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<TD id=yiv1952322900drftMsgContent style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR><BR>FROM: Nick Koesters <A href="http://us.mc333.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=nickkoesters@yahoo.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow>nickkoesters@yahoo.com</A><BR><BR>FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jay Johnson <A href="http://us.mc333.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=shootfilmordie@yahoo.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow><SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_0>shootfilmordie@yahoo.com</SPAN></A> <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_1><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_0 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #366388 2px dotted">440.263.5396</SPAN></SPAN><BR><BR><BR><SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_2><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_1
style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #366388 2px dotted">Cleveland writer/director Jay Johnson</SPAN></SPAN> hopes residents of Cleveland will help him bring a local story to the big screen.<BR><BR>His dark and minimalist short film "The Handyman" portrays a <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_3><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_2>lonely man</SPAN></SPAN> living in a big old house calmly dealing with the dead bodies of his victims. It's inspired by the story of serial killer Anthony Sowell. <BR><BR>"My goal is not to exploit the situation, but explore it. I want to understand how this man operated for so long right in the middle of the busy <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_4><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_3>inner city neighborhood</SPAN></SPAN>." <BR><BR>Jay hopes to expand "The Handyman" into a feature. He entered
it in a contest on a filmmaking website chaired by <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_5><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_4 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #366388 2px dotted">James Caan</SPAN></SPAN> called <A href="http://openfilm.com/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_6>openfilm.com</SPAN></A>. The contest called "The 2nd Get it Made Competition" will award a $500,000 production contract to the winner. The judging is based on viewership of the 115 shorts in the competition during January and a panel of 10 judges.<BR><BR>"All people need to do is watch and vote to support local filmmaking. <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_7><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_5>Cleveland</SPAN></SPAN> has a great climate for indie filmmaking."<BR><BR>This would be Akron native Jay Johnson's second feature shot in
Northeast Ohio. His first, "Will For Food," was an official selection of the <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_8><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_6 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #366388 2px dotted">Cleveland International Film Festival</SPAN></SPAN> and won Best Feature at the Los Angeles DV Film Festival. It was also featured in DV Magazine, along with The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_9><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_7 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #366388 2px dotted">Akron Beacon Journal</SPAN></SPAN>. <BR><BR>In a haunting performance, David LeMoyne, a resident of Medina but raised in Cleveland, portrays "The Handyman." David was also the lead in Jay's first feature. <BR><BR>Jay's short film "The Handyman" has received a positive response from local filmmakers and other viewers. After
ten shorts are chosen at the end of January, the <A href="http://openfilm.com/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_8>openfilm.com</SPAN></A> <SPAN class=yiv579783268yshortcuts id=yiv579783268lw_1294759692_10><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_9>panel of judges</SPAN></SPAN> will choose the winner. <BR><BR>In the past, several Cleveland based stories have been shot in other cities such as Detroit and <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1294763194_10>Milwaukee</SPAN>. Jay plans to keep his production here. <BR><BR>"Let Clevelanders tell stories about themselves. There are many talented people here in Cleveland that are ready to work."<BR><BR>How to vote:<BR>- Go to: <A href="http://openfilm.com/" target=_blank rel=nofollow>openfilm.com</A>. <BR>- Join (An email address is all that's required)<BR>- Confirm email address. (Don't forget to check your spam folder)<BR>- Go back to: <A
href="http://openfilm.com/" target=_blank rel=nofollow>openfilm.com</A> <BR>- Go to the CONTEST called: "2nd GET IT MADE COMPETITION"<BR>- Look for: "The Handyman." There are only 115 films in the competition.<BR>(Warning: If this film were rated, it would be "R")<BR>- Watch it, enjoy it, please give it 5 STARS! <BR>- Voting ends January 31st. <BR></td></tr></table><br>