Come honor the late Hollywood casting director Dan Velez at the first annual Dan Velez Scholarship Fundraiser. The Dan Velez Scholarship Fund awards three working actors with a $3,000 scholarship, as well as access to mentors and industry professionals to help advance their careers. The Fund started its inaugural year off strong with over 400 submissions, six of which will be invited to attend the celebratory gala and the Dan Velez Scholarship Board Members will announce three winners at the fundraiser. “Dan always fought for the underdog and spent a lot of time helping young struggling actors find their path so we feel this foundation is a great way to keep his legacy alive,” said Velez’s business partner and CEO of Space Station Casting Studios Ben Rovner, in an email. Board members include casting director Mary Vernieu; John Fogelman, co-ceo of FactoryMade Ventures and former executive vice president and board member at Wme; Cris Patwa,...
- 1/28/2016
- backstage.com
Friends and family of the late Hollywood casting director Dan Velez have started a scholarship in his honor to help struggling actors. Velez, who cast for shows such as “Comedy Bang! Bang!,” served as a casting associate for the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace,” and helped found Space Station Casting Studios alongside partner Sherri Henderson, was “a very passionate, intense guy, and often the actors he loved and related to were those [kinds of] actors,” friend and CEO of Space Station Ben Rovner told Backstage. “He’d always talk about how when you meet an actor, you could see their passion and their love for it.” The Dan Velez Scholarship Fund, which will be accepting essay submissions from Aug. 24 through Sept. 28, will provide three working actors with a $3,000 scholarship to help further their careers—whether that be paying for acting classes, vocal lessons, new headshots, or other acting-related expenses. “We’re...
- 8/19/2015
- backstage.com
Area 51 – where the hell do I begin? You have to respect Oren Peli for single-handedly redefining the horror landscape with a 10K budget and a haunted video tape (Paranormal Activity), an act that led everyone to assume the director would be treated as a golden God on whatever project he decided to tackle next. Unsurprisingly, Area 51 was announced – an obvious thematic followup. Found footage scares, alien conspiracies and a handful of unknowns who run around the Neveda desert? Hell, Peli was able to accomplish unspeakable bouts of terror by using an invisible monster, now he’d actually have evil creatures to play with! Blumhouse fanatics immediately started salivating based on Peli’s concept alone.
But then uncertainty set in. Years passed with no updates on the Area 51 front, Peli kept producing and writing other projects (The River), and not even Jason Blum could confirm what the hell...
But then uncertainty set in. Years passed with no updates on the Area 51 front, Peli kept producing and writing other projects (The River), and not even Jason Blum could confirm what the hell...
- 5/19/2015
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Space Station Casting Studios—the Hollywood casting facility that hosts casting sessions for clients ranging from student filmmakers to Nickelodeon—is launching an education program for actors who want to expand their skill sets. The Space Station Artist’s Initiative offers one-session courses with prices in the $10–$30 range. Upcoming classes will cover the basics of the business of acting, a crash course in commercial work, and self-taping auditions. “We get a ton of actors of all backgrounds—[from] brand-new, right off the boat, to people that have been here a while,” said Space Station CEO Ben Rovner. “So we get a lot of questions, from ‘Hey, I want to be an actor, what do I do?’ to ‘Hey, I’d love to learn how to produce.’ ” The Artist’s Initiative is Space Station’s attempt to offer answers and resources to actors in both camps—those seeking a start and those...
- 5/13/2015
- backstage.com
Paramount Insurge today announced that Area 51 and Drunk Wedding will receive one-weekend-only limited engagements exclusively at 16 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations in May. Additionally, the films will be available day-and-date on VOD and all digital platforms.
Area 51 will debut Friday, May 15th and run through Sunday, May 17th with one showtime daily. Tickets are on sale online and at participating Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas box offices beginning Monday, May 11th. The found footage horror film will also be available May 15th on VOD and all digital platforms.
Area 51 is directed by Oren Peli, written by Oren Peli and Christopher Denham and produced by Jason Blum and Steven Schneider. The film follows Reid, who has always been obsessed with UFOs. While on a weekend trip to Vegas, he convinces two friends to join him on a mission to break into Area 51, where they find terrifying proof of alien presence.
Area 51 will debut Friday, May 15th and run through Sunday, May 17th with one showtime daily. Tickets are on sale online and at participating Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas box offices beginning Monday, May 11th. The found footage horror film will also be available May 15th on VOD and all digital platforms.
Area 51 is directed by Oren Peli, written by Oren Peli and Christopher Denham and produced by Jason Blum and Steven Schneider. The film follows Reid, who has always been obsessed with UFOs. While on a weekend trip to Vegas, he convinces two friends to join him on a mission to break into Area 51, where they find terrifying proof of alien presence.
- 4/23/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Oren Peli didn’t invent found footage movies, but everyone in the horror genre sought to copy his style after Paranormal Activity became a mega hit. If you can believe it, it has been eight long years since Peli released Paranormal Activity, and after all this time, somewhat out of the blue, a trailer has arrived for Peli’s completed follow-up, Area 51.
The film is yet another found footage horror movie, with a group of young adults devising a plan to break into the mysterious Area 51 and uncover its alien secrets held by the government. Here’s the official synopsis:
Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government’s top secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes horrifying, unimaginable secrets. Now you can experience their harrowing adventure in this footage pieced...
The film is yet another found footage horror movie, with a group of young adults devising a plan to break into the mysterious Area 51 and uncover its alien secrets held by the government. Here’s the official synopsis:
Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government’s top secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes horrifying, unimaginable secrets. Now you can experience their harrowing adventure in this footage pieced...
- 4/23/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
More than five years after the studio acquired rights to Oren Peli’s follow-up to the ground-breaking Paranormal Activity, Paramount Insurge has unveiled distribution plans.
The found footage horror film will play theatrically over the weekend of May 15-17 in 16 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema sites and roll out day-and-date on VOD and digital.
Peli co-wrote Area 51 with Christopher Denham and Jason Blum and Steven Schneider produced.
The film follows a man obsessed with UFOs who diverts from a trip to Las Vegas and takes his friends to the notoriously secretive government site where they find proof of alien life.
Reid Warner, Jamel King, Ben Rovner and Jelena Nik star.
Insurge will also release the comedy Drunk Wedding in the same pattern one week later.
The found footage horror film will play theatrically over the weekend of May 15-17 in 16 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema sites and roll out day-and-date on VOD and digital.
Peli co-wrote Area 51 with Christopher Denham and Jason Blum and Steven Schneider produced.
The film follows a man obsessed with UFOs who diverts from a trip to Las Vegas and takes his friends to the notoriously secretive government site where they find proof of alien life.
Reid Warner, Jamel King, Ben Rovner and Jelena Nik star.
Insurge will also release the comedy Drunk Wedding in the same pattern one week later.
- 4/23/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Guess what just got beamed up out of picture purgatory? Filmed years ago, long-awaited by fans of Oren (Paranormal Activity) Peli's work, and almost as mysterious as the location its named after, the found footage thriller Area 51 will finally see the light of the silver screen, as Blumhouse has confirmed that Peli's sophomore effort behind the camera will play the weekend of May 15th at participating Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, with a VOD and digital release scheduled for that same day, as well. And teasing the alien-induced scares to come is the just-released first trailer for Area 51.
Blumhouse confirmed the Area 51 news via Twitter, with ComingSoon.net reinforcing the announcement by revealing that 16 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations will screen Area 51 the weekend of May 15th. Not only is this an Alamo Drafthouse exclusive in terms of theatrical showtimes, but the participating Drafthouse locations will only screen one...
Blumhouse confirmed the Area 51 news via Twitter, with ComingSoon.net reinforcing the announcement by revealing that 16 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations will screen Area 51 the weekend of May 15th. Not only is this an Alamo Drafthouse exclusive in terms of theatrical showtimes, but the participating Drafthouse locations will only screen one...
- 4/23/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Remember Oren Peli? Back in 2009, he was supposed to be horror's next golden boy. "Paranormal Activity" became a massive sensation, with the super low budget movie becoming a breakout hit, earning over $190 million worldwide, and spawning a franchise. Then the filmmaker set to work on his next feature, "Area 51," but it has since become something of a mystery. 2011 was the last time we heard about the movie, and even then it was said to be undergoing reshoots and rewrites. But four years later, it's arriving out of the blue and the first trailer is here. Starring Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, Ben Rovner, and Jelena Nik, this one lives up to the title, taking place in the most mysterious of government locations. Here's the official synopsis: Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government’s top secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings.
- 4/23/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Two Paramount Insurge films, Area 51 and Drunk Wedding, will get exclusive one-weekend runs at 16 Alamo Drafthouse theaters around the country in May alongside day-and-date releases on VOD and digital platforms. Area 51, a found-footage horror film, debuts May 15. It was co-written and directed by Oren Peli, and stars Reid Warner, Jamel King, Ben Rovner and Jelena Nik. Producers are microbudget horror meister Jason Blum and Steve Schneider. Drunk Wedding will run…...
- 4/23/2015
- Deadline
The owners of Hollywood’s Space Station Casting Studios want to bring their “actor friendly” atmosphere to a new location in West L.A. Ben Rovner and Dan Velez earlier this summer purchased the nearly decade-old casting business of the late casting director Melissa Martin after her husband, Erich Zander, put it on the market. Had a buyer not been found, the building just west of Sawtelle Boulevard would have been gutted and turned into commercial offices, according to Rovner. “We saw the potential here and stepped in and said, ‘Wait,’” he said. “We’re pretty thrilled to be able to step into a made and functioning casting facility.” 310 Casting Studios boasts eight air-conditioned casting suites, two of which are call-back studios with small production rooms attached. There’s also two conference rooms. In addition to the rental spaces, Terry Berland with Berland Casting and the Joseph Pearlman with Pearlman...
- 8/12/2014
- backstage.com
Hey horror fans – remember way back when Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli announced his second horror film would be another “found footage” thrill-ride called Area 51? Fanboys were ecstatic, haters laughed at another first-person horror idea, but the buzz was undeniable surrounding Peli, who single-handedly turned an entire sub-genre on its head – and demolished all competitors in his path.
But here we are, some four years after Paranormal Activity‘s release, and about six years after its production, and we still don’t have a release date for Oren Peli’s second film. In fact, we don’t have much of anything. The only thing we (supposedly) do know is that the film stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, and Ben Rovner, who play some teenage boys snooping around the fabled Nevada military complex known publicly as Area 51.
Since I had the opportunity this weekend to sit down with Blumhouse Productions showrunner Jason Blum,...
But here we are, some four years after Paranormal Activity‘s release, and about six years after its production, and we still don’t have a release date for Oren Peli’s second film. In fact, we don’t have much of anything. The only thing we (supposedly) do know is that the film stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, and Ben Rovner, who play some teenage boys snooping around the fabled Nevada military complex known publicly as Area 51.
Since I had the opportunity this weekend to sit down with Blumhouse Productions showrunner Jason Blum,...
- 8/19/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Back in October of 2009 Oren Peli, hot off the success of his Paranormal Activity, took to the Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert to uncover the secrets of Area 51. Starring Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg and Ben Rovner, the film employs the "found footage" narrative structure that Peli used in Pa to tell the story of three teens whose curiosity leads them to the notorious Area 51 portion of aforementioned Nellis Air Force Base. While we still await information on the film's release, a truly bizarre video was posted on YouTube featuring the first ever footage from the film. Bd reader 'DownNola1995' tipped us off to said video that depicts University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor of Film Studies Wheeler Winston Dixon as he talks about the recent trend of super-low budget movies. Shockingly enough, he somehow landed footage from Peli's Area 51, which can be viewed at the 1:30 mark.
- 12/7/2011
- bloody-disgusting.com
Paranormal Activity's Oren Peli's next big directing gig will be Area 51. Paramount wants some rewrites done on the film and actor/director Chris Denham (Shutter Island) is taking on the task.
They will shoot the additional footage soon and this is nothing for the fans to be worried about, it's getting all good buzz! The film stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg and Ben Rovner and once again follows the "found footage" style of filming that Peli has made popular with his films. I can't wait to see what Peli can do with the Area 51 story!
Plot:
Three teens whose curiosity leads them to the notorious Area 51 portion of Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. ...
- 4/9/2011
- by brians
- GeekTyrant
It's been a long time since we have heard anything about Oren (Paranormal Activity) Peli's next feature film, Area 51, but some new developments have come to light.
Director/actor Chris (Shutter Island) Denham has been hired by Paramount to do a couple of rewrites on the film, which will go back behind cameras to shoot some additional footage very soon. While we don't exactly know what is going to be added, we have been assured from sources close to the project that the film is coming along nicely and fans are going to love it.
Area 51 stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, and Ben Rovner.
The film employs the "found footage" narrative structure that Peli used in Paranormal Activity to tell the story of three teens whose curiosity leads them to the notorious Area 51 portion of Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. Of course all manner of shit-your-pants type spookiness ensues.
Director/actor Chris (Shutter Island) Denham has been hired by Paramount to do a couple of rewrites on the film, which will go back behind cameras to shoot some additional footage very soon. While we don't exactly know what is going to be added, we have been assured from sources close to the project that the film is coming along nicely and fans are going to love it.
Area 51 stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, and Ben Rovner.
The film employs the "found footage" narrative structure that Peli used in Paranormal Activity to tell the story of three teens whose curiosity leads them to the notorious Area 51 portion of Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. Of course all manner of shit-your-pants type spookiness ensues.
- 4/8/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Bloody Disgusting is being told that director/actor Chris Denham has been hired to do some rewrites on Area 51, Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli's sophomore effort that will also go back behind cameras to shoot some addition footage. The film, which stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, and Ben Rovner, employs the "found footage" narrative structure that Peli used in Paranormal Activity to tell the story of three teens whose curiosity leads them to the notorious Area 51 portion of Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. As we always like to remind readers, additional photography isn't always a negative. Many times it's to add more gore, an intense scene, or to just string together the story a bit more. Paramount also had Super 8 on their release schedule, so it seemed kind of odd to release two similar themed (yet completely polar opposite in budgetary costs) films in the same quarter.
- 4/8/2011
- bloody-disgusting.com
After such success with this last year, today comes the first in a multi-chapter look at the various cinematic releases hitting the U.S. in 2010.
Each 'Volume' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of around 25-30 films, and at present it's looking to run around nine volumes in length.
Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first official weekend of releases on January 8th.
13
Opens: 2010
Cast: Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent
Director: Géla Babluani
Summary: A remake of 2005 French thriller "13 (Tzameti)". A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
Analysis: Remakes are very common, the same director remaking his own film in English is rarer but still not unheard of ("Funny Games," "Bangkok Dangerous," "The...
Each 'Volume' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of around 25-30 films, and at present it's looking to run around nine volumes in length.
Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first official weekend of releases on January 8th.
13
Opens: 2010
Cast: Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent
Director: Géla Babluani
Summary: A remake of 2005 French thriller "13 (Tzameti)". A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
Analysis: Remakes are very common, the same director remaking his own film in English is rarer but still not unheard of ("Funny Games," "Bangkok Dangerous," "The...
- 12/15/2009
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
After such success with this last year, today comes the first in a multi-chapter look at the various cinematic releases hitting the U.S. in 2010.
Each 'Volume' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of around 25-30 films, and at present it's looking to run around nine volumes in length.
Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first official weekend of releases on January 8th.
13
Opens: 2010
Cast: Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent
Director: Géla Babluani
Summary: A remake of 2005 French thriller "13 (Tzameti)". A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
Analysis: Remakes are very common, the same director remaking his own film in English is rarer but still not unheard of ("Funny Games," "Bangkok Dangerous," "The...
Each 'Volume' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of around 25-30 films, and at present it's looking to run around nine volumes in length.
Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first official weekend of releases on January 8th.
13
Opens: 2010
Cast: Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent
Director: Géla Babluani
Summary: A remake of 2005 French thriller "13 (Tzameti)". A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
Analysis: Remakes are very common, the same director remaking his own film in English is rarer but still not unheard of ("Funny Games," "Bangkok Dangerous," "The...
- 12/15/2009
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
After such success with this last year, today comes the first in a multi-chapter look at the various cinematic releases hitting the U.S. in 2010.
Each 'Volume' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of around 25-30 films, and at present it's looking to run around nine volumes in length.
Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first official weekend of releases on January 8th.
13
Opens: 2010
Cast: Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent
Director: Géla Babluani
Summary: A remake of 2005 French thriller "13 (Tzameti)". A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
Analysis: Remakes are very common, the same director remaking his own film in English is rarer but still not unheard of ("Funny Games," "Bangkok Dangerous," "The...
Each 'Volume' contains brief descriptions and editorial opinion/analysis of around 25-30 films, and at present it's looking to run around nine volumes in length.
Expect the remaining ones to go up between now and the first official weekend of releases on January 8th.
13
Opens: 2010
Cast: Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, 50 Cent
Director: Géla Babluani
Summary: A remake of 2005 French thriller "13 (Tzameti)". A naive young man assumes a dead man's identity and finds himself embroiled in an underground world of power, violence, and chance where men gamble behind closed doors on the lives of other men.
Analysis: Remakes are very common, the same director remaking his own film in English is rarer but still not unheard of ("Funny Games," "Bangkok Dangerous," "The...
- 12/15/2009
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
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