What Are the Odds? available on Amazon

Want to purchase this adorable short film? Check it out:

"What Are the Odds?" is now available through Amazon. Want to own this adorable short film? Click HERE!

Own the short that started it all!

"What Are the Odds?" has been selected to screen at:
2006 The Durango Independent Film Festival
2006 The Sarasota Film Festival
2006 The Foursite Film Festival
2006 The San Francisco Independent Film Festival
2006 The Palm Beach International Film Festival
2006 The Cannes Film Festival (Short Film Corner)
2006 DEKK's Superfilm Series NYC
2006 West Chester Film Festival
2006 Tall Grass Film Festival
2006 NewFilmmakers Series
2006 Broken Lamp Film Festival
2007 Delray Beach Film Festival
2007 FYLMZ Film Festival

Melissa's OTL Advice Corner - Entry #1 Film Festivals

A year and a half ago when Alicia sent me her film festival list I had no idea what film festivals were really about. I had absolutely no clue that they cost money, that some of the festivals are very exclusive and that there is an entire network dedicated to helping people enter their films into hundreds of film festivals all around the globe.

If you are looking into submitting your film into film festivals here are a few tips from a master submitter!

1. Get to know Withoutabox.com! The faster you can navigate yourself through this fantastic website the better. Get your projects set up and once you do you can submit your films to hundreds of film festivals in about 5 minutes. This site will also keep track of your submission history and keep you notified of up and coming deadlines etc.


2. Always make sure that you take the time to read the fine print details of what a festival is looking for. Often times the title alone with give you an idea about what special things each festival is seeking (but some do not). There is nothing worse then sending your hard earned cash along with your film into a festival that is only meant for a special interest group i.e. Spanish Language movies only!

3. Try to get your film submitted during the Early Deadline time slot. Watch the timelines for festivals that you are interested in and try to submit them during their early deadline submission process. Most film festivals will jack up their prices pretty high for Late Deadline submissions. By being early you can save upwards of $30.00 per submission. This will also allow you to submit to more festivals for the same amount of money that you would spend to submit to one festival during the late deadline.

4. Be realistic about the festivals you are submitting to. For example: I made a short film about a bird mascot and beer. I am not going to get into Sundance or Cannes with this type of film. This film is better suited to smaller underground festivals and very specific location festivals. Base your festival selection list on where you feel your film would do the best. You want to get as far as you can with the money you have. If you really, really want to enter your film into Sundance just because, go ahead and do so, but do a little research and find out what other festivals your film would do best at and submit to those as well.

5. Don’t be discouraged if your film does not get into a film festival. Festivals often get thousands of submissions so if you get a rejection letter don’t take it too personally.

Well that about does it for this entry. Check back in with our blog for more advice from Melissa’s OTL Advice Corner!

Cheers!

MJ

Milestone in Post Production

The short film I wrote and directed, titled, Milestone is very close to being finished. Alicia is furiously editing it and Banana Whale is providing the music, and there’s color correction happening, and foley being added...all sorts of fabulous post-production things are occurring. So, that means it will soon be reaching its finished line; which is thrilling for me!

I’ve been getting asked a lot about what the experience of directing was like and usually I respond with very short answers like ‘I liked it,’ or ‘I learned a lot’, or some sort of something that was positive but general and allowed the person to get on with their life. Lately however, while sitting with Alicia and going through the fine tuning process I’ve realized something... The biggest thing I’ve learned about directing is that the number 1 thing you need to do is surround yourself with people who are both honest and smarter than you. It can be hard to see the forest for the trees when you are listening to your own words and watching performances that you’ve directed. As I expected, there were moments that I would’ve done differently if I had to do it over again and there were lines that, once they moved from the page to the screen were no longer necessary. While I, on my own, could’ve sussed some of these things out, the fact that I had Alicia sitting there with me, offering her thoughts and concerns helped immensely. With her editor’s eye she was able to not only offer suggestions, but was actually able to put those suggestions into the video so I could see them in action. That was amazingly helpful!

So... to all of you newbie directors out there like me... do not operate as a one person show – surround yourself with people that think like you – only better, faster and smarter. You’ll thank me later!

Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Being a first time filmmaker you would think that the hardest part would be getting your bearing on how a film set works, or how the equipment should be handled, or how to deal with the talent and the producers. But no. The hardest part about being a first time filmmaker for me is the waiting…waiting to find out if your film has gotten into that one festival that you so desperately want to be a part of.

Several weeks ago we shot my first short film, “Trevor’s Big Break.” I wrote it specifically with the Dogfish Head Off-Centered Film Festival in mind. I love beer and I love Dogfish Head so why not a film about my favorite beer if they just happen to have a film festival centered around beer?

Now that the movie is all done and submitted into the festival the only thing left to do is wait. Now I know how all those Academy Award nominated people must feel!

Is there a trip to Austin in my future? We will keep you posted.

Trevor's Big Break

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I love many things, but one thing that is extremely high on the list is my love for craft beer.

One of my favorite breweries, “Dogfish Head,” sponsors their very own “Off-Centered Film Festival,” that is held at Alamo Draft House in Austin TX each year. The festival’s theme is the underdog so I decided that I would write a short film about a down-and-out chicken mascot who can’t get any work until he drinks Dogfish head.

On the Leesh was gracious enough to agree to help me produce this fine piece of work, as it would serve as a learning tool for me to become more adept at our process of making a film here at OTL. I would write, direct and be the executive producer, while Alicia and Julie would guide me along the way.




Since I decided to do things through On the Leesh there were steps that had to be taken that you wouldn’t normally do for a home movie. There were SAG waivers to fill out, budgets to make, Writer’s Guild papers to complete and a whole bunch of scheduling and planning.

Many thanks to Alicia, Julie, Matt, Jessie and especially my husband Greg for being in the film today and doing a fantastic job!!! Greg you’re the best Trevor Birdie out there.

New Short Film: Kung Pow Wow!

New to the festival circuit is On the Leesh Productions's short film Kung Pow Wow. To say it's a short film is not really letting on about just how short this film is... it comes in at just under 3 minutes. Our motto: get in, make 'em laugh, get out!

Here's the description:

Dating is difficult, especially when you order in. "Kung Pow Wow" is a comedic tale about an argument between a couple when the boyfriend isn't sensitive to the needs of his girlfriend's taste buds.

We Have Our Man

Yesterday's auditions for the short comedy, "Milestone" went fabulously well!

We saw some really great and talented actors. Ultimately though, a very friendly face won us over with an outstanding read of the role, Billy. We are happy to announce that Brian Patacca will be playing the role in the movie.



www.brianpatacca.com

More to come about who will be playing the female lead, Denise. Hopefully we'll have that news in just a couple of weeks.

We're halfway there though!

DENIM is Headed to Colorado

Hot off the presses (or the internet equivalent of "the presses"), Jeff Lycett's short comedy, DENIM has been accepted to The Durango Independent Film Festival - better known as DIFF.

Some of you OTL followers may remember that this is not the first film from On the Leesh to be shown in Durango. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?, written by "The Office" writer, Justin Sptizer was shown in this popular film festival. Among all of the festivals that OTL attended with WHAT ARE THE ODDS?, Durango was absolutely one of our favorites. The town really comes out for this fest and the producers of DIFF really make the filmmakers feel welcomed and taken care of.

Be sure to check out this festival's website at: www.durangofilmfestival.com

Thanks Durango!!

OMG Denim Got Into Another One!

Denim - in its own little version of the Brotherhood of the Traveling Pants - is now on its way to steamy Miami! This short film about a pair of jeans is going continental and will next be seen at the Miami Short Film Festival held on November 17-23. Check this fest out at: www.miamishortfilmfestival.com

On the Leesh Embarks on Two More Short Films

On the Leesh Productions is currently in pre-production on two more comedic short films. The first called, Milestone is a short comedy about what a woman's friends will do to help her through a divorce. The second is currently titled Pet Peeve - a short story about personal growth through dating.

Both shorts will be read tomorrow night at the office as part of an internal invited workshop/reading.

Milestone is not yet cast, but is currently slated to shoot in February in Brooklyn, NY. Pet Peeve is still in its gestation period, so location, cast and crew have not been set yet.

OTL does love short film!

Get 'em in, make 'em laugh, get 'em out!

Thanks to the Williamstown Film Festival

The below email was sent to the folks who ran the Williamstown Film Festival. It was written by writer/director Jeff Lycett who's short film, Denim screened there as part of the festival's shorts series.





Being a first time filmmaker, the world of festivals is very new to me. The people at Williamstown were very welcoming and supportive. Not only did they provide a great environment for the screening of my own film, they also gave me open access to other films and made it possible to commune with the other filmmakers. I can't wait to have make another film and I hope they accept me over and over and over again.



many thanks,
jeff lycett
(writer/director- DENIM)

Watch a few of OTL's short films

Due to overwhelming popular demand, On the Leesh has made two of our older short film - What are the Odds? and The Muse: A Girl's Delicious Daydream About a Dangerous Man, available for viewing on blip.tv. Many of you have asked us to see these films, and we decided not to disappoint!

Click on each project page to load the video. It will appear as the poster logo on the right hand side of the screen. Simply click the poster, and the video will launch.

Enjoy our films, and please feel free to write feedback.


To watch What Are the Odds? click here.

To watch The Muse: A Girl's Delicious Daydream About A Dangerous Man click here here.