Media Kit - Circle (Short Film)

Circle
a short film

Press Kit

Written & Directed by Produced by
John Fazen John Fazen & Shawn D. Caple

Contact: John Fazen Phone: 856.449.4099 Email: orangeoceanfilms@gmail.com

‘Circle’ - Orange Ocean Films Page 1

Film Specs:
Running Time: 15 minutes
Language: English
Genre: Drama/Art House
Camera: Sony Z1
Format: HDV – Color (Edited in Black &
White)
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 – 29.97fps HD

Logline:
After an attempt at suicide, a young woman joins a small support group in hopes to find
meaning in this grim world. She soon comes to realize that she may be the only source of
strength in this circle of tragic souls.

Synopsis:
How does life go on after it had been attempted to end abruptly? This is the question, along
with many other doubts, that plague the circle of tortured souls. In the lowly basement of a
church, a suicide support group houses seven individuals with their own tragic story, each
more bleak than the next. Jen (Amanda Damron) is angered by her very presence in the
circle, denying her suicide attempt. Sylvia (Cricket Batz) struggles to get on with her life,
but for what purpose? Charles (Chris Ready) is trapped in this prison of a world and yearns
for freedom. Larry (Tom Tansey) is the calmest of them all, knowing full well what is on the
other side – nothing. Even the support group leader (Michael Broussard) has been left
jaded by the lack of hope amongst the participants. The only one who sees a glimmer of
hope in her second chance at life is Violet (Brittany Holdahl), but struggles to have the
circle see it that way. Though she still experiences disturbing nightmares of her demise, she
believes that there is an opportunity to find peace in a once dark and bleak world. She
especially expects it from Thomas (Brian Iannelli), her true love, to feel the same and to
bring everyone together, but the tales have seemed to make him worse off than before. No
matter how she attempts to help them, Violet cannot control what the circle does when the
session is over.

‘Circle’ is an independently financed short film shot over the course of four days in the
spring and fall of 2010 in Collingswood and Alloway, New Jersey.

Press Kit orangeoceanfilms@gmail.com


About the Production:
‘Circle’ is the next in line in a continuing trend of filmmaker John Fazen’s showcase of
personal, abstract pieces. An idea that was initially conceived in 1997, Fazen would not pen
the script until the fall of 2009 with the desire to take his unique storytelling style to the
next level from his previous project, ‘The Party’.

The cast for ‘Circle’ would need a diverse and
extremely talented ensemble to bring the
tragic characters to life. The group of actors
was compromised of actors and actresses that
Fazen had worked with on previous projects.
Actors Tom Tansey and Cricket Batz, two
Philadelphia based actors, had worked with
John on his prior directorial effort, ‘The Party’.
Fazen had met Brian Iannelli on the set of ‘Zombie Love’, an independent feature film
produced in New Jersey. Amanda Damron and Chris Ready had audition for ‘The Party’, and
though they didn’t get a part in the film, Fazen recognized their talent and knew he would
want to work with them on the future production. Michael Broussard came to Fazen as
recommendation from Cricket Batz to play the jaded support group leader. Finally, Fazen
needed a lead actress to round out the cast to play a suicide survivor looking for salvation.
John initially had an actress set for the role, but had to drop out a month before filming.
Desperate to find someone to fill the part, John had been given stills from a short film
featuring a beautiful, young actress who met the qualities of the character he had
envisioned. Both Cricket and Brian had worked with Brittany Holdahl, knowing she would
fit the part well. Taking a chance, Fazen messaged Brittany with the script and an offer to
play the lead role, to which she accepted.

Fazen then began building an elite crew to help
bring his vision to life. Collaborator Shawn
Caple was already editing two projects with
Fazen when he asked him to work on ‘Circle’,
taking on multiple roles as Producer, Assistant
Director, Director of Photography, Art
Direction and Editing. Doug Seidel of Justice
Productions had been worked on Fazen’s first
two projects and signed on without hesitation when asked, knowing the tediousness that
would be needed to accent the tone of the film. Cyd Katz had worked on ‘Burn’, a music
video, with Fazen, and was brought aboard for her eye for detail. Longtime friend and
collaborator Lance Feltman, a multi-faceted artist, joined the crew to assist where needed.
Lastly, Michael Fromm, who had never worked with Fazen before, was hired as per the
recommendation by Doug Seidel.



With a talented cast and dedicated crew, filming of ‘Circle’ began at The Church of Christ in
Collingswood, New Jersey on March 26 and 27, 2010 and at director John Fazen’s house in
Alloway, New Jersey on April 3 and September 12, 2010.

Director’s Statement:
The idea for ‘Circle’ came about in 1997. I was sipping coffee at Coffee House on South
Street (Philadelphia) and I had this idea of a man committing suicide because he thinks his
next life would be better and this world was ugly and he wanted to be free. So he comes
back as a beautiful butterfly. Only to be caught by a child. The idea stuck with me for years,
but I never did anything with it.

I didn’t start to write the script until the fall of 2009. I wanted to do a film with now two
characters where one is trying to talk the other out of committing suicide. It reminded me
of Marsha Norman’s ‘Night, Mother’, but wanted to go in another direction with it. There
was an actress I had worked with on two previous projects, and I wanted her in this project
as well, so I expanded that character to become the emphasis of the story.

Once I added the second character, Violet, the focus turned to her and her dealing with the
after effects of a suicide attempt. I liked the name Violet, as it reminds me of the word
violence, as well as the flower. So I see it as ‘out of the ugliness of self-violence blooms a
flower’. Though I had developed this character specifically for an actress I had worked
with, she couldn’t commit to the project a month before shooting was to take place.
Thankfully I was able to get an actress on short notice that truly embodied the character of
Violet, more so than I had envisioned.

The common themes of ‘Circle’ are
reoccurrence, cyclicality and rebirth.
Violet understands the truth behind
Thomas’ teachings even though by the end
he has not followed his own wisdoms. Both
are reborn in the end - one of a physical
nature and one of a spiritual. Thomas
suffers the eternal return while Violet
breaks the circle of karma. With Violet I
wanted to give the story an idea of hope.

- John Fazen



Cast:
Brittany Holdahl
Violet

Brittany is currently a senior at Temple University with a
concentration in acting. She has appeared in various student
and independent features associated with Cerulean
Films/NTN Productions, Multiple Eye Productions, and
SmokeyScout Productions, in addition to Orange Oceans
Films. Her theatre affiliations include Philadelphia
Dramatists Center, Secret Room Theatre, otherWords
Theatre Co., The Society of American Fight Directors, and
Save the Day Productions.

Brian Iannelli
Thomas

Brian has immersed himself in nearly every
medium of visual artistry. Along with being a
talented actor, Brian is a gifted screenwriter,
photographer model, music composer, visual
designer, and 2 and 3-dimensional artist, to
name a few. Brian’s film work includes Circle
and Love Terror for Orange Ocean Films. As
well, he has appeared in the short independent films Puncture, Elevator, The Prison and the
feature film ZombieLove.

Michael Broussard
The Counselor

Michael Broussard studied his craft at the Walnut Street
Theatre and Philly Improv Theater. Notable works include
the upcoming Dan Fogler feature Don Peyote, the award-
winning short film A Turn of the Blinds, Bang Pop, a music
video for the band Free Energy, and the Change for Earth Day
PSA for the Sundance Channel. In addition to his work as an
actor, Michael emcees and produces The Five Minute Follies,
an onstage tribute to the golden age of variety. More info can
be found at http://mbroussard.com, and
http://fiveminutefollies.com.



Cricket Batz
Sylvia

Cricket’s acting career began after a mild midlife crisis.
Through a strange series of events, she was able to parlay
her previous athletic experience into a commercial for a
Spanish cell phone company. Having no acting experience
whatsoever, Cricket decided upon her return from a trip to
Barcelona to get an agent and take some classes. Shortly
thereafter, she began winning roles in commercials and
independent films in both New York and Philadelphia. "The
Party" is her 13th film. Currently, Cricket is concentrating
on comedic improvisation and theatre. She also plays the
violin and continues to torture herself by competing in triathlons (though not at the same
time).

Tom Tansey
Larry

Tom’s theater credits include work with the
Wilma Theater and Azuka Theater in
Philadelphia, Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol,
PA, People’s Light & Theatre Company in
Malvern, PA, Montgomery Theater in Souderton,
PA, the New Jersey Repertory Company in Long
Branch, NJ, and The East-Lynne Theater Company
in Cape May, NJ. Tom’s independent feature film credits include starring roles in Victim’s
Song, Sealed Fates, and Framework as well as featured roles in Judy Goose, The Obsession,
Unpull the Trigger, and Lost in Ashes. In addition to theater and film projects, Tom also
appears on QVC and in promotions and industrial videos for Trump Taj Mahal, Time-Life,
and Wyeth-Ayerst, to name a few. His work on stage has been praised in the New York
Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Newark Start Ledger, and Variety.



Amanda Leigh Damron
Jen

A performer since the age of five, Amanda knew
at a very young age that she was meant to be a
star. After studying acting at Arcadia University
Damron planted her roots in south Philly, making
a name for herself as an actress, singer,
songwriter and performer. Amanda has also had
vocal training with Joella Arts and training in
Commedia dell’Arte. She has worked on a number of short films for Justice Productions,
including Starwares, Misfortune by Fortune, Un Pugno di Lattuga, and Lovebytes. Her theater
credits include Bachelorette for the Luna Theatre Company, Lady M for Live Arts 2011 and
Haunted Poe for Brat Productions. Damron has also been featured on the television show
Hack for CBS and commercials for Allied Nurse Training, Philadelphia Zoo and South Jersey
Lumber, to name a few. When not acting, Amanda can be found heading the dance punk
group GANG.

Chris Ready
Charles

Well recognized within the Philadelphia filmmaking
community, filmmakers and audiences alike are
enthusiastic for the “Chris Ready experience.” A Philly
native, Ready has brought his character acting talents
to short films such as Knock ‘em Dead, When Beliefs
are Questioned, and Solace. He also has a role in Living
Will, a feature film starring the late Ryan Dunn, and
the web series Off Campus. Recently, Ready has
starred in the short films The Fairy Prince…? and
Unusual Occurrences. When not acting, Ready can be
found under the pseudonym J.P. Russ, a supernatural
survivalist and the creator of the comic book series
The Monster Hunters’ Survival Guide.



Production Team:
John Fazen
Writer/Director/Executive Producer

John developed his desire to become a film
artist out of sheer passion for the craft. A self-
taught writer/director/producer, John has
spent the last three years perfecting his craft to
become an established filmmaker of the New
Jersey/Philadelphia region. Utilizing friends
within the film industry and pulling money out
of his own pocket, John has developed music videos for longtime friend, Lance Feltman, and
his band ‘Diver’s Lust’. John’s influences range in a variety of art-forms. In film, names such
as Godard, Lynch, Welles, Kubrick, Tarantino have inspired John to create his own stories in
this medium. Artists such as Dali, Man Ray, Fever Ray and Graham Greene are some of the
names that have helped create John’s unique visual style for his film-work. As well, the
band ‘My Bloody Valentine’ shaped the way John tells his stories. Fazen is hard at work at
his next projects, including three original short films - ‘The Last House’, ‘Russia Roulette in
Istanbul’ and ‘The Exchange’.

Selected Filmography:

Girl in Leather/Objects of Desire, 2011; Writer/Director/Producer - Short Film/Music
Video for band ‘Divers Lust’.

Circle, 2010; Writer/Director/Producer - Short drama about the tortured individuals
within a suicide support group.

Burn, 2009; Writer/Director/Producer - Music Video for indie rock group ‘Divers Lust’.

The Party, 2008; Writer/Director/Producer - Short drama about a delusional party host.



Shawn D. Caple
Producer/Director of Photography/A.D./Editor

Shawn is an up and coming director and editor who has
already established himself as a compelling and intriguing
storyteller through multiple mediums. Since 2000, Caple
has edited short films and projects for personal and
commercial distribution. He is a master at pacing and
tone, working quickly and efficiently. He made his
directing and filming debut in short films, winning Best
Director at the Rutgers New Century Film Festival in 2007.
He is also an accomplished contest winner, having won
awards for NBC, Sundance, as well as various name band
product promotions. Caple is featured in the credits of the
Gary Winicki directed feature film Bride Wars. Caple is currently co-writing, directing, and
filming 'Underbelly', a geek pop culture review show.

Doug Seidel
Gaffer/Production Consultant

A graduate of Rowan University’s Radio/Television/Film
production department, Doug is no stranger to taking the
lead to create entertaining pieces of work. While at school,
he worked on the television program "Big Show of Justice",
which he starred, wrote, produced, directed and edited with
fellow Justice member Ray Willis. After graduation, he
formed Justice Productions, LLC with a group of fellow
Rowan Alumni. As President of Justice Productions, Doug
has overseen multiple award winning films, including
‘PassionS of the Christ’, ‘Night Light’, ‘Dinner for One’ and ‘The
Journal’s Paragon’. As well, Doug is at the forefront of the J-
Vlog, Justice’s video blog, which single-handedly won them the award for best marketing at
the Project Twenty-One Film Competition of Philadelphia in 2009 and honored two years
in a row with the Epic Award, for his unmatched efforts to bring the Philadelphia
independent filmmaking community together. Currently, Doug is working on several film
projects, including short comedy sketches for the Numa Network, as well as a web series
based on Big Show.



Cyd Katz
Script Supervisor/Production Assistant

Filmmaker Cyd Katz is one of main
screenwriters for the Justice Productions. In
addition to working for Justice, she has
interned for WHYY in Philadelphia, as well
as co-produced the 2008 Diamond Screen
Film Festival. Passionate about writing and
filmmaking, she attended Temple University
and pursued her degree in Film and Media Arts. “Dinner for One”, her directorial debut, won
the best NJ based short film award at the Downbeach Film Festival in Atlantic City. She is
also the creator of ‘Enterbrainment’ a popular all things entertainment and media blog.
Currently, Cyd is working in the professional circuit as an Associate Producer for Leopard
Films in New York City.

Michael E. Fromm
Sound Recordist/Production Assistant

Michael has been passionate about telling stories since
middle school. To this day, it is difficult to find him without a
pen in hand and an idea in mind. He took his desire to write
and make movies to Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ,
where he graduated in the Spring of 2007 with dual BAs in
Radio/TV/Film Production and Public Relations. After
graduating, he became a member of Justice Productions,
writing and producing award winning short films and
garnering a positive reputation for the company. Not only
does Michael love writing for the screen, he is also an
aspiring novelist and film reviewer. Currently, Michael is
using the moniker, The Observer, as a web series reviewer
for the blog ‘EnterBrainment.’ He is also working
professionally as a content coordinator for Leopard Films in New York City.



Lance Feltman
Production Assistant

Lance has made it his life’s effort to pursue all things art
related. A graduate of Rowan University’s Radio/TV/Film
Department, Lance was honored to be elected Vice President
of Cinema Workshop, the campus’ film organization. Since
graduation, Lance has assisted on multiple short films within
the New Jersey/Philadelphia area, helping out on various
aspects of production such as cinematography, lighting and
sound recording. Along with film production, Lance is a
member of the music recording industry. Founder of Laoface
Records, Lance is well known in Philadelphia as the founder
and lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock group Divers
Lust

Tim Syp
Composer

Tim is all about music. He is a frequent collaborator with
Justice Productions, providing the music for several award
winning films. When he’s not composing film scores, Tim is a
multitalented musician and songwriter, having played with
several bands, providing vocals, guitar, piano, and drums.
Tim is currently writing and recording songs for his debut
album. In addition to writing and playing, Tim has studied
music theory and history, earning him a BA in Music from
Muhlenberg College.



Credits:
Written and Directed by
JOHN FAZEN

Produced by
JOHN FAZEN
SHAWN D. CAPLE

Co-produced by
JUSTICE PRODUCTIONS, LLC

Executive Producer
JOHN FAZEN

CAST
Violet BRITTANY HOLDAHL
Thomas BRIAN IANNELLI
Group Leader MICHAEL BROUSSARD
Sylvia TOM TANSEY
Jen AMANDA LEIGH DAMRON
Charles CHRIS READY
Boy MAX FAZEN

Casting by
ORANGE OCEAN FILMS

Assistant Director
SHAWN D. CAPLE

Director of Photography
DOUG SEIDEL

Cinematographers
SHAWN D. CAPLE
DOUG SEIDEL

Sound Recordist
MICHAEL E. FROMM

Art Direction
JOHN FAZEN
SHAWN D. CAPLE

Script Supervisor
CYD KATZ



Still Photographer
DOUG SEIDEL

Edited by
SHAWN D. CAPLE

ADR/Sound Editing
SHAWN D. CAPLE
MAGGIE FARLEY

Original Score by
TIM SYP

Production Assistants
LANCE FELTMAN
MICHAEL E. FROMM
CYD KATZ

A Very Special Thanks To
STEPHANIE LONG FAZEN
JUSTICE PRODUCTIONS, LLC
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST OF COLLINGSWOOD, NJ

© 2011 Orange Ocean Films


Media Kit - Circle (Short Film)

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