'Summer Nuts' Premieres Monday In Warsaw
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
"Summer Nuts" was shot in Warsaw and Wabash in fall 2005. Some of the locations used included the City County Athletic Complex, Spikes and The Honeywell Center.
The premiere will be at the CCAC, 3215 W. Old 30, Warsaw, at 9 p.m. Monday. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to fund further screenings. Seating is festival style, so audiences should bring their lawn chairs and blankets. In case of rain, the premiere will be cancelled and rescheduled for a later showing.[[In-content Ad]]"I'm kind of excited about doing (the premiere) where we filmed so many of the scenes," said Mickey Fisher.
Fisher wrote, directed and co-produced "Summer Nuts."
"The movie is about a group of actors from a small town summer stock theater troop," said Fisher in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. The theater falls on hard times and the troop comes up with various ways to raise money for the theater. They decide to form a softball team to play in a local men's league. "They're the worst group of athletes ever assembled," said Fisher. Through the season, the men struggle to win even one game and to overcome their various differences.
"There is a little bit of everything for everyone," Fisher said, whether one likes theater or sports.
The movie, he promised, will have audiences laughing. "It's a comedy, it's sort of a documentary-style comedy."
In the movie is a pretty big cast, with a core cast of about 12 actors. With other softball teams in the movie, and extras, the final cast tally numbers about 40, Fisher said.
The movie was filmed in 10 days, but more than 30 hours of footage was shot with lots of improvisation. Post-production took a year. After initial post-production, there were test screenings, more cuts, test screenings and more cuts. Fisher said they have it down to the final cut.
"I love it," he said. "I've seen it so many times, I'm sick of seeing it, but I love watching it with an audience." He said he knows right where audiences will laugh and enjoys the process of filmmaking. "I've seen every frame of it 100 times."
Besides being filmed in Warsaw, and including cast members from Warsaw, it also was co-produced by Warsawans Scott Puckett and Tony Teel, as well as Jonathan Clark. Teel also co-edited the movie and handled its special effects.
Local actors aren't the only ones in the movie. Cast members have appeared on Broadway, the Chicago stage and the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Actor Matt Bogart has appeared in about five Broadway shows, Fisher said. Steve Colella's face will be familiar to Wagon Wheel theatergoers as he appeared in "Superman" during the 2005 season.
One actor who had to be cut out of the film, unfortunately, Fisher said, was Wagon Wheel favorite Rod Thomas. His acting was great, Fisher said, but the role didn't fit into the film. Thomas's scene may later be posted online, or saved for the DVD's special features. Fisher said they hope to have the movie out on DVD by year's end.
The next step for the film is distribution. Fisher said they are working on getting distribution deals for the PG-13 film. The film was sent to the Cannes Film Festival, and an international distribution deal also is being sought.
"Hopefully," Fisher said, "we'll get all that nailed down in the next three months."
For Monday's premiere, Fisher said he will be in attendance as well as some of the cast members and a few of the producers. Some fun stuff, such as giveaways, might occur.
"Thanks to anyone who opened their doors up to us and helped us out," said Fisher. During making of the film, he said they received much support from the city of Warsaw and its residents.
On the Net:
www.summernutsmovie.com
"Summer Nuts" was shot in Warsaw and Wabash in fall 2005. Some of the locations used included the City County Athletic Complex, Spikes and The Honeywell Center.
The premiere will be at the CCAC, 3215 W. Old 30, Warsaw, at 9 p.m. Monday. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to fund further screenings. Seating is festival style, so audiences should bring their lawn chairs and blankets. In case of rain, the premiere will be cancelled and rescheduled for a later showing.[[In-content Ad]]"I'm kind of excited about doing (the premiere) where we filmed so many of the scenes," said Mickey Fisher.
Fisher wrote, directed and co-produced "Summer Nuts."
"The movie is about a group of actors from a small town summer stock theater troop," said Fisher in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. The theater falls on hard times and the troop comes up with various ways to raise money for the theater. They decide to form a softball team to play in a local men's league. "They're the worst group of athletes ever assembled," said Fisher. Through the season, the men struggle to win even one game and to overcome their various differences.
"There is a little bit of everything for everyone," Fisher said, whether one likes theater or sports.
The movie, he promised, will have audiences laughing. "It's a comedy, it's sort of a documentary-style comedy."
In the movie is a pretty big cast, with a core cast of about 12 actors. With other softball teams in the movie, and extras, the final cast tally numbers about 40, Fisher said.
The movie was filmed in 10 days, but more than 30 hours of footage was shot with lots of improvisation. Post-production took a year. After initial post-production, there were test screenings, more cuts, test screenings and more cuts. Fisher said they have it down to the final cut.
"I love it," he said. "I've seen it so many times, I'm sick of seeing it, but I love watching it with an audience." He said he knows right where audiences will laugh and enjoys the process of filmmaking. "I've seen every frame of it 100 times."
Besides being filmed in Warsaw, and including cast members from Warsaw, it also was co-produced by Warsawans Scott Puckett and Tony Teel, as well as Jonathan Clark. Teel also co-edited the movie and handled its special effects.
Local actors aren't the only ones in the movie. Cast members have appeared on Broadway, the Chicago stage and the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Actor Matt Bogart has appeared in about five Broadway shows, Fisher said. Steve Colella's face will be familiar to Wagon Wheel theatergoers as he appeared in "Superman" during the 2005 season.
One actor who had to be cut out of the film, unfortunately, Fisher said, was Wagon Wheel favorite Rod Thomas. His acting was great, Fisher said, but the role didn't fit into the film. Thomas's scene may later be posted online, or saved for the DVD's special features. Fisher said they hope to have the movie out on DVD by year's end.
The next step for the film is distribution. Fisher said they are working on getting distribution deals for the PG-13 film. The film was sent to the Cannes Film Festival, and an international distribution deal also is being sought.
"Hopefully," Fisher said, "we'll get all that nailed down in the next three months."
For Monday's premiere, Fisher said he will be in attendance as well as some of the cast members and a few of the producers. Some fun stuff, such as giveaways, might occur.
"Thanks to anyone who opened their doors up to us and helped us out," said Fisher. During making of the film, he said they received much support from the city of Warsaw and its residents.
On the Net:
www.summernutsmovie.com
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