Culture watch

Film & TV Round-Up

Big scene, small screen The regional music scene appears to be on the verge of getting a major boost from a new TV project in the works at Blue Ridge Motion Pictures. Currently titled Asheville City Nights, the series’ producers hope to promote developing talent while capitalizing on Asheville’s image as a live-music haven. While the name might summon up images of a locally produced Austin City Limits, executive producer (and BRMP co-owner) Merwin Gross says the series will actually be a hybrid of live music and talk show. Nights will pair up-and-coming musical acts with musical legends in front of a small live audience, allowing the big names to give a few pointers to the industry newbies. Gross says that Nights is currently in discussions with a number of big-name performers, although he declined to name names until formal agreements with the musicians had been completed. The pilot episode is slated for completion in late spring, which will evolve into a 13-episode first season should the series be picked up by a network. Local and regional performers of all musical styles are highly encouraged to submit demos and publicity photos for series consideration. For more information, call BRMP at 296-1499 or visit its Web site at www.blueridgemotionpictures.com.

Speaking of Blue Ridge Motion Pictures …

The studio’s next major project is Search, a full-length action/thriller film which will start filming this fall. The studio hasn’t announced a director or cast for the film yet, but producers expect to hold local auditions for some roles. Another BRMP project — a yet-to-be-named children’s TV series about a circus populated by puppet animals — is also in the early stages of development. The series will promote healthy eating, good manners and other family-friendly topics, and is scheduled to start production in early 2007.

Another A-ville Film Festival?

While the production of films and TV is interesting and all, what do you do if you just want to watch the stuff? With more than 30 short and feature-length films scheduled, The Twin Rivers Media Festival may just be the thing for your cinema jonze. The festival is presented from April 29 through May 6, and will feature screenings at the Fine Arts Theatre, UNCA and the Courtyard Gallery. According to festival organizer (and Courtyard Gallery owner) Carlos Steward, the event will be the world premiere for several of the films, and will feature prizes in such unassuming categories as “Made on a Mac.” Costs for each screening will vary, but Steward expects most tickets will be under $5. For more information, visit www.twinriversmediafestival.com.