Introduction
In an earlier post on the Support Our #creatives® blog, I introduced our readers to filmmaker Karoline Ribak, producer of “Cold Cold Man”, a science fiction-inspired jukebox musical.
Synopsis of “Cold Cold Man”: Think: Ex Machinameets Xanadu. The film is a sci-fi that speculates on the future of AI [Artificial Intelligence] technology through surreal musical sequences. Our protagonist, Elise, develops an advanced form of learning technology named TOM – the Tomorrow of Man. Over a series of tests, TOM begins to show human-like qualities that urge Elise to fight against his premature introduction to the marketplace. Without the time or resources she needs, and faced with a boss more interested in affection than her breakthrough, she must choose between following orders and protecting her creation in the cold corporate world. – from earlier post
The premiere screening of “Cold Cold Man” was held March 29, 2019 at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Karoline has provided her the impressions and the impressions of others associated with the film: Director Rona Ahdout, Actor Arrianna Leigh (who plays Elise), and Actor Trent Culkin (who plays Tom). Here is Karoline’s report …
“Cold Cold Man” Screening, by Karoline Ribak
What was it like to see the final product on-screen?
Arrianna Leigh (Elise): It was so fulfilling to see it on the big screen! I knew I would be emotional, but as soon as the film finished I just felt such an overwhelming sense of pride for being part of the film. It was SO breathtaking—and that’s all thanks to our stellar creative team.
Rona Ahdout (Director): It was a very unique experience to see all the elements we had put countless hours into come together and to see the positive reaction from the audience.
Did anything about the film surprise you?
Karoline Ribak (Producer): Musicals have a tendency to elicit so many different feelings from their audiences—laughter, shock, longing, suspense. It was fascinating to feel the energy in the room shifting throughout the piece, especially after our team had spent so much time watching it in post-production. The screening was very informative and certainly gave us a fresh perspective on our work!
Trent Culkin (Tom): I had never done a musical on screen before, and although I didn’t have any singing parts, I was curious to see how this would play in a movie that may work just as well without the musical element. ‘Surprised’ might be an overstatement, but I think it really worked in a seamless and entertaining way.
How did it feel to come together as a team again?
Karoline Ribak (Producer): Coming together again felt natural; we formed such sincere relationships during the production process that picking up again felt like time hadn’t passed. We shared a night of celebration with the mutual feeling that this would only be the beginning of an exciting journey with this project.
Rona Ahdout (Director): It was really rewarding to see my team all together once again and see their pride in having accomplished something together.
Arrianna Leigh (Elise): This team has a such a special place in my heart. It honestly felt like a family every time I showed up to set. The last day of filming was incredibly bittersweet, so of course I was thrilled to see everyone again at the premiere! It felt like a family reunion.
Trent Culkin (Tom): So awesome to see everyone under the circumstances of viewing and celebrating our work. I’ve learned that it really is a very small world in the arts, and that it’s special when you clique with other artists in that world. I hope and expect to continue working with this awesome team on future projects.
Conclusion
Many thanks to Karoline for her report and to Arrianna, Rona, and Trent for participating. Everyone worked together so well and enjoyed doing so. I have worked with great teams also on projects and it was informative reading about the “Cold Cold Man” team.
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To my readers, please provide feedback or questions in the Comments. I would really enjoy hearing from you. And let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover.
Karoline Ribak is a B.F.A. Creative Producing major fueled by her background in theatre and live performance. She recently interned for Variety at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and previously worked at NBCUniversal’s Wilshire Studios in series development and physical production. After completing her undergrad degree at Chapman University, Karoline plans to pursue her MBA to strengthen her managerial skills while continuing to develop pertinent, meaningful content. She strives to empower female filmmakers through her work and is proud to have been honored with the Zonta Award at Dodge College’s 2018 Women in Focus conference, granting her $4,300 toward her thesis film. (from “Cold Cold Man” website)
Disclaimer: There is no financial compensation by or for anyone associated with this blog post.
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