The world of a blissfully detached woman turns upside down when she’s forced to adjust to the ordinary life that exists beyond working at an off-the-wall lesbian bar, and its rivalry with the gay club across the street.
Setting out to do a full length feature film is no easy task. It takes a village of very dedicated people to make a story come to life. Meg Poveromo was the writer, director and the leading character of this one hour and twenty-five minute comedy surrounding the LGBTQ community.
The coloring and cinematography by William Rubini was beautifully done and VisualKights did a great job with the visual effects. I enjoyed the creative way they did the phone call conversation at the start of the film. But I am getting a bit ahead of myself…
Meg Poveromo plays Jess, a selfish and self absorbed bartender at The Box Trap, a lesbian only dive bar. Meg did a great job as an actress in this role, her performance felt organic and realistic even though it can be difficult to identify with this style of anti-hero character because there are no redeemable qualities. Meg had this ability to make you want to like Jess.
The cast of characters range from wacky to wonderful in this farcical comedy where the filmmakers push the comedic boundaries into a raunchy, over the top romp. The storyline had great elements with the dominatrix who was once married to the rival bar owner. Each character seemed really well thought out and had their own likeability factor. I found myself holding out hope that Jess gets this character arc where we see her grow and understand the error of her ways but it didn’t come across that way in the end.
However, I did see so much potential in the storyline of wanting to save the dive bar from going out of business and I wish that was more the main focal point of the plot. The ending felt a bit rushed to me instead of a deliberate twist. Regardless, The Box Trap is a playful, naughty ride with a ton of heart that will undoubtedly entertain.
Paul Engelen is is 2 time Emmy winner, and 2 time Oscar nominated Makeup artist. He has worked on some of the greatest/most successful films and TV shows in the last 40 years, including: Game of Thrones (2 Emmy wins), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (Oscar nomination), The Legend of Tarzan (Oscar nomination), Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (dir. George Lucas), Gladiator (dir. Ridley Scott), Munich (dir. Steven Spielberg), Batman (dir. Tim Burton) and Reds (dir. Warren Beatty).
Many have stated that his makeup design for Nicole Kidman on “The Hours” is the key reason for her Oscar Win for Best Actress (see pic below). The same can be said for his work on Renée Zellweger for her Oscar Win on “Cold Mountain”. How those films received zero Oscar nominations for Makeup is still a mystery.
It was an honor to chat with Paul Engelen and talk about his art:
Matthew Toffolo: You’ve worked on over 80 Productions as a Makeup Artist in the last 45 years. Do you have a favorite experience?
Paul Engelen: Every new project presents challenges, experiences and memories. I would say I have been extremely lucky to have had a very wide variety and range of projects to work on. I suppose if pressed, I would mention working on ‘Empire of the Sun” and ‘Star Wars, The Phantom Menace’ to be particular highlights, but I would also name “Pink Floyd, The Wall’ to be a fascinating experience. My present project for NBC, directed by Tarsem Singh; ‘The Emerald City’ is proving just as interesting though!
PHOTO: Paul with Director George Lucas on ‘Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’:
MT: Is there a type of story/film that you would love to work on that you haven’t worked on yet? Or have you covered all of your bases?
PE: I think I have covered most bases! Contemporary stories to science fiction, several medieval themes which I must admit, is probably my favourite genre. I’d love to do a ‘western’, directed by someone like Tarantino!
MT: You’ve won 2 Emmys (for Game of Thrones) and have been nominated for 2 Oscars. Does winning or losing mean a lot to you? Or it is really just about the film?
PE: It’s great being nominated, but winning is a blast!! It means your peers think your work is worthy.
MT: What is the main job being the Makeup Department Head on a production?
PE: Well, I would say, it’s about all the aspects of the running a department. Putting a crew together that would be the best for the production. The conversations and collaboration with director, production and costume designers are all paramount in going into production.
PHOTO: Paul with Director/Actor Clint Eastwood on ‘White Hunter, Black Heart’:
MT: What has been your most difficult job and/or production to date?
PE: Movies generally have a specific format regarding the production structure, which is the area I come from, so it was quite a shock when ‘Game of Thrones” came my way, and I had to put my mind to working on 10 scripts, with two, sometimes three separate units shooting in different countries at the same time! Very testing. Since then, I am being offered more of this type of production, which, although very challenging, I do find stimulating.
MT: You’ve worked on many fantasy and action movies/TV shows. Is there a reason why you seem to love working in these genres?
PE: Again, I have been very lucky in the type of productions that has been offered to me. I am comfortable with the larger type of production with big name directors, irrespective of genres. Often the actors can be a contributing influence on the reason for working on a particular project.
MT: How has the makeup department changed from 35 years ago to today?
PE: I don’t think things have changed much over the years. It has always been ‘challenging’ to put creative people together for months on end, and hope that the peace can be maintained!! I like to think people who work with me look forward to getting together on shows!
PHOTO: Paul with actor Val Kilmer on ‘The Saint’:
MT: Besides the films you’ve worked on, what movie have you seen the most in your life?
PE: I still absolutely adore watching Gregory Peck in ‘Moby Dick’, which, incidentaly had Charlie Parker as the Makeup Designer, who was one of the finest artists in our profession. Such a wonderful film.
MT: Do you have any advice for high school and university students who want to work makeup in the film industry?
PE: It’s a tough business to be in, but incredibly rewarding when you see your work up there on display. – and to be honest, there is a certain amount of luck involved with getting work in the first place, but perseverance and striving to be the best is essential.
PHOTO: Paul with actor Mel Gibson on “Mutiny on the Bounty’.:
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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK DAILY Festival held online and in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.
PHOTO: Nicole Kidman transforms via makeup in “The Hours”:
Depth Nomads – Kazakhstan, 78min., France Directed by Arnaud Palu Laurent was once an elite French judoka. In 2008, he participated in the Beijing Olympics, carrying the hopes of a nation only to walk out moments later, defeated in his first fight. What followed wasn’t just the end of a match, but the quiet burial of a dream. He gave up on judo, silenced by shame, convinced that failure defined him. When we invited him to join us in the forgotten steppes of Kazakhstan, he accepted, not to return to the sport, but to finally confront the part of himself he had abandoned.
FIELD REPORT | FLACK FAMILY FARM, 15min., USA Directed by Travis Limoge Nestled in the hills of Enosburg Falls, Vermont Flack Family Farm has been contributing to the vibrance of their community through their symbiotic work in the soil for nearly a half a century.
What motivated you to make this film? As a Chef I have spent the last decade of my career dedicated to researching and implementing community based solutions to the industrial food complex. I have made many impactful relationships with farmers who are working hard to revitalize their local food sheds and felt inspired to share their stories as the majority of the documentaries currently available on food and food production are either glossy or focused on a specific problem rather than demonstrating the collaboration between farmer, soil, and community, the struggles they face and the actions of resilience they take on a daily basis.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? We had a good idea of the message we were trying to relay in the film and when we set out on the farm to shoot the story unfolded chronologically as we were working hand in hand from harvest to production of the fermented products, when we got to post it was quick work as we were smitten with the story we had captured, all told the whole film from start to finish took a month.
How would you describe your film in two words!? Thought Provoking
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? The organic nature of the production didn’t really come with obstacles, just lessons, Flack Family Farm welcomed us in and took the reins, we just followed along.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? It was wonderful to receive feedback from the audience, it was touching that they were able to really connect with the message and the feedback let us know that we had captured the story we were trying to tell.
Wonderful festival, great feedback and I loved the audience feedback video the festival made for Black Cockatoo Crisis. Five stars all round. 🙂
Excellent festival. Detailed feedback and friendly staff.
Perfect for the audience we were hoping to show the film too. Wonderful experience.
Thank you EFSF!!! We LOVED all the reviews and comments and engagement your audience members shared about for Tomorrow – it was super rewarding!
This was an OUTSTANDING Contest to participate in. When my script ‘Underwater Hazards’ made it to Official Selection I was invited to have a short podcast created of actors table reading my first scene. When my script moved forward to Award Winner, Mathew interviewed me about the script for a Podcast. The support is amazing. I couldn’t be happier. Thank you Environmental Film & Screenplay!
A biography is a written account of a person’s life that tells the story of their experiences, accomplishments, and challenges. The word “biography” comes from the medieval Greek words bios, meaning “life”, and graphia, meaning “writing”.
Submit your Short Story to the Festival and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.
Get FULL FEEDBACK on either the 1st chapter or entire novel book from our committee of Professional Writers, and Writing Consultants. Get your novel performed by a professional actor at the festival.
NEW OPTION: Or, just submit for an actor performance reading transcript of your novel (any 5 pages of your book). Great way to promote the sales of your book if you’re already published.
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.) 1) Full Feedback on your script 2) Actors performance video reading of your script 3) Blog interview promotion. 4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show.
Bookshelves with books for children. Educational library with literature for preschoolers and kids. Reading and studying. Fairy Tales, Encyclopedias and Dictionary. Cartoon flat vector illustration
Set in the near future when most people can no longer dream, “Sweet Dreams” follows the story of Esperanza, a young woman who’s excited to be a mom for the first time. Weeks before the baby is due, her partner Kiké goes missing. As she searches for him and her savings dwindle, she comes across an opportunity to make some quick money: surrogate dreaming, a new technological advancement which allows her to sell the dreams of her unborn child through a dreamcatcher clinic. After a trial run, Esperanza begins to suspect that the clinic is somehow connected to Kiké’s disappearance.
What motivated you to make this film? A conversation I had with my wife when she was about 6 months pregnant with our son, Sol. We discovered that he was dreaming in the womb and that idea blew my mind! I thought it would make a good story and I started writing the script later that night.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? 3 years and 5 months.
How would you describe your film in two words!? Must watch!
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Post-production: from false starts on VFX to losing an AE to scheduling sound design and raising funds to pay for all of it!
NADO, 68min., Italy Directed by Daniele Farina NADO is an intimate and powerful journey through the life and work of one of the greatest Italian sculptors of the twentieth century. A story of resistance and courage, a human parable of will and joy that spans a whole century.
The Line We Crossed, 110min., US Directed by Liz Smith A British story of dissent, drawn from the frontlines of climate resistance. Through the experiences of those who stood in defiance, it traces the quiet unraveling of our protest rights. The film challenges audiences to question what makes dissent effective and where the line of acceptability is.
