for Any Fan of the Film but the Dancing and Singing Will Amuse Even a First-Timer

I am a huge fan of the Wedding Singer, well, almost any Adam Sandler movie. So when it was coming to the Jersey shore in a play version, at the Surflight Theater on Long Beach Island, I had to go see it.

It was a sunny beach day so the theater was not that packed but it was worth taking a few hours off the beach to see this. First, I did not expect it to be a true musical, you know, the kind with solo performers singing about what's going on and feelings and what not, so when it started I was a bit suprised. I was suprised because the Wedding Singer already had a lot of songs in it without adding more.

New Filmmaker: Bae Short Film Made by Jersey Talent Premieres At Jersey Shore Film Festival 2018

Bae Short Film
Bae is a short film made by Jersey talent. It's premiering at the Jersey Shore Film Festival in Asbury Park. Bae is a fun, lightheared short with a surprising twist. The film is about a woman looking forward to enjoying a quiet night at home with her Bae. It was shot in Keyport, New Jersey. The cast and crew spent two long nights preparing the location and shooting the film. 

The Creative Team Behind It

The creative team for Bae is Feyza Cakici, Anthony Janz, Gina Ziegler, Ryan Cervasio, Anna Tobia Pierotti and Jeff Naviello. Feyza plays a character named Anna who's looking forward to enjoying a quiet night at home, Anthony Janz plays a character named Vinnie and is one of the writers and camera operators. He is also the sound editor on the project. Gina Ziegler is one of the writers, set decorators and camera operators. Anna Tobia Pierotti is one of the set decorators and the script supervisor. Jeff Naviello is one of of the writers and camera operators as well as the cinematographer. Ryan Cervasio is the director, producer, editor and one of the writers.