Notes From Our September 8th Show

The Iron Mule returned to Symphony Space for a night of great shorts. We began with a film about love... Italian style. "L'Appuntamento" by co-writer/director/star Gianpiero Alicchio shows the intricacies and duplicity of dating complete with overpriced vegan dinners and unforeseen second dates.

Next we showed a few films from LA-based sketch comedy troop, Kill Bosby. Check them out HERE.

Our audience award went to Kevin Maher & William Scurry's film, "King Kong Deleted Scenes." Scurry was in attendance for a QnA and to show off his sweet bow tie. Watch this long-lost conversation from the voyage back from Skull Island HERE.

The judges' award went to "Garden of Steven" from Chris Keener and Robert Shore.  Producer Nick Fitzhugh joined us for a QnA. Check out the trailer for this excellent, Guatemala-set film about a hapless missionary and his encounter with the saint of sinners and drunks, Maximon HERE.

Once again, we closed the night with our Wanna Be a Star? film, a series of films that pairs one or more lucky audience members with a director and an audience-submitted title to create something that will be screened at the following month's show. This month it was "Chartreuse Pantograph" directed by Iron Mule producer, Ryan Decker. The audience members participated in a fake audition for a terrible space opera about an inter-sex alien parasite who is trying to reunite the galaxy after a universe-wide war. The audience members included Kate Britton, Zak Kaplan, Garrett Johnston and Tim Hoobler.

Head to Symphony Space on Sunday October 6th for the next installment in the series, "Chop House" directed by the Iron Mule's co-founder Victor Varnado, a Halloween-themed lineup of films, and a very  special guest judge!

Check out our site for more details and we will see you at the next Iron Mule!

Notes from our August 4th Show.

The Iron Mule returned with guest judge, comedian Liam McEneaney, and a host of great comedies from around the world.

We started out with  ABOGADO AVOCADO from Austin, TX, an absurdly funny commercial for the tastiest law firm this side of the border. Directed by David Ward.

From Larry Ziegelman we showed LITTLE MAN OF STEEL, a great film about the difficulties of dating Superman. 

Who says Germans aren't funny? Other than Mark Twain and a host of other people? RETTE SICH WER KANN (Save Yourself) dispels all the rumors in this excellent film about a couple of hapless EMTs who can't seem to save a life without getting a speeding ticket, slapping an old lady or flipping their ambulance. Directed by Daniel Seideneder.

Our audience award went to COMPULSIVE LOVE, a great web series about a psychotic-romantic who can't help falling in love. Written by Adam Szymkowicz, directed by Kevan Tucker.

From comedian and host of the Brooklyn-based web talk show Late Night Basement, Chris Rose, we showed GUY FIERI'S RESTAURANT MOVES TO WILLIAMSBURG, a man-on-the-street video that asks hipsters their view on "factory farm-to-table cuisine."

CEDRIC AND HOPE, a medieval claymation from Australia about a peasant boy who tries to prove his mettle as a Crusader, took home our judge's award. Directed by Pierce Davison.

We closed the night with our Wanna Be A Star? film by local filmmaker and comedian Jeff Seal. Audience member Shlomo Gewirtz offers Jeff a little advice on the fairer sex in this very funny short.

 All photos by Tom Henning.

Notes From Our July 7, 2013 Screening

MOVIN ON UP!

The Iron Mule just had its first show at Symphony Space, and how sweet it was. We had a great turnout and showed some damn-good films.

We even had a famous documentarian as our guest judge; Phillip Shane (BEING ELMO, and the upcoming DANCING IN JAFFA). 

We kicked off the evening with HICCUP by Derville Quigley which was a surreal piece about the things that lie within and outside of our control... And bouncy castles, of course.
Then from Byron Brown and the guys at HUMORDY we showed MY COOLEST FRIEND. There's a lot of fun to be had when you combine a porche, an electric dog collar and John Merriman in a wig.

From Tim Blackburn and Lyndal Moody we showed MONOBROW, a hilarious short about a girl who's met the perfect guy, except.... He has a giant unibrow. Follow the link to see, it's Iron Mule approved after taking home our Audience Award!

Next we screened the first installment of the upcoming webseries, MAN WITH A VAN, a series about the misadventures of movers in New York. It's funny AND it's written and directed by one of Iron Mule's producers and local man with a van, Ryan Decker.

From Mitch Rouse we showed MERKIN PENAL, a prison comedy with more rape jokes than you could shake a shank at.

Jeff Seal came by to share a drunken conversation he'd recently had with his drunken 15 year old self called... A (DRUNKEN) CONVERSATION WITH MY 15 YEAR OLD SELF.

Then from Periods Films we saw BIG CITY, BRIGHT LIGHTS which was a great, five minute, first-person POV version of the novel/Michael J Fox movie.

Our Judges Award went to I'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT by Andrew Parkhill, which featured a beleaguered pub singer and the deranged old man who just wouldn't let him finish his set.

We then ended our night with our monthly WANNA BE A STAR? movie which pairs one lucky audience member with an Iron Mule filmmaker to make a short to screen at the following month's show. This time around it was GRANDPA'S CANDY written & directed by Iron Mule hosts Jay Stern and Victor Varnado and starring audience member Brad Brownson. Check it out!

We will be back at Symphony Space on August 4th for the next installment of the Iron Mule. See you there!

Acclaimed Director, Editor, and Producer Phillip Shane to Guest Judge July 7 Iron Mule

We wanted to kick off our first show at Symphony Space with a bang, so we booked a high-caliber guest judge: old friend of the Iron Mule, Phillip Shane. Here's some info about Phillip.

Philip Shane is an award winning documentary producer, director and editor with over 25 years experience. Some of his most recent films include DANCING IN JAFFA (Editor; 2013 TriBeCa Film Festival World Premiere, and Winner of the Best Editor award at the DocAviv Festival in Israel), BEING ELMO (Co-Director, 2010 Sundance Film Festival World Premiere & Winner of the Special Jury Prize for Documentary), and the acclaimed biography EINSTEIN (Producer/Director, 2008, History Channel).

For more than ten years he was an editor with ABC News on many distinguished documentaries, including TIP OF THE SPEAR (2004, DuPont Columbia Award for Distinguished Broadcasting) and MARTIN LUTHER KING (2000, Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Program). A short film he made with Peter Jennings and Senior Producer Richard Gerdau, WITNESS TO HISTORY, which explored Jenning's personal memories of 9/11, was entered into the permanent collection of American History at the Smithsonian Institution.

But, holy moly, documentaries can be depressing, so he also loves comedy. As a student, performer and director at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater for over 12 years, he was a founding member of the pioneering LECHE MAGICA short comedy film festival, and he and Rob Huebel (of "Human Giant") created, directed and starred in FILET O' FILM, a short film & live comedy show which ran for many years at the UCB Theaters in New York and Los Angeles. He has made many short comedy films (which you can find on YouTube and Funny Or Die if you look hard enough) which are all pretty funny, and just a little bit sad… but mostly funny. 

Notes from our June, 2013 screening

On Sunday we had our final show at 92YTriBeCa. It was a fond farewell featuring some great films and it was even hosted the now former film programmer 92Y TriBeCa,  our friend Cristina Cacioppo.
We kicked the night off with Cristina's Wanna Be A Star film, SLEDGE, an old favorite of the Mule's.

Victor & Cristina Cacioppo. Photo by Thomas Henning

We then showed BREAKFAST SURPRISE by Chris Capel, a bloody/ puke-filled film about  breakfast and Jenga. There were as many screams in the audience as there were laughs.


That was followed by another installment in the J. CREW CREW series about the adventures of models and friends. Writer/ Director Meghan O'Neill  came to talk about this and other pieces based on magazines lying around her apartment.

Meghan O'Neill. Photo by Thomas Henning

                                                                 
A rare, midwestern appearance was made by Zach Yokum's SPRING FORWARD. A very punctual father rushes to get his family to church on time after daylight savings, and all in one Steadicam shot! Next up was another episode of SERIOUS BUSINESS (we also screened one at our May show) from Ballard Boyd.

                                                       Victor and Jay. Photo by Thomas Henning

We then showed a couple of man-on-the-street videos from Kevin Maher, WHO'S MORE RACIST? COMIC CON EDITION and 2+2=5. Hilarity and ill-informed judgements ensue.

Victor and Jay with Kevin Maher. Photo by Thomas Henning

From french filmmakers, Laurence Arcadias and Juliette Marchand, came  a fantastic stop-animation video about a couple trying to rekindle their lackluster love life called TEMPEST IN A BEDROOM. It took home BOTH our Audience's and Judges' Awards. Co-director, Laurence Arcadia was in attendance to accept.

Laurence Arcadia with Victor and Jay.

Next we screened DINNER WITH HOLLY from Joel Crockett and Daniel Sinclair, a great film about a young couple who invite their more adventurous friend, Holly, over for dinner and a chance to spice up their sex life.

Our Wanna Be A Star video this month, NEVERMIND, was written and directed by host Victor Varnado and starred audience member Sharon Alkalay.

Before the lights came up one last time for us at 92YTriBeca, we had a cerimonial handing off of the official hard drive from Cristina to Aishah at our new home, Symphony Space.

Cristina hands the ceremonial Iron Mule hard drive to Aishah from Symphony Space. Photo by Thomas Henning

Join us July 7th for the next Iron Mule!

Our May show kicked off with a brief chat with our guest judge, screenwriter and producer George Strayton (credits include XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS).  We then showed Joe Lipari's DREAM JOB,  a film about a down-on-his-luck filmmaker who gets the chance of a lifetime, to shoot a film for who he thinks is George Lucas. The film also features a cameo from the Iron Mule's Victor Varnado as none other than "Mr. Lucas."

We then screened an episode of Meghan O'Neil's  J. CREW CREW, a web series about models... who are friends... and go on adventures... and wear J. Crew. It's great, and not just coz we said so; it took home our audience's choice award! Check it out HERE.

Next up was a very informative video from David Ward called HOW TO TIE A DOUBLE WINDSOR ON CRACK. Need we say more? Then a great, silent comedy from Ben Model and Jeff Seal,  IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN. This was Ben and Jeff's second time at the Iron Mule, we screened another silent film from them a few months back, A DAY'S MESSING.

From Steve Collins we saw MARKELSON'S SYNDROME, a story of new love, a rare disease and goulash.

The Judges award went to POCKETS by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, a hilarious short about a robbery that goes horribly wrong and involves lots and lots of pockets.

Next we screened an episode of SERIOUS BUSINESS by Ballard Boyd, and had a QnA with the series' co-writer and star, Rob Asaro.

And finally we closed with our Wanna Be A Star? film (a monthly series that pairs one lucky audience member with one of the festival's filmmakers to make a short). This month's film was a great comedy about a puppet sub-letter who loves to party named SASSAFRAS BEANBAG, directed by Ryan Arey and starring audience member Chiara Zaccheo.

As programming is winding-down at 92Y TriBeCa, this was our second to last show at this venue. For our final show at the space, our announcement of our new home, and a new episode of J. CREW CREW, come on down to 92Y TriBeCa (200 Hudson St.) on June 1st for the next Iron Mule!


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Guest Judge George Strayton to join us at the May 4th show!

George Strayton has written and produced both television and film, including Sam Raimi's Xena: Warrior Princess, Dragonlance starring Kiefer Sutherland for Paramount Pictures, and Transformers 1 & 2.  He recently optioned the screenplay Xombie to K/O Paper Products (writer/producers of Star Trek Into Darkness, The Proposal, Fringe, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, etc.)  He earned an MFA in Film from Columbia University and has lectured at various film festivals, the Columbia Film Program, and the 92Y.