Category Archives: Arthur Hooker

Art Hooker Launches Eventive Media

The prolific artist and biz-whiz Art Hooker posted his first feature documentary – Finding Passion – trailer on his new multimedia site — Event Media. Finding Passion is about the “creativity and passion that spans the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East”. I worked with Art Hooker on Borland and he’s the real deal, you can read more about Art’s upcoming projects @ EventiveMedia.com.

You can contact Mr. Hooker @ Eventive Media. And on a side note, NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit‘s 10th-season finale airs tonight – Zebras – about a murdered tourist in Central Park with guest stars Nick Stahl and Carol Kane.
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Stalking Producer Arthur Hooker

We had tickets to watch a block of shorts featuring Producer Arthur Hooker’s directorial short film debut at Action On Film Festival in Pasadena, California, and we couldn’t make the screening – Duoh! But we stalked Arthur after his screening and he indulged us, answering some questions:

On his short film – Stalker’s Dating Guide – screening tonight @ Action On Film Festival: Stalker’s Dating Guide was a really fun piece to direct. It’s a story about Stacey Wolfe played by actress Joanie Bannister, who finds herself “Creatively Observing” men whom she is interested in. The story becomes really interesting as she is tricked by her best friend Wendall (Andrew Sensenig) into attending a Stalker’s Anonymous meeting.

On Stalker’s nominations @ Action On Film Festival: We won 2 out of the three awards we were nominated for. Joanie Bannister (also nominated for best actress) won the award for Best Produced Screenplay. The writing team comprised of Joanie Bannister, James Arnette and Myself won the award for best comedy short screenplay.

On transitioning from being a feature film producer to directing: The transition was good. I think that this project was a great way to implement a lot of what I learned from producing Borland as well as utilizing my extensive back ground with actors in theater. I had a great group of folks to work with, Cinematographer David Pinkston, Producer Joanie Bannister and a wonderful cast of actors and crew.

On his upcoming projects: Currently I’m shooting a film called Waking up that stars Sean Brison (From Mel House’s Walking Distance and Stalker’s Dating Guide) and Brandi Price (from Ken Farmer’s Rockabilly Baby). The film is about Mikal (Brison) a clairvoyant dreamer who awakes to realize that he will die if he does not figure out how to alter his current day’s events. Cate (Price) is Mikal’s ex-girl friend that turns out to be more important to his well being than he ever imagined. The project will finish prinicipal production in mid august and will premeire by the years end.

I am in phase two of shooting my feature documentary called “Finding Passion” an international study of creativity and passion that spans the countries of India, United Kingdom , Mexico, Spain and U.S. It will be released fall ’09.

Finally, I’m working on the film adaptation of a stage play I produced called “Love Crazy People”. Principal photography is set to begin Fall ’09.

On how young producers can contact him for advice: I can be reached at info@newmetrofilms.com

Borland – Feature Film

Borland is a feature film about a multi-character examination set against an annual parade in an industrial Texas town where anything can happen today, setting up what can happen tomorrow. Focusing on the divergent lives of two (best) friends in a twenty-four hour period, Borland chronicles the innocent curiosities of children, the delicate emotional roller coaster of young adults, the practical and emotional intricacies of married life, the emptiness of being lonely, and the harsh reality of sudden loss.

In one day, lives can change. The town of Borland, Texas is one of America’s hybrid industrial towns, experiencing economic hardship due to the loss of jobs that have defined what Borland is about. One early autumn day, the lives of some of the inhabitants of this small American town are changed. The Stakes family is a middle-income family suffering the effects of Borland’s economic hardship. Robert and Felicia Stakes own their own printing shop, but are forced to shut down their business. The situation is further complicated by Felicia’s torn heart between the man she married and the man she loves, a carpenter by the name of James. The evolution of their relationship is further compromised by James’ sudden plan to relocate his business. His desire to take Felicia with him places her in a precarious decision to either continue the unhappy life she’s been enduring or take a chance at happiness with the man she truly wants to be with. Jacob and Nathan are the sons of Robert and Felicia. Nathan is the younger son, whose day illness imprisons him to the house, so he watches curiously from the window the events that transpire outside. Jacob is a college student ready to return to the university. His life is dictated by his relationships with his best friend and the girl he has developed feelings for. The direction of his life depends on the evolution of these two relationships.

The Collins family is one of the more stable families in Borland. Rebecca and Evan Collins own their own cleaning business but have not been affected by the economic hardship of Borland. Their wealth affords them to chair Borland’s annual parade. Plans are unexpectedly changed, however, when Rebecca’s sister, Patricia, loses her young son Koston while walking the streets of town. The search for Koston unites them, but in the process, another tragedy that has befallen one of their children is discovered. Squito Collins is the son of Rebecca and Evan. His state of being rests on the amount of dank (cigarettes with formaldehyde solution) he smokes and on the feeling that his life is adrift. His parents, college and his relationship with a local girl haven’t provided him with what he’s looking for. It’s only with his best friend, Jacob, does he feel some purpose. But that all changes when they both develop feelings for the same girl. The other townspeople of Borland include Alexandra, the employee of the Stakes’ printing shop. She is an old maid in-the-making, whose only reason for life is to take care of her ailing father. Brianna Richards is the all-American girl who becomes intertwined between the emotions of two best friends, Squito and Jacob. Her friend Sarah wants love and thought she found it with Squito, but circumstances prevent them from being together. Borland reflects what life can hold on any given day for anybody living in any American town.