07.15.2008
Oscilloscope Picture's to release Caroline Suh’s High School Election Film, FRONTRUNNERS
Documentary to open 3 weeks before Presidential elections at NYC’s Film Forum
New York, NY (July 8th, 2008) - Oscilloscope Pictures announced today the acquisition of worldwide rights to Caroline Suh’s FRONTRUNNERS, a smart and funny political documentary that follows the student council presidential campaign at one of the country’s most prestigious public high schools, Stuyvesant High School in New York City.
FRONTRUNNERS will open theatrically in New York at the Film Forum on October 15th followed by a national release ahead of the U.S. Presidential elections in November. Oscilloscope will release the dvd in the first quarter of 2009.
An entertaining and symbolic campaign film, put forth in classic verité style, FRONTRUNNERS follows four charming and idiosyncratic candidates as they navigate an electoral process that is said to be one of the most competitive at the high school level. These teenaged candidates face the same issues as candidates of any age, such as picking the ‘right’ running mate, shaking as many hands as possible, preparing for televised debates, impressing the pundits and journalistic community, addressing sensitive race-related issues, and mobilizing an apathetic voter base.
A microcosm of the U.S. Presidential elections, Caroline Suh's film shows politicking and pluralities through the lens of the adolescent experience.
Oscilloscope Pictures head, Adam Yauch, says: “Caroline did an amazing job of documenting the insanity of a political race, while capturing the endearing human quality of these quirky school candidates. I loved seeing the dynamics of a fully functioning political system within the microcosm of Stuyvesant High School. From when I first saw it at South By Southwest Film Festival I was taken by its RUSHMORE meets SPELLBOUND meets ELECTION quality.”
Caroline Suh, says "Erika (producer) and I are very excited to be working with O-scope. We love their approach to films and they have the same appreciation as we do for the intelligence and humor of the people in the film. I think we’re all curious to see if anyone in the film will be running the country in 30 years!"
The deal was negotiated by Karen Shatzkin, Caroline Suh and Erika Frankel for the film and David Fenkel for Oscilloscope Pictures.
05.20.2008
Oscilloscope Picture's Announces First Acquisition:
Irena Salina’s ‘FLOW’
A prescient documentary about the looming worldwide water shortage
New York, NY (May 20th, 2008) - Oscilloscope Pictures announced today the acquisition of North American rights of Irena Salina's FLOW, an incisive investigation into what experts label the most important environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis. The film had its world premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and will be released in the late summer followed by a DVD release in the winter.
FLOW filmmaker Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a world water cartel.
Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab.
But beyond identifying the problem, FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which will be used as blueprints for a successful environmental turnaround.
“This film is a wakeup call, and I’m glad for Oscilloscope to be involved in bringing it to a wider audience,” says Adam Yauch. “I was overwhelmed by the enormity of this crisis. The film stayed with me, and I still keep thinking back on it. It contains information that people need to know.”
FLOW marks the second feature for director Irena Salina (GHOSTBIRD) and was produced by Revver founder Steven Starr.
Producer Starr says: "In the post-Sundance deluge, Oscilloscope’s passion for how to distribute FLOW really stood out. Adam, David and their team truly get the future of film distribution: artist-centric, fearless, tech adept. We’re thrilled to be Oscilloscopes’ first partners.”
The deal was finalized during Cannes Film Festival by Josh Braun of Submarine and Steven Starr for the filmmakers and David Fenkel for Oscilloscope Pictures.
About Oscilloscope Laboratories:
Oscilloscope Laboratories a NYC -based recording studio, film production and distribution company, and post-production facility founded by Adam Yauch. Yauch’s film GUNNIN’ FOR THAT #1 SPOT will be released in theaters by O-scope on June 27th.
04.16.2008
STEREO MAN MAGAZINE has a 10 page spread in their April issue about Oscilloscope Laboratories' new screening room. the article is entitled "enough bass to shatter your one frozen testicle". We at Oscilloscope are not sure what they mean by that, and are a little uncomfortable with the implications. http://stereomanmagazine.com/
03.24.2008 Oscilloscope Pictures is ‘GUNNIN’ For Theaters
Oscilloscope Pictures is ‘GUNNIN’ For Theaters
Adam Yauch’s movie will open on June 27th, immediately following the NBA draft
Film stars NCAA All-Americans Michael Beasley and Kevin Love and Brooklyn’s own Lance Stephenson
New York, NY (March 19th, 2008) – Oscilloscope Pictures announced today that on June 27th of this year they will theatrically release their first feature film, Adam Yauch’s GUNNIN’ FOR THAT #1 SPOT, a look at eight of the nation’s top high school basketball players as they are groomed for the limelight. Blending this next generation of b-ball players with a mix of raw hip-hop, jazz and break beats, Yauch’s unique kinetic filmmaking style culminates in the documenting of the first annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic, a one-of-a-kind invitation-only High School All-Star game, which takes place at the world’s most famous playground, Harlem’s Rucker Park. Yauch was the only person to capture this historic event on film. GUNNIN’ marks the second feature for director (and Beastie Boy) Adam Yauch (Awesome; I F***ing Shot That!) and was produced by Adam Yauch and Jon Doran.
Five of the eight players featured in the movie (Michael Beasley-Kansas State, Kevin Love-UCLA, Kyle Singler-Duke, Donte Green-Syracuse, and Jerryd Bayless-University of Arizona) have since moved into the national spotlight playing for top NCAA basketball programs and are in the middle of March Madness. After the tournament these ‘freshman phenoms’ will make the crucial decision of whether to enter the NBA draft. The other three players, still in high school (Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, and Lance Stephenson) have fast become the top - and most dynamic - high school players in the nation. Yauch says: “It was great to get the chance to meet these kids and work with them at such a young age. I’m looking forward to seeing how their careers unfold. I think it will be interesting to look back at this film 10 years from now to compare where they were headed, who they were, with where they’re at then.”
“We are already getting such strong support from the sports community around the country that it makes this campaign a fun one to develop” says David Fenkel of Oscilloscope Pictures. “It’s truly an Adam Yauch film made with his unique style. It’s really about celebrating these young athletes lives, both on the court and off.”
GUNNIN’ will be released in the top 10 markets on opening weekend followed by a national release throughout July. The movie has been selected to present its world premiere at the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival at the end of April.
A simultaneous soundtrack release is pending.
For more information:
www.gunninmovie.com
ABOUT THE FILM
On the corner of 155th Street and Frederick Douglas Boulevard in Harlem lies Rucker Park. By appearances, the green concrete pavement, anchored on one side by its run down slab bleachers, is no different than any other basketball court in the city, but this is the place where nicknames are indelibly branded, and legends are born.
On September 1, 2006, the top 24 high school basketball players in the nation stepped out on this same court that once saw the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dr. J to compete in the first annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic. GUNNIN' FOR THAT #1 SPOT follows eight of these players as they showcase
their skills at the most legendary playground in the world - one that’s as intense an experience for NBA professionals as for budding young talent.
Directed by Adam Yauch (founding member of Beastie Boys and director of "Awesome;I F***ing Shot That!"), the film trails these players on the fast track to the NBA, as they are adored by fans, wooed by colleges and sneaker companies, and face fierce pressures while being groomed to be in the spotlight of a multi-million dollar game. Combining Yauch's unique directing style and the world’s most popular hip hop music, GUNNIN’ highlights these soon to be NBA All Stars as they wow the crowd with gravity-defying skills in a way never before seen on film.
Oscilloscope Pictures presents GUNNIN FOR THAT #1 SPOT, featuring Jerryd Bayless, Michael Beasley, Tyreke Evans, Donte Greene, Brandon Jennings, Kevin Love, Kyle Singler and Lance Stephenson.
01.30.2008 Oscilloscope Pictures
Adam Yauch announces Oscilloscope Pictures,
a new indie film distribution company
Former THINKFilm exec David Fenkel to run operations
New York, NY (January 30th 2007) – Beastie Boys member and filmmaker Adam Yauch has expanded his music and film production company, Oscilloscope Laboratories, with the addition of Oscilloscope Pictures, a full-service film distribution company. The new movie division will release independently produced English and foreign language films and documentaries into the U.S. theatrical marketplace, as well as handle international sales. In its first year, Oscilloscope will look to acquire completed films at festivals, and find projects in production, where the company can provide finishing funds.
Oscilloscope plans to take a DIY approach, using its recording studio and post-production facilities to handle all creative aspects of the theatrical, DVD, International and online marketing campaigns including the design and creation of posters, trailers, DVD packaging and authoring, and delivery. In addition, Oscilloscope will open up their facilities to support filmmakers in completing their films.
David Fenkel, who most recently spent 6 years working at THINKFilm in the domestic distribution and the international sales departments, worked on many of indie films’ recent critical and box office successes, including: the Academy Award-winner, BORN INTO BROTHELS, Academy Award nominees HALF NELSON and SPELLBOUND, and Yauch’s AWESOME; I… SHOT THAT!. Reporting directly to Yauch, Fenkel will oversee acquisitions, domestic distribution and international sales while also expanding Oscilloscope’s staff.
Yauch says “I grew up around indie record labels, where a handful of people would put their heads together and figure out what needed to be done to put out a record. The approach of this company is very much in the same vein, but we’ll apply that ethic to producing and releasing films. I want Oscilloscope Pictures to be a home for innovative films and filmmakers. We can offer them a place to finish their films and a way to release them.”
Former THINKFilm VP Fenkel says “We want to work with established and emerging distribution partners to make sure our films are distributed with the same artistic energy and smarts with which they were made. My time at THINK showed me how to release films with the right balance of a strategic publicity campaign and an aggressive grassroots campaign, while always investing wisely in both traditional and untraditional advertising. I am excited to mesh the different aspects of what Adam and I do to help launch this new breed of film label.”
Oscilloscope Pictures plan on launching their first theatrical film in the first half of this year. So check your local listings for theaters and showtimes.