Elvis Leon

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Meet the Filmmaker: Elvis León, “Cecil & Carl”

Posted on by efpdenver

“Cecil & Carl”

CecilandCarlQ: Why did you become a filmmaker?

EL: Since I was a kid, I always had a tough time expressing myself. This changed when I discovered film school in 2009 and few years later,  I went on to graduate with a Film Producing and Screenwriting degree in 2013. Making movies has given me an outlet and I feel lucky to have found a passion that keeps me marching forward.

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?

EL: Cecil & Carl, is a love story about two men who have been partners for 43 years, 8 months, 1 week and four days. Carl now has dementia Their story is not about grand gestures of love or about being gay – it is about commitment and the duties that come with it. In sickness and in health. The team hopes that the project will catch fire in film festival circuits, wish us luck!

Q: What else are you working on?

EL: I’m helping produce and co-faciliatate a couple of film related workshops. One’s a 3-day digital storytelling class and the other is a VFX and MoCap workshop that gives demonstrations on motion capture suit acting and virtual reality technology. See links below for more information!

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

EL: vimeo.com/beyoufilms, themocapstudio.co.uk, StoryCenter.Org

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?

EL: Thank you for everything that you do for the Denver filmmaker community!

 Cecil & Carl will be screening on March 17th at the Emerging Filmmaker’s Project. 

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Meet the Filmmaker: Elvis Leon, “Charlie’s: Episodes 1 & 2”

Posted on by Kate Lowell

“Charlie’s: Episodes 1 & 2”

https://vimeo.com/beuproductions

elvisLivesQ: Why did you become a filmmaker?

EL: I never in my life thought that I would be a filmmaker. Surprisingly, it has always been in my life or at least in my living room. My parents love to watch films and ultimately their kids grew to love them. My dad used to tell me to get into the movie business when I was a kid, he never asked me to be a doctor or lawyer (wish he did!). I joined the military instead! Fast-forward 4 years, I got out of the military in 2008 and didn’t know what to do with my life until I discovered the Colorado Film School.

Making movies has given me an outlet and keeping busy is the way I have coped with civilian life after the military. I feel lucky to have found a passion that keeps me moving forward. And thankfully, I’ve been able to produce award-winning short films. Some days I don’t know why I’m in the independent movie industry and other days I’m curious to see if my dad was right. I really, really hope he’s right or I’m screwed.

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?

EL: I’ll be screening, Charlie’s (an original series) – Episode 1 & 2. It’s a dramedy about a straight bar owner that attempts to turn his straight bar gay. We shot it at one of Colorado’s oldest gay bar, Charlie’s Denver. The story was co-wrote by my best friend, Bobby Kimble and I, two straight guys.

This project has been in the works for 3 years now! There were tons of help from actors and crew that worked for free. The project also had a successful crowd funding campaign that helped us finish in post-production, hire an entertainment lawyer, and send Charlie’s to festivals like you! We hope to pitch this concept to TV networks one day.

For the first time at EFP, I’ll be screening BOTH episodes of Charlie’s (an original series)!!! I’ve been fortunate to have screened Episode 2 at the Alamo Drafthouse in July 2015 and at the SIE FilmCenter in August 2015. I’m happy that I can finally set this project free, but Charlie’s still needs help from Denver. If interested, please reach out!

Q: What else are you working on?

EL: I’m wrapping up 2 projects in post-production! One’s a short doc about a two gay senior citizens that have been partners for over 40 years. One of the old men has dementia and is forgetting about his partner.

The other project is a dramatic short about a cleaning lady that gets some bad news about the state of her health. The rest of her day doesn’t get any better.

Both films have been in post-production for almost 2 years and they will finally be complete in the coming days!

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?

EL: My favorite color is yellow, but I don’t own anything that’s yellow.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

EL: https://twitter.com/be_u_films

https://vimeo.com/beuproductions

https://www.facebook.com/BeUProductions

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?

EL: I’m sad to say, that I’m moving away from CO. The Emerging Filmmakers project will be something that I’ll truly miss. The Bug theatre is full of amazing and supportive human beings. I’ll continue to support you guys from afar and wish you the best. Keep putting Colorado films on the map.

“Charlie’s: Episodes 1 & 2” will be screening on August 20th at the Emerging Filmmaker’s Project.

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January 2015 Lineup: EFPalooza Film Festival!

Posted on by efpdenver

The 2015 EFPalooza is a three-day film festival celebrating local independent film as The Emerging Filmmakers Project draws close to screening it’s 100BEST-OF-EFP (1)0th film since it began in 2002. The event will showcase the work of more than 40 local filmmakers, featuring favorites from the last 12 years as well as several EFP premieres.

Filmmakers will be in attendance to take part in a spirited ‘talkback’ with the audience. Hosted by The Emerging Filmmaker’s Project and The Bug Theatre, all proceeds from the event will go towards a great cause – improving the Bug Theatre, an incredible venue and a staple of the Denver independent film community.

RSVP to EFPalooza 2015 on Facebook!

Click here to buy tickets

The line up for the 2015 EFPalooza Film Festival includes the following movies:

Thursday – 8:00pm – January 2015 Emerging Filmmakers Project

Trailers for EFPalooza 2015 (04:00)
Being Evel (preview) – Daniel Junge (04:00)
Beyond the Brick: A LEGO Brickumentary (trailer) – Daniel Junge (01:20)
She Dances Free Volume 1 – Jeremiah Zentz (03:41)
A Union Station Symphony – Johnny Morehouse (03:21)
A Game of Numbers – Michael T. Scott (03:24)
Blood – Peter Wigand (11:00)

[intermission]

Monkey – Richard Corso (29:44)

Thursday Facebook Event Invite

Friday – 7:00pm – Friday Night Shorts!

The Denver Actor Project – Brad Stabio (23:49)
Square – Lauryn Guerrieri and Ian Kellett (03:26)
Metamorphosis – Alan Wartes (03:21)
Man Gurgles Mouthwash (and Then Dies) – Leon Welling (1:52)

[intermission]

Faith – Lewis Leslie (02:52)
Cannot Be Defied – John McSween (07:59)
Dink – Jamey Hastings (25:09)

Friday Facebook Event Invite

Friday – 9:00pm – Comedy Block!

Jean Claude Van Damme’s Damn Van (trailer) – Bradley Haag (01:29)
Campus Cops – Alex Brisson (08:16)
Middle Age Women Gone Wild – Nancy Fingerhood (5:45)
Don’t Help Me, Help the Bear – Noah Mittman (05:02)
Social Assassin – Michael T. Scott (04:31)
Guns, Drugs, and Synergy – Matty O’Connor (13:00)
Pitch Perfect 237 – Cook St. Productions (06:47)

[intermission]

A Special Presentation by The Nix Bros

Friday Facebook Event Invite

Saturday – 3:00pm – EFP Premieres!

Endless Taiga – Jose-Luis Fernando Rodriguez (22:38)
Interrogation Room 4 – Bree Katz (03:00)
Family Valued – Nathan Westlake (09:44)
Unredeemable – Luke Ostermiller (12:04)
The Silver Moonlight – Evgueni Mlodik (44:21)

Saturday Facebook Event Invite

Saturday 5:00pm – Blast from the EFP Past!

Clark’s Edible Cupcake Liners – Wendy Duncan (02:00)
The Low Road, Baby – Mark Roeder (04:00)
SwannLove – Condom Style Denver – Swann Christopher (04:33)
Motorcycles & Mayhem – Sean J.S. Jourdan (09:47)
The Other Raul – Raoul Vehill (10:22)
The Man Who Could – Drai Lloyd (03:24)
String Theory – Sophia Rose, Adrianna Veal and David Quakenbush (03:30)

[intermission]

Web of Lies – Kathryn Gould and Nelson Goforth (10:12)
Memphis Psychosis – Kris Hipps (11:00)
Mom Says – Christine McQuillen (09:00)
Breach – Eileen Agosta (04:59)
Aquaphobia – David Quakenbush (03:12)
Served – Patrick Sheridan (04:09)

Saturday Facebook Event Invite

 

Saturday – 7:00pm – Saturday Evening Shorts!

So Dark the Sky – Kendra Fleischman (03:04)
Eggshells – Eileen Agosta (11:37)
Owen – Jon Berndt and Fanci Berndt (06:21)
The Wolves – Kate Lowell (12:30)

[intermission]

Cockroach – Brian McCulley and John Crockett (00:47)
Paper – Rich Weimer (01:33)
The Character – Michael Bilker (05:05)
Traveler – Ron Hurley (32:57)

Saturday Facebook Event Invite

Saturday – 9:00pm – Closing Night Shorts!

Read Between the Signs – Clayton Garthe (04:36)
Angels of Anbar – Elvis Leon (05:59)
Juice – “Monster” Midian Crosby (04:36)
Mirror, Mirror – Patrick Sheridan (04:35)
Automaton – David Quakenbush (23:00)

[intermission]

Jean Claude Van Damme’s Damn Van – Bradley Haag (40:00)

Saturday Facebook Event Invite

Lineup subject to change!

EFPalooza 2015 takes place January 15th, 16th, and 17th at The Bug Theatre (3654 Navajo Street, Denver, CO 80232), with screenings at 8:00 p.m. on January 15th, at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on January 16th, and at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on January 17th.  Tickets are $5 a block or $10 a day, or a full festival pass can be purchased for $15, and are available online or at the door. To learn more visit the EFP website at www.efpdenver.com and The Bug Theatre’s website at www.bugtheatre.org.

The Bug Theatre and EFPalooza 2015 are supported by the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, The Scen3, Patsy’s Inn Italian Restaurant, Pretty Monkeys Media, FreshFilmNews.com, Plan 9 Studios, Twelve Monkeys Dancing Films, Nebulus Visions Multimedia, Monster Makeup FX, Rocket House, LLC Film Acting Academy of Denver, and cool cats everywhere.