TRIPLE THREAT

After a headline screening on night six of the Oz International Film Festival, our improvised feature film Friends, Foes & Fireworks was awarded for Best Drama Film, Best Supporting Actress Jess Riley, plus Best New Talent Lara Deam. We were thrilled to have had the film screen in St Kilda and the awards were a bonus.

Actress Lara Deam was at the festival on the night representing film and collecting the certificates and she was supported by fellow indie filmmakers, Donald Percy (pictured below) and Naomi Lisner.

Director guest blogs on Filmmaker Freedom

This month writer/director/editor Ivan Malekin was featured as the Filmmaker Freedom guest blogger and his article about our improvised filmmaking technique, links back to our Udemy course and how we shot Friends, Foes & Fireworks in a single night, without a script.

Read the informative blog via the link here, which also includes a free chapter and a direct link to the course. Big thanks to Rob Hardy for letting NPG utilise the Filmmaker Freedom blog. Be sure to sign up the the Filmmaker Freedom newsletters, as we believe they are one of the best our there for indie filmmakers to learn the craft and get informed.

Daughter screening at annual activism event

Daughter has been selected to screen and take part in Wodonga Council’s annual event 16 Days of Activism, with the film screening at Wodonga library on November 28th along with two other films, Lipstick (Directed by Harriet McKern, 1994) and Footy Chicks (Directed by Rebecca Barry, 2006).

The Facebook event reads, “Join us for a selection of films that explore a range of topics that face women on a day to day basis – from safety on the streets, how they look, what they wear, how this is viewed and judged by society and who they sleep with and why.”

The event is free of charge, suitable for 18+ age range and booking a place is suggested. See further details such as time and address on the official Facebook Event.

FF&F Festival Selection

NPG received news recently that Friends, Foes & Fireworks has been selected to screen in competition at Oz International Film Festival. This is yet another step forward for the film, which continues to prove that the set formula of filmmaking and indie film producing can sometimes be turned on it’s head and totally surprising.

For those in Melbourne, Australia who want to see the film, but missed the cinema run, don’t miss your chance of seeing it on a big screen at St Kilda’s Alex Theatre on the 28th of November 2018, where the film headlines night 6 of the festival. Further details and ticket sales here.

After cinema screenings, an international DVD sale, various online VOD platform offers, finally comes a film screening at a festival. The filmmaking world works in mysterious ways, but hey, why question it!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS MICRO SHORT

Late October saw NPG dive into a second Life Improvised shoot, this one titled First Impressions. The story for this improvised micro short shows an out of touch man who is doing through a divorce attend a first date with a younger arts student. Both he and his date make a lasting first impression on each-other, but not in a positive way.

Like all of NPG’s micro shorts under the Life Improvised banner, the film explores relationships, everyday interactions between humans, awkward moments and times of disappointment.

Just like it’s predecessor Our Lady, First Impressions was set in Malta. The Lower Barrakka Gardens (Il-Barrakka t'Isfel) in Valletta, with its eye catching views of the Grand Harbour sets the backdrop for this story and stars local talent.

Expect to see this film up on NPG’s YouTube Channel in January.

Daughter Educates through ClickView

Daughter is now educating through ClickView on a Tertiary level. If your school and students need a film that educates on and discusses gendered based violence, victim blaming, criminal justice or gender studies, then this film may just be the educational tool you need. Click here to go directly to the ClickView Daughter site page.

Daughter Festival Selection

Our educational film Daughter, starring Katherine Langford is an Official Coronet Selection of the Queen Palm International Film Festival, October 2018 Edition.

Daughter explores what women deal with on a day-to-day basis, as shown through the eyes of three women who lead different lifestyles. The women’s lives become entwined over the course of the night and each affected by an act of violence.

We are thrilled that this film keeps on moving forward and this is not the only news we will have for the film this year. Stay tuned for further announcements in the coming months.

GOING FOR GOLD - NEW FF&F POSTER

We are pleased to share this exclusive first look at the new poster for Friends, Foes & Fireworks. The change came about when we signed to Ignite Pictures in May this year, and our producer's rep Adam Horner made some suggestions based on his marketing experiences. What do you this about this new look?  Comment below to let us know.

Poster design and graphics by Scott Edwards
Photo by An La shot at DCF Studios Melbounre
Fashion by Pereeia
Art Direction Sarah Jayne for NPG

Director SJ's Television Appearance this Sunday

This week on Maltese DownUnder Marlene and Mark catch up again with filmmaker Sarah Jayne, who featured in season 2. This time round Mark and Sarah will be chatting about NPG’s latest films, Friends, Foes & Fireworks and In Corpore.

The interview just happened to come about when SJ and Ivan were visiting Melbourne in March due to the Friends, Foes & Fireworks cinema run at the Classic Cinema. Both Mark and Marlene from the show and SJ and Ivan happened to be in Caroline Springs, messaging each other on FB, so they decided to meet up a couple of hours after and do a follow up interview on the spot!

WATCH what transpired that day, this Sunday 23rd of September on C31 Melbourne and Geelong (channel 44) @ 4pm with a repeat on Tuesday @2.30pm AND Friday @12.30pm! Viewers outside of Melbourne can watch the episode on Monday demand via the Maltese DownUnder YouTube Channel.

NPG thanks Marlene, Mark and the Maltese community in Melbourne and Malta for the support.

Image is the property of Mark Avellino

Interview on Articles of Antiquity with the Directors

Check out the interview with co-directors Ivan Malekin and Sarah Jayne as they answer some life, film and improvisation questions relating to Friends, Foes & Fireworks and their film experiences. You can read the interview with magazine founder and editor-in-chief, Jennifer Sparkman, on the official Articles of Antiquity site here. 

Filming Life Fragments

Last night (September 8th) we ventured into the annual village feast of Naxxar, a beautiful town in the north of Malta, to film our first micro short entitled Our Lady as part of the Life Fragments series.

These improvised micro shorts will explore relationship dynamics, desires, dramas —  fragments of human interaction, the uncertainty and awkwardness, the joy and discovery, the hints of complexity behind our intentions. We aim to film and release them via our YouTube channel every two to three months as a way for us to tell the little stories that make up life, explore new filming techniques, and work with a variety of cast and crew. 

This is life. Improvised.

And it was a great start to the series with Our Lady filmed in the middle of The Nativity of Our Lady Feast, or festa as it is known locally, hundreds of people packing the town square to celebrate, a brass band marching, and fireworks igniting the sky. We were thrilled to finally work with Marysia S. Peres (Assassin's Creed, Love to Paradise) and with Miles Jackson as DP, our camera operator from In Corpore, the results were magical. 

The film now enters post production, with Ivan Malekin choosing to edit on DaVinci Resolve for the first time, true to the desire of exploring new approaches with this series. Stay tuned to our News Section and our social media to find out when Our Lady will be released and be one of the first to watch.

DVD RELEASE APPROACHING

It is with much excitement that Nexus Production Group announces that a DVD version of Friends, Foes & Fireworks is coming. The film will be stocked through Barnes & Noble and Hoopla, available for order through Walmart and Best Buy, plus a few other DVD libraries and stores. It's already available to pre-order through Amazon and will be released on DVD come November 13th this year. 

DVD is a wonderful way to present the film, making it perfect to gift for Christmas and to watch with friends and family in the comfort of your own home. Those who are not fond of NYE and all the hype surrounding the end of the year celebrations can spend the night watching the film and cheering on the characters as they stumble though a train-wreck of a NYE celebration.

Pre-order your copy now!   You can even choose gift wrapping. 

In Corpore Soundtrack

We have secured the first song for the In Corpore soundtrack - 'Flicker' by indie rock band Runtolife will be heard as part of Milana & Rosalie's story in Berlin.

To check out the video to the track watch on You Tube, where you can also subscribe to Runtolife ... Don't forget to also like the band's Facebook page and listen to their other killer tracks.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek of the film featuring Flicker soon.

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LATEST FRIENDS, FOES & FIREWORKS REVIEW

Coming in at the end of July is a review from online Entertainment site Kewel World.

It was great to see that the reviewer actually did his research on the Mumblecore genre before watching a film style which was new territory for him. Always a bonus when people are reviewing your film which does not fit into the mainstream genres that reviewers are accustomed to, which is often the case for Mumblecore or improvised films. 

We thank Kewel World for the 7/10 score and the honest feedback. Give the review a read here or on the Kewel World Facebook page. 

Choir Girl signed with Blairwood Entertainment

Our gritty black and white feature film, Choir Girl, directed by John Fraser and starring with Peter D Flaherty with Sarah Timm and Krista Vendy, has been signed to Blairwood Entertainment. A boutique agency with carefully selected titles, Blairwood is headed by Hollywood FAME award recipient James Dudelson, a 30+ year veteran in the entertainment industry. 

We look forward to working with James and the team at Blairwood to bring Choir Girl to the world. First stop for the feature film was the Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes.  

Thanks to James and the team of Innuendo, (who are also signed to Blairwood) for sending NPG some snaps of the Choir Girl promo material on display at the festival. We look forward to hearing all about the festival once James returns home after the hard work he has put in to work on promoting the film. 

Stream Friends, Foes & Fireworks

Nexus Production Group announces that Friends, Foes & Fireworks has successfully achieved it's initial goal - streaming worldwide through various VOD platforms. 

From May 1st, the improvised feature film went up for viewing through streaming platforms OzFlix, Amazon Instant Video and Prime and NPG's very own Vimeo on Demand platform.

This news is a wonderful announcement for NPG to put out into the world after the successful world premiere at Classic Cinema on March 21st in Melbourne and the Encore Lido Cinema screening over the Easter long weekend . 

NPG anticipates that more success is on the way for this ambitious film. The next project related to the film is an education video, sold under Udmy  shortly, so you too can learn how we shot a feature film in one night, completely improvised. 

To Watch Friends, Foes & Fireworks, please click here.  

CINEMA RUN CONTINUES

The world premiere of Friends, Foes & Fireworks took place at the Classic Cinema Elsternwick on Wednesday March 21st, followed by an Q&A with the Cast and Crew. Four of the five female cast members were in attendance and it was an engaging discussion between the audience and the crew as questions flew about the improv filmmaking process. 

Co-directors Ivan Malekin and Sarah Jayne, who flew down to Melbourne from Malta for the screening were ecstatic to be in attendance for the films milestone event and were very happy with how the film looked on the big screen. 

After the screening a positive vibe resonated in the foyer with local actors and regular moviegoers praising the film.

“In an era of superhero blockbusters and feel-good schmaltz, this is a rare, truthful film. Don’t miss it.” - Mary Costello, Audience Member

Friends, Foes & Fireworks will continue to play out its limited cinema run at the swanky Lido Cinema from March 31st, with further cinema dates to be announced during April.

This will be the one and only chance for cinema-goers to experience this unique Melbourne film on the big screen before releases on DVD and VOD platforms.

Tickets are currently on sale through Lido cinema, both online and at the cinema Box Office.

Book your tickets here through the Lido website and check back for further screening sessions from Lido for this film. 

World Premiere FOR FRIENDS, FOES & FIREWORKS

NPG directors Ivan Malekin and Sarah Jayne are proud of what was achieved on New Year's Eve with their small cast and crew of Friends, Foes & Fireworks. The film is special for them as it's the filmmakers' first attempt at a shooting a feature film in a single night, completely improvised, working without a script or shot-list. It was an experience that they both agree was challenging, yet a ton of fun!

Earlier this year Friends, Foes & Fireworks was picked up by sales agent Turn Key Films after NPG attended the American Film Market late last year and we can expect more big news to come throughout the year.

With Friends, Foes & Fireworks NPG always went into producing the film with a VOD release in mind, that was the main aim. However, along the way things worked out a little differently as is the case with most independently produced films. By trying a number avenues for securing an audience, including the traditional route of applying for major film festivals, Friends, Foes & Fireworks ended up going one better then a festival selection - securing it's first audience through a Melbourne Cinema. 

Sarah Jayne and Ivan lived in St Kilda and Elwood before their move to Malta. The film was also shot in and around St Kilda as was NPG's short film Daughter, so the The Classic Cinema in Elsternwick was familiar to them. The Classic was the the place they would visit for nights out to catch the latest flicks, but not before a cocktail at After The Tears just next door. So it is only fitting that now NPG's own film will be screening at the hip cinema come Wednesday March 21st at 7pm. 

This screening is be a big deal for NPG and the co-directors are planning to also come back home for the screening and take part in the Q&A with most of their cast as well as the crew. 

As a bonus, an additional four dates are to be set within a week, with NPG's goal being to secure a longer cinema run for the film. Look our for these following screening dates on the Classic Cinema website as they will be announced around the premiere date. 

For the event details and tickets - Click Here! 

Daughter & project respect

NPG's awareness project and film Daughter continues to push the message and the need for discussion on the topic of violence against women and the harm victim blaming has on our society as a whole. 

In February, Daughter is part of an online campaign curated by We Are Moving Stories founder Carmela Baranowska. The campaign is marketed through the site itself, which supports independent filmmakers, 50% of which are female.

Thanks to We Are Moving Stories, Daughter is partnered with Project Respect, a Melbourne Organisation that supports women trafficked into the sex trade within Australia. For a $30 AU donation, a link to the film Daughter is given as a reward.

Find out more about the campaign and donate through this link and be part of the discussion.

There is even an online event through Facebook that today had a live discussion with Daughter director Sarah Jayne. Go to the page now, join in to leave a question and Sarah Jayne will respond in the quickest time possible. 

There is until the 21st of February to donate to this joint campaign and raise money for Project Respect, however all donations directly to Project Respect are of course acceptable. The bonus is, this month for $30 you get to view Daughter online.

The campaign will end on the 21st of February, so get in quick. NPG also urge people donating to also pass the link to the campaign along, we call it Tag 3 friends, which is super easy to do on Facebook and Instagram.