Archive for February, 2004

No “Big” News, But Lots OF News!

February 11th @ 7:39 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Brad & Chris

  • Well, due to parent company issues, which you gotta understand, happens from time to time, there’ no big news for us to reveal to you today. You can tell Kevin’s dying to let ya’ll know what it is, and all we can say is, please be patient. In the meantime, Kevin’s got a TON of other great stuff to announce today, as do we (see next story), so let’s get on with things:
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

Here goes…

Smalls (yes, this board’s very own Smalls) has been hired to work at View Askew.

Alright, that’s not the big news. Sadly, there will be no big news today. Thought it would be alright to talk about by today, but it’s not. Sorry. I’m hoping I can bust it by Friday, but no promises. I’m at the mercy of the parent company on this one, so cut a brother some slack. This is not me toying with your hearts and minds, because I assure you, if I’d had my way, I’d have told you a month ago. But some shit’s out of my control, and this announcement is one of those things.

To assuage this cyber pull-out of sorts, what follows is a list of OTHER news – various little tidbits to hold ya’ll over ’til the bomb drops.

– Variety, the film trade magazine of record, is doing an issue celebrating View Askew’s Tenth Anniversary. It’s a very cool honor. They’ll be talking about our little secret club-house website as well, so keep an eye out for the issue. It hits stands in March, I believe.

– Today I’m shooting a guest spot on the CBS sitcom “Yes, Dear”, in which I play… well, me. Already shot a little bit on Monday (an exterior at the front gate of CBS Radford; ironically, the same gate Jay and I snuck past in “Strike Back”) and had a good time. Not sure when it’s gonna air yet.

– We started press screening “Jersey Girl” last week (in NY and LA) and it’s going very well.

– The “Jersey Girl” screening to benefit the Kenny Gordon Foundation will be held March 4th in NYC, five days before the premiere. Ben, Liv, and I will be at the benefit, and tickets are gonna be open to the public (heads-up: the prices will be a little steep, as it’s a benefit). I’ll let you know where you can buy tix next week.

– There’s also gonna be a screening up at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY, on March 10th or 11th, I think. The beloved Janet Maslin will do some Q&A with me following the show. Tix will be open to the public.

– I’ll be in Toronto on March 12th doing a college Q&A (for Ryerson, I think) at the Roy Thomson Hall. Tickets are open to the public. No “JG” screening beforehand or anything. This is straight up Q&A.

– Ya’ll have already read about the South By Southwest/Austin Film Society Screening of “JG”. The “Strike Back” Austin screening was about the best public screening of the flick I’d ever attended, so hopefully, this’ll at least match it. Q&A will follow.

– The L.A. Secret Stash’s opening has been pushed back to June 1st now. There will be a Bash for that Stash, rest assured.

– Saw the completed 3D-animated View Askew Productions card that Chris Bailey made for the front of “Jersey Girl”, and it’s fucking awesome. It’s based on the new Jay and Bob logo that some of you have spotted at the bottom of the “Jersey Girl” poster. Imagine the InAction figures having come to life, and you’ll get an idea of how it looks. Would be cool to do a whole movie with them…

– I am finally… FINALLY… finishing both “Spider-Man and the Black Cat” and “Daredevil: Target” for Marvel. Big apologies on the delays, but I’ll try to make it worth it.

– Along those lines, I’m also finally… FINALLY… getting all the free “Strike Back” posters signed and out next week, with the help of the mighty Smalls (who’s been too modest to admit here that he’s now a View Askew employee).

And that’s about it for now. Keep checking back for the biggie tomorrow and Friday.

For the record, though – the big news has nothing to do with Tom Cruise.

So there ya go, folks! Tons of chances to catch Kevin and Jersey Girl on BOTH coasts, as well as the lower center of this wonderful country of ours. Ya want more? Alright then…Our next story covers the current list of appearances that we’ve got Kevin slated for in the next month, as the Jersey Girl press onslaught kicks into high gear!

Kevin’s Upcoming Appearances!

February 11th @ 7:38 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Brad & Chris, Eric Young

  • Alright, folks, as you know, we got a movie coming out next month, and thus, it’s time for Kevin to put a lot of face time in front of the cameras! So, here’s a rundown of what we’ve currently got as far as press and public appearances, including some of what Kevin has mentioned above, what we’ve just got in today, AND even a few more possible details on the time and place of the JG benefit screening at SxSW:
February:

20 – Tonight Show for Roadside Attractions Appearance

March:

4 – Jersey Girl benefit screening for Kenny Gordon Foundation, NYC (open to public)

9 – Jersey Girl Premiere, New York City

10 or 11 – Jersey Girl benefit screening, Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, NY (open to public)

12 – Ryerson University, Toronto (Q&A Only)

14 – SxSW Jersey Girl Screening, Austin, Texas (tentative), Probably at the Paramount Theatre on Congress Ave.

16 – Guest on the Tonight Show

20/21 – Kevin and Jason will be attending the Los Angeles Wizard Con being held in Long Beach. Kevin will be doing a two hour panel on Saturday the 20th and a signing on Sunday the 21st. This is a preliminary schedule.

31 – University of California, Berkeley

April

5 – East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

As Kevin mentioned above, he will also be appearing on the television show “Yes, Dear”. We’ve also heard that he’ll be doing a spot on MADtv, though the date of either of these appearances have yet to be announced. There’s a possibility of additional TV appearances forthcoming, so keep checking back here for all the latest, and watch our handy-dandy countdowns applet on your screen to keep track of what’s in store.

View Askew NewsBites™

February 11th @ 7:37 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Twiggystar, Chimezatmidnight

  • Antony does it again with yet another great interview, this time with Production Designer extraordinare Robert “Ratface” Holtzman. This guy’s famous for designing all those amazing props and scenes that you’ve seen in so many of your favorite View Askew movies, and is just a damn fun, nice guy to hang out with as well. Here’s a few tidbits:
AT: In designing a movie, one would assume you start with the time period of the production, and then move forward based on that. What time period does JERSEY GIRL take place in?

RRFH: Right now, the scene that we’re looking at is actually set in 2003. JERSEY GIRL starts in 1994, and then moves forward to [the present].

AT: Is it easier to do period research on an older period like the 1970’s, than it is to do something more recent, like 1994?

RRFH: Right now, it’s really about removing things. We look at the models of cars for street scenes. The seasons themselves have been pretty tough. Putting leaves on trees or taking the leaves off of trees has been tough…that’s a lot of work. Making snow, making it look like it’s cold…those things take a lot of time.

RRFH If you look at JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, we decided to use every recognizable thing I could find in prop houses and locations. There were old STAR TREK props, and VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA props, and PLANET OF THE APES props. I was going crazy going, “I know this control panel!” We found the ROCKETEER jetpack in the Disney prop house, sitting under a dusty blanket. Most of this stuff is just sitting there, but it’s used again and again in television. Some of it’s just so in the background you don’t notice it.

Surf over to the ‘Shoot to check out the column, complete with a bunch of backstage Jersey Girl set photos, never before seen! Enjoy.

  • Mark Hamill mentions Kevin a couple times in a recent chat thread posted at the starwars.com website, and indicates he may again work with him in the future:
Q: Do you have any other plans to work with Kevin Smith in the future? I know you and him are friends and I was wondering if you were up for a role in his new film “Ranger Danger”.

MH: No, but I asked him about that. I had dinner with him in the end of Sept, and anything that he wants me to do, of course I’d do it, because we really are on the same wavelengths.

Q: How hard did you punch Jay in Jay and Silent Bob Strikes back?

MH: Well, of course, all of those things are done so you don’t actually hurt the actor, but of course with a fist like that…by the way, Kevin Smith promised me that, but he changed his mind. That alone should get me a part in his next film.

  • Kevin gets name-dropped at 9:08 in this Rolling Stone piece on the Grammys.
  • And that about does it! Whew! Can you feel the excitement growing? We’re just a bit over a month away from Jersey Girl, and we expect this to be the biggest press undertaking done by View Askew for a film so far. So, check back often, as we’re sure to be a busy place for a while. See you again soon, and thanks for stopping in today.

Jersey Girl SxSW Details!

February 10th @ 10:51 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by DamYankee

  • We’ve got a bunch of details for you on the just-announced public screening of “Jersey Girl” early next month in Austin, Texas, as part of the South by Southwest festival. The screening is going to be a joint benefit between SXSW and the Austin Film Society. The benefit, which is still in the planning stages, MAY only be open to AFS members or those with SXSW Wristbands (which run you a steep $300 – $700) or SXSW badges (which run a more affordable $60). The seats will fill to AFS members and SXSW wristbands first and then, finally, to badge holders.

    Because of this pecking order, we expect very few, if any, seats will remain for the regular public. This is all subject to change, but just what’s being told to us right now from a source in the area.

    AFS membership is $20 (minimum) and members will be notified first as details are arranged (theatre, times, etc.) Members will likely have first claim for tickets. I am assuming they will have first dibs on tix. Also, since it is a benefit, there will be the required donation – which has yet to be determined.

    Want to call and bug some people more about this? You can reach the Austin film society at 512-322-0145 and the SXSW Film Fest line is 512-467-7979. We shall keep you informed, dear readers.

View Askew NewsBites™

February 10th @ 10:50 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Greg Trawinski, WillTempered, Cheryl Faye Schwartz, Moventura, Brian Wenrich

  • Kevin drops in a few quotes in this New Jersey Star-Ledger article titled “Defining the ‘Jersey Guy’ — A little soft, a little tough, a lot of’tude”. We’ve ripped out Kev’s stuff just ahead:
“You’re talking to a Jersey Guy,” said Red Bank-born and Highlands-raised Kevin Smith, director of “Clerks,” “Mallrats” and the soon-to-be-released “Jersey Girl.”

“Jersey guys try a little harder,” he said. “A lot of us make up for the deficiency projected on us by New Yorkers. Growing up in Jersey, you were always given the impression life was better in Manhattan.”

“They tag us with the accent,” Smith said. “Those are the guys who live in Bayonne and Hoboken. In Central Jersey or South Jersey, there’s no accent.”

Smith lived in New Jersey until two years ago, when he moved to L.A. How much did he want his now-4 1/2 year old daughter, Harley, to be a Jersey Girl? He and his wife flew east so she could give birth at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank — where Smith was born.

He has no intentions of making “Jersey Guy,” the movie, but if he did, who would he cast as the title character?

“Jason Mewes,” Smith said, referring to the star of “Clerks” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” And who would be the Jersey Guy’s wife or girlfriend? “Ali Larter (”Final Destination 2,” “Varsity Blues”),” he added. “She’s from Cherry Hill.”

The Jersey Guy “is less apt to get into a fight than a New York guy,” according to Kevin Smith. “But if he does, he’s a better fighter. Jersey Guys are better drivers — and end up with better cars. You can count on the Jersey Guy to give you a ride, and he knows his way around malls.”

You can check out every word of the piece at the Ledger’s site.

  • Jersey Girl has the honor of making the very selective “Early Warning” list over at Hollywood.Com.
  • Are you an avid toy collector lusting after the new line of View Askew action figures? Did you just have to have Jay and Silent Bob in vibrant Mallrats color and authentic Wizard World Exclusive black and white? If you’re a toy collector (and let’s face it — who isn’t nowadays) and you own a video camera, this is your chance to be seen and heard by the rest of the world. A documentary style film is seeking video submissions from toy collectors willing to speak about their hobby. Click here for all of the details and information.

  • Yet another fan proves his View Askew devotion! Check out scooper Moventura’s newest ink.
  • Check out Brian Wenrich’s Happy World of Bunnies, a new online comic that takes its name from a line in Vincent Pereira’s “A Better Place”. No other relation though we wouldn’t be surprised to see an Askew reference pop up there from time to time.
  • Check out a still of Kevin’s appearance (and a fun caption) in IGN’s review of the Comic Book: The Movie DVD.

The Big News Is Coming…MONDAY!

February 8th @ 8:46 am | No Comments » | Scooped by Brad & Chris

  • Yup, that’s right — And if you’re REALLY intuitive, you might be able to figure out what it already is! But hey, by the time you’re reading this, you can wait another DAY or so…Can’t you? Here’s Kevin with the official word:
THE BIG NEWS…

…will hit this board on Monday.

But there’s a hint of it out there, already. Would-be Sherlocks might be able to piece two and two together based on an article that ran in one of this country’s biggest newspapers earlier this week.

Feel free to start with the guessing! We’ll of course have the official answer for ya, right here, on Monday. Until then, be good.

Smith & Quesada: Together Again?

February 8th @ 8:46 am | No Comments » | Scooped by William Bogard

  • This Wizard sidebar, which you can get a better view by clicking, announces that Kevin & Joe indeed have talked about bringing another superhero back from obscurity in a new comic book project in a year or so. After the amazing “Guardian Devil” run (which we still think could somehow be worked into an excellent DD 2 film, with the proper amount of flashbackage), we’d be the first in line to pick up a new book featuring Kevin’s words and Joe’s awesome artwork. We’ll be keeping an eye on this one, for sure…

View Askew NewsBites™

February 8th @ 8:45 am | No Comments » | Scooped by Jeff, Peter Joseph, Dan Haddinger

  • We dunno if this was mentioned elsewhere, but it’s the first we’ve heard: Apparently, at last week’s Nuart “Clerks” screening, the theater manager announced that he hoped to be doing the screening (and possibly Q&A thing) with the instant classic, “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”, the first week in May. Man, if this coincides with the Stash Bash for the West Coast store opening, that’s gonna be SOME party.
  • Kevin’s currently appearing briefly in an episode of “Super Secret Movie Rules” on VH-1, commenting on “The Big Lebowski”.
  • For you cats who have been enjoying listening to the streams at work, Labs360 now have even more View Askew DVD tracks online for your enjoyment. You can now catching Evening With Kevin, Mallrats commentary, and more. You need a password but just request it, it’s free. Many folks have told us that they enjoy streaming them at work to pass the time. Gotta love technology, don’t ya?
  • And on a final sidenote today, Antony Teofilo, who’s been submitting all those fantastic Jersey Girl cast/crew interviews over at the ‘Shoot in past months, will be performing a one man musical cabaret called “Enzo Valentino On Love”, on February 14th, in Port Washington, Wisconsin. For details, you can email him directly. Enjoy the rest of your weekends, folks. They always way too dang-diddley short, aren’t they?

Affleck/Tyler Jersey Girl Clip Available!

February 8th @ 8:35 am | No Comments » | Scooped by David Seiden, Andrew Francis, Ben Roffman, WillTempered

  • We’ve got another look at Jersey Girl for ya, in this first ever full online clip from the film, called “Let Me Take You Out”. In it, Maya (Liv Tyler) won’t take no for an answer when she asks Ollie (Ben Affleck) out for lunch. Enjoy it in Windows Media or RealPlayer format via Yahoo Movies. IGN’s got it as well, and adds a QuickTime option. Enjoy!

View Askew NewsBites™

February 8th @ 8:34 am | No Comments » | Scooped by Alonso Duralde

  • Alan Ball’s “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” isn’t a new play; it’s one he wrote pre-”American Beauty” and “Six Feet Under.” We’ve also received word from Marilyn that the play, announced yesterday, has been postponed but NOT cancelled. She’ll be providing us with details as soon as they’re available.

    Alright, let’s see some NEWS ASKEW readers get into the competition this year! Project Greenlight has announce that screenplay and director submissions will be accepted starting February 9th (THIS MONDAY!) at WWW.PROJECTGREENLIGHT.COM. Get those entires in there! You can do it!

  • And hey, finally today, we’re not one for gimmicky web stuff, but this is a FUN one! Check out all the wacky things you can do to the News Askew website (or your other favorite locale) at the Orgulator! See ya next time!