As many of you know, I recently drove across the country to Los Angeles
interviewing people for my documentary about the impact of the film
"Matewan." This has been a tremendous project to be a part of and
something that I will treasure, if the only impact my film has is on the
people I have met along the way.

However, this project cannot continue without the generous
contributions from some of you. While major documentaries have budgets
in excess of a million dollars, I have been able to travel and continue
working thanks to the handful of modest donations I have received, along
with personal debt and credit cards. I have reached the point where I am
in need of further support to continue this project.

If you are able, I would greatly appreciate your contribution toward
this project. Please think of this as another worthwhile present during
the holiday season, or if you'd like, a worthwhile tax deduction.

The Independent Film Project has supported this documentary in several
ways, including allowing me to accept donations through their
non-profit status. Directions on how to make a donation are below. I
appreciate anything you can do to help today and everything you've done
to support me in the past.

Thank you and happy holidays,

Jason Brown
http://www.pewterproductions.com/

--- "Milton Tabbot (IFP)" ---

Happy Holidays!

Because the end of the calendar year is a time of increased levels of
giving by individuals, IFP has decided to devise an interim on-line
solution for those of you who wish to bring in quick end-of-year
donations for your projects.

It works like this:
- Donors should go to IFP's page on JustGive.org:
http://www.justgive.org/giving/donate.jsp?charityId=24543

- Donors enter their contribution amount and should MAKE SURE that all
check-off boxes are checked for "give the charity my name, e-mail, and
mailing address."

- Donor MUST enter your project title (THEM THAT WORK)and your name
(JASON BROWN) in the space designated for "designate my donation."
[This is NOT optional, even though it says that it is. We must know to
whom to allocate the donation.]

- Donor then checks "add to basket" and proceeds to check-out. If this
is your donor's first contribution via JustGive.org, they will need to
fill out a name and address profile just prior to checkout. At checkout
they will enter their credit card info and confirm their contribution.

- Your donor will receive an immediate e-mail receipt from
JustGive.org. They will also eventually receive a contribution
acknowledgement from IFP via snail mail.

- If you lose the direct link above, please contact me so we can make
sure your project receives it's expected donations.

Quick photos from 'Them That Work' shoot

Here are some quick photos from my trip to LA where I was able to interview Haskel Wexler for my documentary. My friend Nicole Phillips helped shoot the interview and Emily Heyer shot these photos.

jason

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Jason Brown & Haskel Wexler


Haskel Wexler & Jason Brown


Nicole Phillips, Haskel Wexler & Jason Brown

Digging through the past

Today was a day I've long been waiting for. I drove up to Topanga Canyon to meet Amy Marshak, who's late husband Bob was the set photographer for 'Matewan.' I had long been told be PA's and Extras that Bob had taken hundreds of photos that no one had ever seen. I was sure that someone had seen them, just not the people standing third from the left with no lines.

Amy set me up in a beautiful room in her lovely home to start looking through the dozen boxes of slides and photos Bob has taken over his career. Along with being a friend to John Sayles and his film, Bob was a prolific photographer in Hollywood and on Broadway. So, as I'm digging away hoping for the Holy Grail of photographs, I keep running across these beautiful portraits of Heather Locklear or Dick Cavett, or an Allison Janey headshot from years ago. Bob left behind these stunning photographs that captured moments in time that won't soon be forgotten.

I left there with one twelfth of the photos - not all for me. The blessing that I found in these pictures will definitely make my project infinitely better. I hope in the process I made a friend of Amy and her dog, Pearl. I certainly grew a deep appreciation for the work of Bob Marshak.

j.brown

The Dead Girl and other Hollywood joys

My time here in LA is going well. Spent the morning interviewing Haskel Wexler - what an incredible person! Spent the evening with a friend from Grad School - Dan Aznavorian. Dan's a good guy. Dan's a methodical guy. Tomorrow - Peggy Rajski. It's a full week of work.

However, one of the great joys of coming to LA is always the free movies. Last trip, I staked out the Burbank movie plex to get a free pass to some movie being test screened. This trip I just waited for free movie passes to show up in my inbox from 'Creative Screenwriting' magazine.

Ding goes the e-mail, and boom, we went to see "The Dead Girl" from Karen Moncrief, director of "Blue Car." Interesting movie. It's one of those multiple vignette movies, which I like the idea of but am not always fond of. The guy beside me was writing something - I'm hoping a term paper. At the end he says, "What's the point of all these vignette movies anyways?" After I gave the nod of agreement, I realized he was actually asking a question. "I think it's to make the theme like a blunt instrument." If you see that in a review, that's mine.

If that was the case, I missed the point. Mrs. Moncrief, who was in attendance, said the movie was about the community of violent crimes. Well, yeah, now that you explain it to me.

It was a very nice movie with some good stories and weaker stories. I doubt it's going to take off because of the somber tone, but it's definitely worth watching once. The performances were very rich. Even from Brittany Murphy who I keep forgetting can act because she's had such poor choices in material lately. Ditto for James Franco, who was in easily the best portion of the film with Rose Byrne.

Next free movie - Little Children. Let's see if I need the Q&A to figure this one out.

j.brown

Half way around the world?

I'm sitting in my friend's place in Chandler, AZ realizing that so many good things are in front of me today. Not just literally in this apartment, but this week's interviews and the final outcome of this project.

I started making this documentary two years ago after I made a similar trip to LA to visit a friend of mine. She was shooting music videos and cutting trailers - and she was making her life happen. That was what I wanted, and it was what I saw in this project.

Twenty years ago, "Matewan" was shot in Thurmond, WV. That says a lot. But what says even more are the lives of people touched by the film. People seeing a life lived can somehow find a way to live their own lives. It's powerful stuff to me. I hope that other people appreciate this as much as I do.

Thank you for checking in to my blog and supporting me on this journey.

jason brown