Tag: original music

Johnny Rocket to screen in Chicago Film Festival

Johnny Rocket in Garage Space has been selected for the 2009 Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival which takes place September 10th through the 13th.

Chicago International REEL Shorts Fest posterThe Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival seeks to provide opportunity for filmmakers from around the world to showcase their work in the Chicagoland area. We at Rocket 88 Studios are proud and honored that our little promo film has been chosen to be part of the 2009 schedule.

We have just been notified of our inclusion into the festival, though the schedule has not yet been announced. Anyone in Chicago, or planning to be in Chicago during that weekend, please make tentative plans to come see our film and help support independent film making.

Johnny Rocket in Garage Space is a short (2:45) High Definition promo film that was conceived, written and directed by Jeff Gatesman, and produced by Judith Gatesman, with cinematography by Pedja Radenkovic and original musical score by Keith Waggoner and Josh Caldwell.

The film, which is a multi-media project incorporating High Definition live action video, 3-D modeling and animation and stop-motion photography, tells the story of a young boy playing in his father’s garage and using his own imagination to transport himself into other worlds; worlds where he is an adventurer, fireman, strongest man in the world, and finally, in a spaceship made entirely of artifacts from his garage, a space explorer. The film was shot on location in Santa Barbara with all the post production, modeling and animation being done at Rocket 88 Studios in Culver City, CA.

The film stars Alexander Scholz as Johnny Rocket and Sam Whitehead as his father.

Johnny Rocket in his spaceship
Johnny in his rocket

Though we don’t know the screening schedule yet, I can tell you for certain that the festival kicks off on Thursday, Sept 10th with a preview and party at Original Mother’s at 26 W Division St. at 8pm. We will be there, so please come celebrate with us.

Our film will screen at the Film Row Cinema at Columbia College which is at 1104 S. Wabash.

Schedule information will be posted as soon as it is released.

Johnny Rocket gets new soundtrack, titles

Today I received a new soundtrack and mix for the film Johnny Rocket in Garage Space and I am thrilled with it. My original concept was to use an old song called Rocket 88, but was never able to obtain the rights to the song, so I contacted the talented composer Keith Waggoner of Grey Coals Music For Film. Keith and his partner Josh Caldwell created a soundtrack that compliments the video perfectly.

I think it is exciting to work with musicians because it helps me to be a better storyteller by trying to communicate with an artist who works in another medium. It is easy for me to communicate visually, but I recognize that sometimes when a person works in a sonic medium, the ideas don’t always translate. Working with Keith was effortless and I think the soundtrack matches the aesthetic of the film nicely.