Armenian Genocide Movie Being Made in Hollywood Calling all Armenian Actors/Residents

[chardgha18]

My Name is Sam Nassar I have recently moved to Hollywood CA to become a Film Maker. I am currently attending the Los Angeles Film School. I am constructing a script for my thesis film production. I have chosen to make a film about the Armenian Genocide. It will be the story of my Great Grandmother Veronik Kavlakian who was a survivor of the horrors of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. She was marched from her home in Fenesee to the Desert of Der Zor with her children ages 2, 4 and 5. My Great Grandfather had left for Detroit Michigan where I am from to make money working at the Ford Motor Plant to bring his family to America to escape the persecution of the Turks. They were marched for days on end with no shelter, food or water. Veronik buried all 3 of her daughters in the desert with her bare hands. They had suffered massive hunger and thirst and just simply could not go on. Veronik at that point knew what she was facing.......complete annihilation. She then made the decision to get away. She made her way to a refugee camp and eventually through the Red Cross was located by her family in America and brought through Ellis Island to Detroit. She then started a new life having my Grandfather Jack and his brother Tony. If not for her strength and determination I would not be here today. This film is my tribute to her and to the 1.5 million lives lost in the Genocide. Any actors/actresses or people interested in being extras would be a great help. I am also looking for Armenian musicians especially duduk to help me construct a score for my film. Anyone interested either post me on here or Email me at chardgha18@aol.com. Thank you very much

[thedebutante]

Just wondering if you're looking for paid actors or volunteers.

[CatWoman]

I'm assuming volunteers since he's a STUDENT! lol, good luck Sam... too bad I suck at acting :rolleyes:

[chardgha18]

yea pretty much volunteers especially if you're going to be an extra.....i promise a great experience and a real great outcome with the finished product of the film. If there is a professional actor/actress or composer payments may be in order but as I said I am a student and I am working with a certain budget. However the film will be down the line so who knows what will happen. Catwoman extras don't need to be professional actors they don't have lines so if yo're interested let me know. I am looking for a real look not people pretending to be Armenians.

[NarEkoO]

Sam kani tarekan es?...menak uzumem imanam..no reason..

[chardgha18]

I am 20 years old

[!EEK]

Hey good luck!

I'd like to help you by acting but I don't live in the US :( and still got school.

Anyway, for the duduk musician, I know that the man who made the famous music for the movie "Gladiator" was Armenian, unfortunately I've heard he wasn't paid by those bastard of producers. Anyway, you could try to contact him (I don't know how but it should be easy for you because you entered the movie industry...), I'm sure he'll be delighted.

Anyway, where did you study in order to be movie director? I dont know yet where and what I'm going to study and film making is one of my interests

[nairi]

That guy is Djivan Gasparian and I wonder how easily you can get in touch with him...

Good luck Char Dgha. I hope one day you make (satirical) films about Armenians in LA as well :)

[!EEK]

SO nairi is the rumor true? He didn't got paid for the music he did?

[nairi]

I hardly doubt it.

[HyeJinx1984]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but do you thinjk you can do the story justice in a thesis film? I've worked on many thesis films.. and teh average budget is about 50 thousand without frills... and this is a subject matter on an epic scale. I just hope you know what you're doing, that's all..

[!EEK]

Chardag, is your movie more oriented towards realisme or you'll add some fiction and give it a mainstream appeal?

Movies on Armenian Genocides like Ararat aren't that attractive to non armenians because it's a REAL true story. Untill now, the only true story that marked the movie industries are movies where fictional stuff (like love, etc...) are added.

I know it's hard to maintain the real facts but the objective should be interesting the average viewer in Armenia's history, not keep repeating the same thing to armenians that were bathed in.

[HyePrincess]

chardgha18 how old do your extras have to be any age or a ceartain age cause i would love to be a voulnteer :D

[Thai-Samurai]

It's cool that people are making movies about the Genocide, but at the same time I don't like it. Being Genocided isn't something you should be making movies about all the time. What I mean is if a guy gets hella beat up, he doesnt go around bragging about it. Letting the world know what really happened in Turkey 1915 isn't really going to change anything, everyone has bigger problems now. In Africa I think over a million people were genoicided just recently. The point is, people should be educated, but we should do something about it also. Does anyone remember that movie that came out about a year or two ago, it was made a movie in a movie, and it had that armenian boy in the customs and his mom that looked like Cher, and it had a rape scene. That movie was honestly disturbing to me. And it accomplished nothing.
My mom told me in LA Armenians gather outside a Turkish something (embassy?) on Genocide day, and chant about the Genocide. Thats not going to accomplish anything. Instead of chanting and sounding angry they should just dance and eat, and have a good time, that way people who see it will be really interested in whats going.
Making Armenian movies is good, but they dont have to be about the Genocide, they can be anything Armenian related.

[Thai-Samurai]

actually now that I read the entire first post, That's good that it's about your grandma. I had a great grandfather lost in the Genocide, but my point still remains.

[xBaron Dants]

Hey good luck!

I'd like to help you by acting but I don't live in the US :( and still got school.

Anyway, for the duduk musician, I know that the man who made the famous music for the movie "Gladiator" was Armenian, unfortunately I've heard he wasn't paid by those bastard of producers. Anyway, you could try to contact him (I don't know how but it should be easy for you because you entered the movie industry...), I'm sure he'll be delighted.

Anyway, where did you study in order to be movie director? I dont know yet where and what I'm going to study and film making is one of my interests

Forget about hiring Djivan Gasparyan. There goes the film's entire budget. :)

I doubt those rumors are true. Djivan is known to be a shrewd businessman, and has been around Hollywood and its producers many times. In fact, if you buy the soundtrack of "Gladiator", a considerable part of the booklet is dedicated to Djivan and the duduk.

[supernanor]

Good Idea and nice job ...Good Luck!!!

[!EEK]

Forget about hiring Djivan Gasparyan. There goes the film's entire budget. :)

I doubt those rumors are true. Djivan is known to be a shrewd businessman, and has been around Hollywood and its producers many times. In fact, if you buy the soundtrack of "Gladiator", a considerable part of the booklet is dedicated to Djivan and the duduk.

Oh, ok , so the rumor is fals...maybe then the producers didn't paid Djivan's musicians? If he had some..

[chardgha18]

I think it is important to me because our story was never told. It was simply written off like it didn't matter and we didn't matter. It is still to this day denied by the Turks and any decent Armenian wants our story told and told truthfully. I happen to owe my life to my Grandmothers survival. The xxxish Holocaust was well documented and presented in many feature films. It is not like I am trying to change the past. Nobody can, the important thing is to get recognition that it was a tragedy in our history and to show that this sort of thing should never happen. Sorry if you don't agree everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

[chardgha18]

chardgha18 how old do your extras have to be any age or a ceartain age cause i would love to be a voulnteer :D
Hye princess no certain ages are needed.....how old are you and are you thinking of being an extra?

[chardgha18]

Chardag, is your movie more oriented towards realisme or you'll add some fiction and give it a mainstream appeal?

Movies on Armenian Genocides like Ararat aren't that attractive to non armenians because it's a REAL true story. Untill now, the only true story that marked the movie industries are movies where fictional stuff (like love, etc...) are added.

I know it's hard to maintain the real facts but the objective should be interesting the average viewer in Armenia's history, not keep repeating the same thing to armenians that were bathed in.
I am trying to go by my grandmothers true experience......so through the eyes of a young mother which any person can identify with. This horrible event is shown through her eyes. It is not just a general story about the genocide but more of a personal look through the eyes of a survivor. I am trying to keep it as true as possible with actual events shown. However some things may be based on an account or a diiferent survivors experience. There are ways to add thos appealing Hollywood elements without making the story untrue. So I really want to show it through her experience and survival.

[!EEK]

Chardga, where did you studi to get the ability to make a movie on your own?

[nairi]

I think it is important to me because our story was never told.

You sure about that? I think every Armenian film-maker has made a movie about the Armenian genocide and every wannabe author has written a memoir on their grandmother. Maybe that's why I said that I hope you'll be focusing on live Armenians in the present after your thesis. We have more books and films about the genocide than about ourselves. Quite sad really.

[HyePrincess]

[QUOTE=chardgha18]Hye princess no certain ages are needed.....how old are you and are you thinking of being an extra?[/QUOTE



chardgha18 that was my younger cousin she is 13 and she dosent have any experince in acting so thats why she said its okay she just wants to be in the movie and she can be an extra as long as shes in the movie lol :)

[!EEK]

I'd like to be one of the "Tachnagtsagan" busting some turkiash ars :p but I don't live in LA....shame

If I had the chance to make a movie like this, I would pick up a real story like yours and insert it in a more controversial movie like Moore's.
You show turkia's denial, the proven facts...make them contradict

[chardgha18]

I go to the Los Angeles Film School eek

[HyeJinx1984]

I was just there yesterday for the AFI fest.

[chardgha18]

did you like the school?

[!EEK]

I go to the Los Angeles Film School eek

Whats Better LA Film School or NYU's film departement?

[HyeJinx1984]

did you like the school?

It was cool. You know, despite my earlier remarks, what the hell, I'll help if you want. I've got some film expertise, so I'm sure I could be help in some facility.

[chardgha18]

It was cool. You know, despite my earlier remarks, what the hell, I'll help if you want. I've got some film expertise, so I'm sure I could be help in some facility.
I mean if you don't believe in thesis films or my project nobody is asking you to. I am going all out as much as I can to make this great. What film experience do you have?

[chardgha18]

does anyone know any actors in glendale or around hollywood? I am looking for good people to cast and I would like some variety......anyone who has contacted me with an interest in being an extra pictures would be very helpful. I am really looking for authentic looking armenians for my film. So please contact me at chardgha18@aol.com thanks

[HyeJinx1984]

I mean if you don't believe in thesis films or my project nobody is asking you to. I am going all out as much as I can to make this great. What film experience do you have?

I've written and directed my own shorts, acted in a couple, and have been a production assistant on countless.

[chardgha18]

be sure to contact me by email id love some experienced armenians to help

[Fadix2]

Dear Chardgha, I like your story for the movie, and unlike what many may say, it is the kind of story we need. What the genocide was and is, it is above all, the troma that each families were victim of... and any movies that worth to be taken seriously expose this reality.

I have sent you a personal message that you can access from your control panel, and I await your answer.

Regards

[Fadix2]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but do you thinjk you can do the story justice in a thesis film? I've worked on many thesis films.. and teh average budget is about 50 thousand without frills... and this is a subject matter on an epic scale. I just hope you know what you're doing, that's all..

I think a movie with 50 thousand is quite possible.

[chardgha18]

so do I someone who doesn't think it can be done hasn't been working in the right way and with the right people.

[nunechka]

hi char dgha i would love to be one of your extras... i guess you can see my profile to see my picture... it is a picture taken by a phone, but i guess i am just a regular real armenian girl... nothing "extra"... HA!
[humor included] :laugh:

please PM me the time location and all the rest...

Also i wish you the best on this film, sometimes i feel that my family's stories are pretty traumatizing too... my dad's side was from Musa Ler and my Mom's side from Sebastia and we have lost so many lives to the genocide... 15 chilrdern burned, eyes taken out, secret escapes, etc... and then the armenian political problems afterwords, people exciled to Siberia or beaten to death, etc...

anywho i would love to help... i can also help in financial planning, execution, and reporting, we can talk over the PM about this... :D

[djsinister]

It's cool that people are making movies about the Genocide, but at the same time I don't like it. Being Genocided isn't something you should be making movies about all the time. What I mean is if a guy gets hella beat up, he doesnt go around bragging about it. Letting the world know what really happened in Turkey 1915 isn't really going to change anything, everyone has bigger problems now. In Africa I think over a million people were genoicided just recently. The point is, people should be educated, but we should do something about it also. Does anyone remember that movie that came out about a year or two ago, it was made a movie in a movie, and it had that armenian boy in the customs and his mom that looked like Cher, and it had a rape scene. That movie was honestly disturbing to me. And it accomplished nothing.
My mom told me in LA Armenians gather outside a Turkish something (embassy?) on Genocide day, and chant about the Genocide. Thats not going to accomplish anything. Instead of chanting and sounding angry they should just dance and eat, and have a good time, that way people who see it will be really interested in whats going.
Making Armenian movies is good, but they dont have to be about the Genocide, they can be anything Armenian related.

Are you for real, man!?!?!?!?!?!?!? :mad:

"genocided..." :rolleyes:

"my mom told me...":rolleyes:

"turkish something..." :rolleyes:

"dance and eat, and have a good time..." :rolleyes:


C'MON MAN, you can't be serious...

[djsinister]

...............................

[nunechka]

djsinster dont worry too much... i think he is serious but then again this is a forum... :P

thai jan, we must remember and mourn, but we must not let it get to us where we cant live like normal people, but we are not letting that happen, soooo i think we should do what is necessary, i was part of the chanting and you know it got so much attention that the NYTimes and LAtimes and the NY post and the washington post had PICTURES of us with our flag and they WROTE ABOUT the genocide in the papers... every year, the major cities around the US mourn with us... you should be at the Montelbello site on that day, the mayors, the governors, etc... all have something to say, and this year John Kerry wrote a speech and his staff member read it after we ALL SANG the ARMENIAN National anthem... but the republican party and the "president" had nothing to say, they didnt even write a speech or anything for the ANCA to read to us... anywho i was proud and i want as much visibility into this as possible...