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Feenix Films LLC
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Feenix Films LLC is an independent film company based out of New Jersey and New York. It includes approximately 25 members of actors, writers, musicians, directors and crew, including four executive board members. It currently has two web series, one feature film in distribution, one feature in post and several works in pre-production. It's tagline is "Industry - Reborn". History David LaRosa and Janine Laino were two struggling actors. LaRosa has stated that as of 2011, he’s been in the business for 14 years. The two met at an acting class in 2003 in New York City and began a friendship. They then continued studying together at another private studio in midtown, New York. There they worked briefly with Nick DeMatteo and Kate McGrath, as well as other ensemble members. Laino has stated that she "remembers the day in class when Dave and I were going down a path creatively together". LaRosa and Laino began a theater company called The Granite Theatre in 2006-2007 which produced a series of scenes from plays such as Father’s Day and Espresso Depresso. The company was discontinued when LaRosa and Laino decided to start an ensemble-based film company. Nick DeMatteo has been an actor, singer/songwriter & musician, and director - with equal vigor & dedication. He studied acting & music at Rutgers University, and various studios in Philadelphia and NYC - after moving there in 2000. Nick has landed roles in several indie films & stage productions. He has also done voiceovers for Connect 4 and World of Warcraft. But, he says, "None of that has added up to the work I've done for Feenix Films." He met his fellow Feenix Board members at a Manhattan acting studio. After he left in 2007, Dave LaRosa contacted Nick to act in "This End Up", and from there the base of Feenix began to form. Nick is also a rock/pop singer/songwriter, with an extensive catalog of indie rock/pop recordings, both as a solo artist and with the band, REC. Nick has also composed for & contributed music to several film, TV, stage & web indie productions. He considers his music work with Feenix to be, "...the most rewarding and possibly best composing I've done." He is currently one half of the music production team, The Drop, along with Daniel Cousins, which has become an integral part of the extended Feenix family. Kate McGrath, a struggling actor and writer began pursuing work in New York City shortly after graduating from college in 2002. She's said that she was "ignored by everyone, which is way worse then the rejection." McGrath was in plays throughout the early 2000s at various off-off Broadway stages, and wrote, produced and starred in her own film entitled Running Time in 2005. While studying frequently throughout New York City, McGrath met the other executive board members at a studio, but they all subsequently left the studio for further artistic pursuits. LaRosa contacted McGrath in 2008 to join the Feenix Films ensemble. Although production of This End Up began before the organization, Feenix Films LLC became distributer of the web series in 2009. The film, which includes LaRosa, Laino, DeMatteo, Melissa House and fellow ensemble members was available for youtube viewing. The first official Feenix Film however was Lock-Load-Love, written by David LaRosa and Christopher Ryan. In 2009, production began on Nicky Newark, the first official feature film produced by Feenix Films LLC. The film was written, directed and stars David LaRosa, and includes everyone in the ensemble except for a few members that were brought on in late-2010. Dealer, the second feature film written by Kate McGrath and directed by Nick DeMatteo, was produced in two months in late 2010 and is currently in post-production for release in October or November. As of Spring 2011, it’s been reported that Feenix Films has three “Twilight Zone”-esque shorts and two feature-length films in pre-production. Feenix Films is managed by Karen Gunn of Soiree Fair. Executive Board The Executive Board of Feenix Films is made up of four positions: President, Vice President, Business Director and Treasurer. They are held as follows: David LaRosa, Nick DeMatteo, Kate McGrath and Janine Laino. Melissa House was one of the founders, but stepped down in late 2008. The Exec Board is responsible for membership, filmmaking, pre and post production, festival submission and distribution. All members have admitted that they have gladly given a lot of money and time to the success of the film company. They credit this success to their collaboration with each other and ensemble members, as well as their passion for the craft of acting, telling a good story and fighting against big studios that make reality TV and stars out of sex tapes. In 2010, the exec board openly invited fellow ensemble members to submit their writing, producing and performance concepts so they could assist in fellow artists' empowerment. Mission Statement Feenix Films LLC has publicly denounced the big studio system and the lack of good stories, characters and craft in filmmaking today - specifically citing the casting director and agent environs, reality tv and the remake/sequel franchises. Their mission statement from their website, with the tagline: Industry-Reborn, reads as follows: The Entertainment Industry is changing. Like the fall of the Studio System in the 1950s, these changes are both seismic and inevitable. The old ways of doing things are being phased out in favor of DIY (Do IT Yourself) enterprises. Feenix Films is at the forefront of this new media landscape. Feenix Films is a film and television ensemble company, modeled after the theatrical resident companies of old. We offer full-service, in-house production of film, television, and web-based entertainment. We’re comprised of a talented and diverse stable of artists and tech persons, who do anything and everything needed to produce a successful work of media - acting, writing, directing, camera work, graphic and web design, music composition & recording, and more. People respond to the personal done well. It is what draws them into entertainment. That’s what Feenix Films is all about. We pride ourselves on forging firm & lasting relationships with both our company members and our audience, creating a home and family they will always be able to trust and return to. The Granite Theatre and This End Up LaRosa and Laino began The Granite Theatre in 2006-2007. They folded the company after Laino suggested once that they "make their own film company". The theatre company produced a series of scenes from several plays. It was cast by Actors Alliance. Auditions for the show included that of Nick DeMatteo and Kate McGrath. Both were called back but neither were cast, much to the protest of LaRosa and Laino. Subsequently, LaRosa with a writing partner began pre-production on This End Up, a web comedy about a struggling moving company. The film centers around Guy Mulligan, the owner of McMurphy & Sons Moving, and their rivals Mov-a-Tron. To tell his story, Mulligan began working with Tri-State Channel 23 to document their woes. There are six episodes. The series was cut down to film form by LaRosa and under advisement of McGrath, began submissions to film festivals. It premiered in December 2009. Lock-Load-Love Directed by LaRosa and starring Nick DeMatteo and Kate McGrath, the film is a series of vignettes about the losses and gains of internet dating. McGrath became Business Director during filming, and provided several pieces of equipment from her former d/b/a All o’ Me Productions (est. 2004). Each vignette begins with Ralph (DeMatteo) or Nina’s (McGrath) online dating bio as a still, and the cursor being moved to YES for “ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR NEXT DATE”. The film began production in spring of 2009 and was completed by August. It premiered at The Delancey in its performance space on February 27th, 2010. Although the capacity for the space was supposed to be 80, the film attracted a standing-room-only crowd of 125 people from Long Island to New Jersey, with two attendants from California. Feenix Films LLC developed its signature Love Sack Packages, which includes the DVD, CD of music by The Drop and a Feenix Films bottle opener. It was the official selection of the 2010 Films on Fifth Festival in Brooklyn, NY, and the Manhattan Film Festival 2010. Lock-Load-Love is available for viewing online at FunnyorDie.com. Nicky Newark Directed, written and starring David LaRosa, Nicky Newark is the story of Bobby Cannonnolli’s struggle to find his way. The poster for Nicky Newark included the tag line Every Life Has a Choice, and the press packet for Nicky Newark defined it as follows: A man’s silhouette is cloaked in shadow as he drives through the grimy and dirty streets of Newark, New Jersey, looking for one of the many parolees that infest his everyday life. After giving chase and “outmaneuvering” Roughneck Ralphie, Bobby Cannonnolli introduces us to his world. Between this life … and the mysterious one which waits for him on the other end of a phone call … is where Bobby is stuck. The next thing you know: Bobby’s entering the island of Manhattan. He attends a typical horrific audition, and soon returns to his car, defeated. Thus another trip, another parolee, another audition has occurred, literally bridging the gap between what one might call your average “Nicky Newark” and the man Bobby wants to be. What are the odds of this guy getting his foot in the door? What world does he think he could possibly be a part of with casting directors like the one he just met, guys in the back of his state-issued car munching on “hush-food”, and the life that he has waiting in New Jersey? With a best friend in the person of his boss, Bobby gets the quick n’ dirty of what he’s up against: a failing reputation in his law enforcement career, a persistent competitor waiting to take him down, a lazy and damaged brother-in-law living on his couch, a wife that gives him grief, and a daughter that he must protect. All it takes is one visit to the Cannonnolli household to realize there’s much to be desired. His wife, Danielle, is wrapped up in her own self-imposed drama and takes little to no interest in Bobby or their daughter, Angie. But how can Bobby separate himself from who Danielle is? When he’s trying to figure out the life that’s best for everyone, is it best instead to do what is right for himself? Nicky Newark provides a look into this world - one replete with colorful characters, secret loves, mysterious mentors and the all-too-common unstable fellow artists. Anyone accustomed to life on the bottom knows the jungle it is: constant struggling to make ends meet; balancing life, family, expectations, love; endless hours of sifting through the legitimate and illegitimate teachers; the nagging fear of doing a job that you hate and feeling like your life is falling into the unknown; a constant concern that without a big name relative - you’re a nobody. All of this exists while the fear that the life you wish to lead can unravel in an instant, pushing you into the darkness of the void instead of the open-mindedness of a true love. Soon Bobby’s world begins to change. He begins to live his life based on what he feels is right, regardless of what anyone else thinks. He begins on a journey of sovereignty - discovering who he is, what he loves, and where he wants to go. How does he balance his family, his job, his friendship, his marriage - all while doing what makes him happy? How does he do what he thinks is right when he has the watchful eye of his competitor constantly looking for weakness? In the end, Bobby has to decide if he wants to live in the shadows which have engulfed him, or if he wants to walk on the path of sovereignty and finally listen to that voice deep inside which he has ignored for years. Production for the film began in late 2009, with filming beginning in October and principle photography officially wrapping in February 2010. The Director of Photography for Feenix, Alex Santos, began working with the company on this film. Editing was done by LaRosa himself and has been reportedly, “…a nightmare”, with issues ranging from poor post-production equipment performance to issues with DVD making. However, the film premiered on April 10th at Manhattan’s classic Kraine Theater on the Lower East Side. The audience was sold out again, marking a second S-R-O for Feenix Films. The resulting q+a with cast and crew had an 80% audience retension. Nicky Newark is being distributed by Goliath Promotions. Dealer Dealer was written by Kate McGrath beginning in 2007 while she was living with a dear friend. Although writing began before Feenix Films was established, McGrath has said that when the cast was established for the film was when it was able to come to fruition. The finished script was read by the executive board members in 2010 and was slated for production with Nick DeMatteo as director. Principle photography began in early September 2010. The shoot was scheduled between DeMatteo and McGrath for literally two months, including rain dates. Various scenes were shot outside in New York City no matter what the weather was, including a scene in a two-door car where Dave LaRosa and Janine Laino were hiding in the back. Alex Santos was the DOP, and Jesse Cardenas began as official Sound Engineer on the film. Dealer marks the directing debut of Nick DeMatteo. The film is currently in post production being edited by DeMatteo. Music is currently being lined up by DeMatteo and McGrath and includes works by The Drop, The Invisible Kid, and various unsigned bands in New York. In Production Although nothing has been officially established, Feenix Films LLC has three film shorts in a "Twilight Zone Esque" film in production. One piece written by McGrath and story by Laino, McGrath and Santos is set to begin filming this month. There are also two feature films in post-production, one written by McGrath with LaRosa set to direct. Members Melissa House Jeanine Bartel Dave Monti Stephen Kaplan Kim Weiler Leslie Coplin Daniel Cousins Richard Brundage Bill Macchio Benoir Birunji Chris Ryan Matthew Marone Duncan Murdoch Alejandro Santos Alonso Meghan Lennox Samantha DeLuke Luis Argueta Steven DiSebastian Christine Klaiber DiSebastian Michael Errichiello Bios, reels and further reading is available online at the Feenix Films website. The Executive Board has said that they expect support from all members of the ensemble for every film made. They have asked former members to leave the company when they have not. The Drop The Drop is the music production team formed by Nick DeMatteo and Daniel Cousins. The team has performed original works and covers for This End Up, Lock-Load-Love and Nicky Newark. They have had music licensed for various film, TV & web projects. The two have worked together before in the band REC, songs of which are included in prior productions of Feenix Films LLC. They are also slated to compose for Dealer. Daniel Cousins also writes, produces, remixes and is the performing artist of The Invisible Kid. His most recent release is Full Catastrophe Livin 
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