THE KEY TO GETTING STORYBOARDS RIGHT—PRE-VISUALIZING YOUR SUCCESS

(click photo to play film) Enjoy Matt Bennett (Nickelodeon's "Victorious") and Jill Shackner in the multiple award-winning film that captured the "texting generation." Best Comedy Award for "Text Me, " lndie Short Film Competition 2010 * Best Comedy Award for "Text Me, " Third Screen Film Festival * Audience Award for "Text Me, " NYC International Film Festival 2010

How Films Change the World By Mark Salcido Cinema has been a part of world culture since the first reel was produced and a bet was made (interesting part of history). This art has affected many people’s lives in many different ways that would leave lasting impressions, for better or for worse. When a film is made, the people behind it would like to make a statement that could challenge, inspire, and thoroughly entertain them in a way that could ripple across to others in a similar manner close to the theory of the Butterfly Effect. Let’s go down this rabbit hole of causality and see if, and how, cinema has changed the world. One of the key effects that the world of cinema can have is making social awareness, political ideas, and decision making more easily digestible for the audience. One example is in the case of 1991’s ‘JFK’. The film, directed by Oliver Stone, opens the door of conspiracy theories in regards to the JFK assassination that led to the creation of the Records Collection Act of 1992, as well as assembling the U.S Assassination Records Review Board. This allowed a greater governmental transparency and better access to information for the public.

Zombie Comedies: Laughs, Death and Reanimation By Mark Salcido For going on 90 years, the zombie genre has been a fixture in the world of cinema. Zombie films have changed over time but generally fall in the realm of horror. It has had no problems crossing into science fiction, thriller, romance, or even comedy as the genre evolved. You might cringe at the idea of slapstick humor when it comes to a zombie flick, but there have been many exceptions to the idea that those two wouldn’t mix. There are others that could be seen as a complete abomination. Let’s take a trip down zombie memory lane and analyze the recent resurgence of zombie comedies. The zombie genre came onto the scene with Victor Hugo Halperin’s 1932 film White Zombie. It was different from what we call a typical zombie film because it dealt with voodooism, not cannibalism. Nonetheless, it made an impact. The first appearance of the zombie comedy genre would come in the form of Jean Yarbrough’s King of the Zombies and again in Gordon Douglas’s Zombies on Broadway. Later on, George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead would change the game by introducing the idea of cannibalism that made comedy take a backseat. Side note: Night of the Living Dead has made such a huge impression on me that I have a tattoo of Karen Cooper on my forearm. We would see zombie comedies like CHUD II: Bud the CHUD, Dead Alive (BrainDead), Redneck Zombies, and Night of the Creeps pop up here and there over time. It wasn’t until Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead that gave the genre a fresh take and gave it the reanimation it was clawing to have. Certain films take the zombie comedy genre in an interesting direction that stands out. In Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland, the characters are well aware of the severity of the situation and decide to have fun with the freedom they are given. They live out their PG-13 fantasy of not having to face any repercussions for stealing anything they want. They even attend a deserted amusement park. Other prime examples that add an interesting nuance to the genre are the stories that are told in Fido and Life After Beth. These films are set in a zombie filled world but deal with the idea of isolation, loneliness, and loss opening up the stories to showcase coping in a way that gives a refreshing personal touch. If you want to go for a quick cash grab as a director in these films, you go on to make movies like Jordan Rubin’s Zombeavers, Jay Lee’s Zombie Strippers, and the barely serviceable Black Sheep. These types of novelty films quickly burn out within the first thirty minutes. The titles of these movies leave little to the imagination, and you feel like you have pretty much seen the entire movie in your head before it even starts. But if that it is your kind of thing, have at it; just make sure you make a drinking game out of it so the level of entertainment can rise a point or two. Should the zombie comedy genre keep going? Yes. A lot of these films can be hit or miss. You have to be ready to go through a lot of stinkers to find the good ones, but they are out there. In fact, the very talented people of Dream Team Directors will have news soon about their latest Zombie Film with a unique twist. Just beware, if you marathon this type of film and come across too many of the bad ones, you might wish that you were brain-dead like the walking dead. Links: White Zombie: https://youtu.be/lOzgz1Ddmz8 King of the Zombies: https://youtu.be/gKJekseN1NY Zombies on Broadway: Couldn't find a trailer Night of the Living Dead: https://youtu.be/0TAGtIQvebs CHUD 2: https://youtu.be/Nv1_Ig58V2Y Dead Alive: https://youtu.be/GW6OeUqSxY4 Redneck Zombies: https://youtu.be/8k92t2NgdZs Shaun of the Dead: https://youtu.be/LIfcaZ4pC-4 Zombieland: https://youtu.be/c1-jFLlHLPw Fido: https://youtu.be/IDvIcCoXpMk Life After Beth: https://youtu.be/pVtaRAAWJss Zombeavers: https://youtu.be/L6I5hl1w0eg Zombie Strippers: https://youtu.be/upmwt9sn374 Black Sheep: https://youtu.be/9-ExKYM5xQY

Dream Team Directors Team Up with Hollywood United On February 25th, Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo led an unconventional journey, teaming up with the non-profit Hollywood United for a Healthy California to take a bus tour of the more than 1,000 oil drills in the LA area. On board for the tour were entertainment industry leaders, committed to raising awareness about this climate fight that is affecting communities throughout Los Angeles. Hollywood united for a healthy California Hollywood United for a Healthy California is an entertainment industry-led campaign whose goal is to eliminate oil and gas extraction from California, which is poised as the third largest oil-drilling state in the nation. Because of its connection to the oil industry, California would have the 8th largest economy in the world if it were its own country. With more than a half a million people living within a quarter mile of an oil field, Los Angeles residents are now taking a stand to keep oil in the ground. the trouble to residents Because oil drilling produces airborne toxins and gas, workers must wear protective clothing and masks; however, on the other side of a fence, there are families breathing the same harmful air that have no protection. Known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors (substances that interfere in the function of hormone glands) fill the air and water. This was causing residents to fall ill with symptoms like headaches, nosebleeds and asthma. the key to solving climate change The world uses 85 million barrels of oil every day. At 42 gallons per barrel, that’s 3,570,000,000 (yes, billions of gallons per day). Even if the world were to use up the oil it has already found, we could potentially damage the air, land, and water irreversibly. That’s not to mention the problems with oil manufacture in itself; fracking in Oklahoma has led to earthquakes , while the oceans have endured incredibly harmful oil spills . Plastics made from oil will still be in landfills for at least the next 50 generations. Before today’s plastics will have the opportunity to decompose , millions of tons of new plastic will be created every year going forward. The concept to keep oil in the ground opens the door to solving these crises. If no new oil is removed from the ground, recycling becomes a vital necessity. Neighborhoods in crisis, such as Wilmington, South L.A. and Porter Ranch, no longer have to wait for slow-acting regulation. California is initiating wide spread legislation to keep oil in the ground, which would help turn the tide in the environmental crisis. Dream team directors Dream Team Directors were honored to work with Mr. Ruffalo and his team on this project. Hollywood United has a simple plan: keep oil in the ground! We captured the tour, interviews with residents, and the view from the street to show the world this crisis. Check out the video here: https://vimeo.com/158604330

Dream Team Directors Raise Awareness on the Environmental Crisis with Hollywood United for a Healthy California Los Angeles, California - Dream Team Directors recently teamed up with Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo to raise awareness about a crisis affecting Los Angeles residents. The team followed Mr. Ruffalo on February 25th, as he led an unconventional tour, teaming up with the non-profit Hollywood United for a Healthy California to take a bus tour of the more than 1,000 oil drills in the LA area. On board were entertainment industry leaders, committed to raising awareness to this issue. More than a half a million Los Angeles residents live within a quarter mile of an oil field. Dream Team Directors are committed to promoting green energy solutions and projects that make the world more aware of environmental crisis. The world uses 85 million barrels of oil every day, that’s 3,570,000,000 (yes, billions of gallons per day). Hollywood United has a simple plan: to keep oil in the ground. To see the tour, interviews with residents, and the view from the street to show the world this crisis, check out the video here: https://vimeo.com/166916325

Dream Team, Bayou & Daniel, Directs Short Film for rising stars, Sad Robot "I want you bad" track Film Coming Soon Written & Directed by Bayou Bennett and Daniel Lir. Starring Melany Bennett and Harley Prechtel-Cortez. Cinematography by Terry Zumalt. Clothing by Lemon Frogs Shop, Echo Park. Make up by Melissa Walsh. Hair by Aaron Coleman Sad Robot Album available here: http://www.mysadrobot.com/#!music/c16rk