Lots of things are getting done...

Dear fans and patrons for the films about Patrick Scully,

Thanks to those who came to my Northeast studio during Art-A-Whirl. It was great to talk to friends of Patrick and the film and meet you. I know Its' been awhile since my last update but we've been working hard editing the film. I gave my team a deadline of Sept 30th and they delivered to me a "fine cut" of movie. This cut has custom titles, an audio mix, songs spotted in and end credits. It basically looks like a film, it is a film. I can't wait to show it to you.

We have submitted this to a couple of festivals so far. We are hoping for a spring 2025 premiere, wish us luck! I am really happy with overall vibe, look and feel of the film. While there are still things to change, clips to enhance and more audio mixing to level up or down, we are getting so close!

As we continue to polish the film we are running out of financial resources, your donations have gotten us this far. The big looming cost I need to fund raise for is paying for the supporting images and video clips in the film. I am haggling with media sources, filmmakers and photographers. I'm doing my best but it looks like I need 5-8K to finish this film. Can you help?  If you're able to donate more to this film I would greatly appreciate it.

As you know well, our goal is to finish raising $51,450 to ensure that Patrick’s story – which in many ways is all our stories – gets told. I want to thank David P. for donating $100 earlier this year. All donations will be designated for the completion of this work. Funders giving $20,000 will be credited as Executive Producers $10,000 will be credited as Producers $5,000 will be credited as Associate Producers Any amount will also be listed in the credits of the film Donations Link: Tax deductible: https://filmnorth.org/fiscally-sponsored-projects/patrick-scully-the-dance-is-not-over/ Non-tax deductible: https://www.gofundme.com/f/patrick-scully-moviethe-dance-is-not-over thanks so much for your support and commitment to these films!

Wojahn Props Bucks Star for Mad Max

I have some newly released work to share from Art Class, Furiosa & ESPN
In the spring I propped in Milwaukee for Furiosa and ESPN. As a super fan of the Mad Max franchise since the 1980's, (I own all the blu-rays), it felt like a signature moment for me to be able to work these three commercials. It was filled with Mad Max props and a NBA all star Damian Lillaird. LA production designer Johnny Love made great choices, especially with the hero Wasteland car and MKE art director Gene Rueter crewed a great local dept. Local MKE producer Nicholaus Langholff wrangled a lot of out of town action to pull this one off. The spot continues to promote the film during the NBA playoffs on TV, Youtube and other medias. I will be going to see Furiosa a second time. Yes, it was that good.

MKE Art Dept Crew with the Wasteland Car

This spot, Dame's Daily Routine was 1 of 3 spots directed by Vincent Peone, DoP was Federico Tamburini, MKE Propmaster Mark Wojahn, Local Producer was Nicholaus Langholff.

Visit me at Art-A-Whirl

Come visit me at Art-A-Whirl this weekend. We can meet for the first time or catch up again. I'll be holding court discuss the Patrick Scully films. I have a studio in the Northwestern Casket Company building. "Casket Arts" is one of the premier Art buildings in Northeast Minneapolis. It is home to my 'Casket Cinema'. A micro cinema salon that we have been showing the best in documentary films since 2008. My studio is #145 and there will be lots of art, film action happening in and around the neighborhood. I will be there Friday 5-9pm and Saturday 10-6pm. The street address is 681 17th Ave Northeast, Mpls, MN 55413.

I hope to see you!

We continue to edit the film and are close to finish the polishing of the "Culture Wars" section that features John Killacky and Ron Athey. This sub-chapter nests within the Cabaret section of the film. I feel like this part of Patrick's narrative is important as it places him and the Cabaret in the national discussion of the NEA, its' funding and the controversial debate that seized the media's soapbox and the politics of the time. I look forward to y'all of watching this on the big screen in the near future. We are working hard to getting the film ready to be submitted to film festivals in the fall of this year.

Researcher, writer and DJ, Cyn Collins has stepped on board our team as we working on clearing all the clips and photographs we are using in the film. Patrick Scully is also working with us on this. Thanks to Cyn for joining our rights and clearance team! If there are images or videos of you that we are using in the film, I thank you for letting us use them in the film, as it's so important to the story. Ragamala Dance Company, Joe Chavla's Flying Foot Forum, Ruth Zepora, Wendy Oliver, Gadu, Nancy Hauser and others have recently signed releases, Thank you!

Remember 2 years ago you helped us premiere Leaves of Grass: Iluminated at the Twin Cities Film Festival.

As you know well, our goal is to finish raising $51,550 to ensure that Patrick’s story – which in many ways is all our stories – gets told. Thanks to Keith H. for recently donating $100 to the film.

All donations will be designated for the completion of this work.

Funders giving $20,000 will be credited as Executive Producers

$10,000 will be credited as Producers

$5,000 will be credited as Associate Producers

Any amount will also be listed in the credits of the film

Donations Link:

Tax deductible: https://filmnorth.org/fiscally-sponsored-projects/patrick-scully-the-dance-is-not-over/

Non-tax deductible: https://www.gofundme.com/f/patrick-scully-moviethe-dance-is-not-over

Wojahn props KAT for Fast Twitch

Above is a spot I propped last fall for Fast Twitch energy drink. It was great doing another commercial with the basketball great Karl Anthony Towns. Early in his career, I had done a handful of Jack Links Jerky ads with him. So it was cool to reminisce with KAT about that work. You may be wondering, Yes, I had to run for a lot of Fast Twitch bottles that KAT was throwing in the air! Rob Walstead art directed an A-team dept, with Brian Simpson building whatever sets the production designer Itaru De La Vega needed. MN producer Sammy Halabi somehow made it all happen. The spots continue to play on Instagram,Tiktok and other social media.

This March, I want to invite you all to my MN micro-cinema, Casket Cinema we break spring ground with the short films of MN Filmmaker Cy Dodson. Cy is an McKnight film fellow and award winning director living and working locally & nationally. His work on tattooists covering up white supremacist ink, Beneath the Ink, earned him a national Emmy nomination and qualified him for an Oscar nom. He followed that with his next film on George Floyd, Say His Name. Dodson was living in South Mpls at the time and was a local eyewitness to riots and the destruction of our city. This short opened the Big Sky Documentary Film Fest in 2021 and reveals the community's reaction to the systematic racial injustice that was witnessed world-wide. These films and others will play on March 7th at 8pm. Special guests will be the director himself, Cy Dodson, he will converse with me after the screening. This will be a very special and not to be missed screening for anyone who loves documentary film.

What: the film “Short films of Cy Dodson” (2017-2021)

The Cinema will open its doors at 7:30pm and the film will begin at 8pm. 

When: March 7th at 8pm, doors at 7:30pm. Film at 8pm. 

Where: Casket Cinema is located in the art studio of Mark Wojahn. The cinema is in the old Northwestern Casket Building, 681 17th Ave NE #145, Minneapolis, MN 55413, (612)568-3178. 

Cost: Donation of $10-15 will go to pay the filmmaker. 

Special guests: Director Cy Dodson, he will converse with Casket Cinema co-founder Mark Wojahn after the screening.

THROWBACK WORK

14 years ago I was the local lead man when Jason Reitman brought Young Adult to MN to do two weeks of shooting for his feature.While it was pretty cool to meet Charlize on set but even cooler to team up with art director Deb Jensen who I had worked on the Coen brother's A Serious Man with. Would'nt it be great if Jason or Diablo could bring another film to Minnesota? Let's manifest that happening!

It's 2024! and that's a wrap on 2023!

Dear Friends & Colleagues,

 Happy New Year! I hope you have had a great holiday. I want to thank all the producers and directors that were able to hire me last year. It was super cool to see the spots and films we did come to fruition. Thank you for entrusting me with your art dept.  I really appreciate all of you! I have new reel to debut in this newsletter. It's filled with lots of new sets and of course some of the greatest hits. It's been my pleasure to create your illusions.

I have some availability this January and February. I hope we can work together.

Above is my new reel. I want to thank all the great producers, directors and crew that were part of these films, tv spots or music videos. As we ll know our medium is a collaborative effort. I look at the new reel and think of all the teams we built to make these scenes happen.

Next month, my Casket Cinema combines forces with MCAD to bring you the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival tour on Feb 15th, 2024 at 7pm. The screening will be in MCAD’s auditorium, we will have some the world’s best short and experimental films of 2023. Voted the best Film Festival in 2019 by the readers of USA today, festival director Leslie Raymond will be in attendance and will introduce the program and take your questions after. This exciting 75 minute program will be showcase many of its’ award winning films. This program will be free for students, donations taken for all others. I hope y'all can attend.