47°
Trumbull resident John R. Smith Jr., who will be playing this lead role in "The Tutor" -- a vignette in the upcoming feature film "Contrived" -- said it requires lots of time and research.
"I have to think about it from the mobster and cultural angle," Smith said.
The character Smith is playing -- Anatoly Danilenko -- is a former Ukrainian mafia enforcer.
"Contrived" is a horror-suspense film scheduled to be released in spring. Produced by Hat City Pictures in Danbury, it was written and directed by city resident Angel Rosa.
In conjunction with Max Wine & Spirits, Rosa will host a wine and beer event to raise funds to make the film. The event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Max Wine & Spirits, 40 Mill Plain Road, Danbury.At each station at the event, attendees will learn about and taste wine and beer samples from all over the world. There will be light refreshments, a silent auction, a drawing and discounted wine specials.
General admission until Saturday, Oct. 15, is $45 per person. Cocktail party dress/attire is requested. Participants must be 21 years or over to attend.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the cast and crew of "The Tutor."
Rosa said the idea for "Contrived" came about as a result of his frustration with Hollywood film-making.
"I was driving through the Berkshire Shopping Center in Danbury one day in the fall of 2014 and I had a CD in my car stereo. It was by composer Bernard Herrmann," said Rosa, who is 47. "The theme for the film 'Vertigo' came on and I became overwhelmed and frustrated. My thought was that they just don't make movies like that anymore."
The main character in "Contrived," Tobias Werrick, is a manifestation of the filmmaker. "He is disheartened by the current state of Hollywood -- the lack of original content, the constant regurgitation of old plot lines and premises," Rosa said.
In "Contrived," Werrick attends a film festival and approaches the person of honor for the evening. "There is very obvious chemistry that takes place. He begins to lament to her his feelings about filmmaking," Rosa said. "She becomes his captive. He forces her to listen to stories that he believes would make good cinema."
While "Contrived" is Smith's first film gig, he has been acting for 20 years. Most recently, he was artistic consultant and co-producer of the Bijou Theatre in Bridgeport, which recently closed.
Smith said acting has been his passion since he was 9.
"I enjoy being able to get inside a character's head," Smith said. "To be an actor, you are curious about human nature, primarily about the inner workings of why people do things. Being in theater, you get an insight into psychology and sociology. You learn so much about why people do the things that they do."
To attend the wine and beer event, RSVP with advance payment payable to "Angel Rosa" to secure a spot and mail it with the names of the attendees to: Hat City Pictures, 60 Newtown Road, PMB #66, Danbury, CT 06810.
Tickets can be purchased online by visiting the “Events” page on the Hat City Pictures website. Look for the "Buy Now" link.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Trumbull-Monroe and receive free news updates.
