Independent Film

Laura Sturza, Weekend GLENDALE -- Phil Snyder is in action. After years of working as a stand-up comic at venues spanning from the Comedy Store to prisons around the country, he has fulfilled his ambition of writing, producing, directing and starring in his first feature-length film, "ReWrite." Snyder and his wife, co-producer and co-star Karen Snyder, started HolyWood Media in 1992. Their goal is to create entertaining, family-friendly productions that also don't shy away from the tough subjects, Snyder said.

Joyce Rudolph, Weekend GLENDALE -- "Rewrite," the digital romantic comedy feature by independent filmmaker Phil Snyder of Glendale, is scheduled for a limited theater release beginning Friday. HolyWood Media, Inc. is an independent film and television production company founded by Snyder and his wife, Karen. Tickets for the gala premiere on Friday and Feb. 16 and 17 are available online at www.holywoodmedia.com. It is showing at the Pasadena Academy 6 Cinema, 1003 E. Colorado Blvd.

Joyce Rudolph Bruce Mayhall to lead Gay Men's Chorus GLENDALE -- Bruce Mayhall, associate professor and director of choral studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, has been named the new artistic director of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles. He succeeds Jon Bailey, who led the chorus for 14 years. The announcement was made by Colin Saldanha, chairman of the chorus' board of directors. Mayhall's tenure begins Sept. 1 for the organization's 23rd annual season.

Ryan Carter Rep. David Dreier (D-La Crescenta) has reintroduced legislation he said would provides tax relief for film and television projects produced in the United States. The bill, called the United States Independent Film and Television Incentive Act, is an effort to create incentive for local projects to stay here rather than move out of state. "It's the caterers, florists, retailers and truck drivers that suffer as a result of runaway production," Dreier released in a statement.

Sandra Kraisirideja, Enjoy! GLENDALE -- Guilt drove filmmaker Vahe Babaian to write and direct his first feature film "After Freedom." His parents made tremendous sacrifices to get to America and Babaian benefited enormously by being brought here. "I'm really fortunate. I never would have made a film if I hadn't come here," Babaian said. But his parents never realized their own hopes and dreams. Babaian and his parents came to the United States from Lebanon in 1976 with only $500.

Weinstein Fine Books on Brand Boulevard was the site of a film shoot Wednesday. About 25 members of the cast and crew of the independent feature film, "They Would Love You in France," spent several hours shooting scenes in the bookstore. Co-director Sheldon Strickland, 35, described the Glendale bookstore as "classy and artsy" and exactly the look he wanted for the scene. The scene will feature actors Jennifer Crystal Foley and Branton Boxer meeting and talking in a bookstore.

These days, if you're a film snob with good sense, there are two kinds of films: the formulaic, uninspired blockbuster and the cutting-edge independent film. Which is why Doug Liman's "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is such a pleasure -- it proves you can package a high-concept premise with two A-list megastars, toss in a director who lets character development drive the roller-coaster action with a script that molds words into sophisticated, snappy dialogue. The final product is impressive: a film about something.

The annual Independent film gold rush at the Sundance Film Festival normally yields at least one film that the studios fall all over themselves trying to acquire. This year's Indie darling was "Hustle & Flow," winner of the festival's Audience Award and Cinematography Award. It's not hard to imagine that Paramount Pictures had their checkbook out before the film's first scene was over. Composed with an enormous amount of wit, humor and emotion, "Hustle & Flow," written and directed by Craig Brewer, reworks a well-worn genre often crippled by cliche.

First-time independent filmmaker Joe Tyler Gold wrote a screenplay based on the “Macbeth” theater curse and then enlisted his friends to help make it into a film. On Tuesday, “Never Say Macbeth” will be released nationwide on DVD by Vanguard Quality Independent Cinema. “It’s been a long journey showing it at film festivals,” said Gold, who works at Angel City Data in Burbank, which develops databases for the entertainment industry.