A Little Behind Schedule, Post-Production Completes

Final mastering of our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth' ran into a few technical difficulties, causing the filmmakers to miss the distributor-appointed deadline of July 23 by a few days.

A major blackout in Queens, NY, caused our sound engineer Z Jadwick to relocate his entire studio of equipment to a Manhattan facility in order to complete audio mixing on deadline. To his credit, he still managed to conclude his work on-time despite the circumstances. His audio mix was finished when promised and extremely well done. Thanks, Z.

Once the audio mix and color timing were finished, the movie was encoded for DVD. But several digital flubs and a lately-discovered typo required that the movie be encoded two more times before it was ready for delivery to DVD distributors The Disinformation Company, who plan to release 'Press For Truth' in stores nationwide on Tues., Sept. 26th.

The next issue came when distributors MercuryMedia delivered the unfortunate news that certain of the television stations they were talking with in Europe would not accept the 52 min. television cut in our intended 1.78:1 "widescreen" aspect ratio. Editor Kozo Okumura, always willing to go above and beyond, thus spent an additional day performing a "pan and scan" to the TV version in order to make it an acceptable 1.33:1 "full screen" aspect ratio.

With the mastering to DigitalBeta of both the 84 min. theatrical cut and the 52 min. television cut, today post-production is finally complete. Co-producers Ray Nowosielski and John Duffy began developing 'Press For Truth' in August 2003, almost exactly three years ago. Pre-production began with the first investment on May 16, 2004. Total length of production: 804 days.

The filmmakers wish to thank all the investors, production personnel, and countless others who provided so much to this production. Now, it's ready for the world. Hopefully, audiences will decide that all the time and effort was worthwhile.

Animated DVD Menu Completed

Indianapolis-based Banded Artists' Erik Potter, the computer animator behind the jaw-dropping "wall of TVs" sequences which appear throughout our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth', has completed authoring of the new DVD to be released by The Disinformation Company on Sept. 26th. Because of his work as a computer animator, Potter was able to create 3D animated menus rather than standard static ones, employing the "wall of TVs" concept but with some new twists.

Bonus materials on the new DVD include chapter selection and the trailer, as well as over twenty minutes of testimony by "Jersey Girl" Lorie Van Auken and The Complete 9/11 Timeline author Paul Thompson before a July 2005 Congressional Briefing, 'The 9/11 Commission Report, One Year Later: Did They Get It Right?'

Skywalker Sound Records Veteran Narrator For 'Press For Truth'

'9/11 Press For Truth' co-executive producer Ken Ellis supervised veteran L.A. narrator Michael Pritchard's final voice over recording at Skywalker Sound in California today. Pritchard is best known as the voice of over four hundred books on tape, though he has appeared in everything from 'The Right Stuff' (1983) to TV's 'Taxi' (1978).

"Keeps the atmosphere charged," wrote 'Library Journal' regarding Pritchard's narration. 'AudioFile' referred to his "low key style" as "outstanding".

With narration completed, the filmmakers can finally reach "picture lock" in Manhattan by the end of the day tomorrow -- an industry term for the point at which no further tweaks or edits are made. Audio mix and color timing will take place all next week in a race to meet DVD distributor The Disinformation Company's due date of Friday, July 21.

911PressForTruth.com Now Online

The official web site of our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth' is now online. Created by Jason Klamm of Stolen Dress Entertainment in Hollywood and maintained by Banded Artists' Jon Roberts in Austin, TX, the site includes background stories of the 9/11 Family Steering Committee, Paul Thompson and his Complete 9/11 Timeline, and filmmakers behind the movie.

"Jersey Girl" Publishes New Book

Amazon.com is now accepting orders for 'Wake Up Call: The Education of a 9/11 Widow', New Jersey widow Kristen Breitweiser's forthcoming book recounting the story of her and her fellow "Jersey Girls'" fight for the truth relating to the attacks that killed their husbands. Though not interviewed in our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth', Breitweiser's story is featured prominently, as recounted in part by the other Jersey widows.

You can buy her book here.

'Press For Truth' to Be Released Nationwide on DVD

DVD distributors The Disinformation Company have signed for a September 26th release of our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth' in select stores nationwide.


Disinfo's previous DVD successes include Robert Greenwald's documentary 'Un trilogy' ('Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the War in Iraq', 'Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties', and 'Outfoxed: Rupert Murdochs War on Journalism'), Greg Palast's 'Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy', and most recently 'Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price'.

These previous Disinfo releases are available at such outlets as Blockbuster, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Family Video, and Amazon.com.

The filmmakers will now be rushing to meet Disinfo co-owner/operator Gary Baddeley's request for a mastered DLT by July 21st. The producers are continuing to explore avenues for U.S. limited theatrical release.

http://www.disinfo.com/
http://www.myspace.com/disinfo/

Trailer Up at GoogleVideo

Our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth' now has a two minute movie trailer available for viewing at Google Video:

Emmy-Winning Producer Joins 'Press For Truth' Team

Ken Ellis, senior producer for George Lucas Educational Foundation, has agreed to serve as co-executive producer for our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth', contributing his help with efforts to see the movie reach the finish line of U.S. exhibition.

Ellis has won six Northern California Emmys.

"Jersey Girls" Respond to Ann Coulter Attack

9/11 widows Patty Casazza, Mindy Kleinberg, Lorie Van Auken, and Monica Gabrielle, whose powerful story is told in our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth', released a statement today in reaction to Ann Coulter's attack, writing, "Contrary to Ms. Coulter's statements, there was no joy in watching men that we loved burn alive. There was no happiness in telling our children that their fathers were never coming home again. We adored these men and miss them every day."

Read their full statement here.

Also today, Republican Governor George E. Pataki of New York was harshly critical of Coulter's comments, telling the Associated Press, "I was really stunned, and I don't think its at all fair or accurate."

Ann Coulter Attacks the 9/11 Widows

In her new book, 'Godless: The Church of Liberalism', right-wing pundit Ann Coulter attacks the family members whose story is told in our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth', particularly the now-famous "Jersey Girls".

She writes, "These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzies. I have never seen people enjoying their husbands death so much. And by the way, how do we know their husbands werent planning to divorce these harpies? Now that their shelf life is dwindling, they'd better hurry up and appear in Playboy."

Appropriately, today's date is 6-6-6. Watch Matt Lauer confronting her about the statement this morning on NBC.

Another 9/11 Family Member Praises 'Press For Truth'

Bob McIlvaine, who lost his son in the World Trade Center, memorably closes our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth' by stating, in tears, "Im so pissed off at the American people. Im so pissed off at this government because of this cover up!"

Recently sent an advance copy of the movie, he responded today with an email reading:

"I just finished watching your documentary. Im actually shaking from not only the emotional impact but also the thought that the people of the United States might see it. My neighbor watched it with me, and I truly believe she was stunned and speechless. Every high school, college and university should have a copy of this documentary. It is imperative that the world know the truth about 9/11. Forever grateful, Bob McIlvaine. Father of Bobby."

Hour-Length TV Version Completed

'9/11 Press For Truth' director Ray Nowosielski, after taking some time off recently to get married to long-time girlfriend Shanna (CONGRATULATIONS, RAY & SHANNA!), was back in the edit bay last week, completing a shorter 48 min. 30 sec. cut of 'Press For Truth' intended for television markets, particularly overseas, which might be hesitant to buy a feature-length product.

Forty-eight and a half minutes is an hour of television in the U.S., minus commercials. Distributors MercuryMedia are excited about the increased potential for sales made possible by the second version, about which managing director Tim Sparke commented, "I feel confident that in '9/11 Press For Truth' we have a unique documentary that sets out a cogent, balanced argument into why there needs to be a new investigation into 9/11. Well done."

'Press For Truth' Lands U.S. Distributor

Up-and-coming distributors MercuryMedia ('Loose Change') have signed for U.S. (non-DVD) distribution. Managing director Tim Sparke is very enthusiastic about the movie, having emphasized how important it is that this subject reach an American audience, particularly in time for the 5th anniversary of 9/11. His company will be simultaneously pursuing U.S. theatrical avenues and major U.S. television channels.

'Press For Truth' Shopped at HotDocs

The 81 min. cut of '9/11 Press For Truth' was completed over the weekend by director Ray Nowosielski and editor Kozo Okumura at Globalvision's Manhattan offices, and forty DVDs were hand-delivered today by executive producer Kyle Hence to Films Transit International president Jan Rofekamp in Toronto. Rofekamp will be shopping the movie around to overseas exhibitors and television channels throughout the HotDocs Festival this week.

"Jersey Girls" Give Thumbs Up to 'Press For Truth'

Mindy Kleinberg and Lorie Van Auken, two of the 9/11 widows whose story is told in our upcoming movie '9/11 Press For Truth', recently screened an advance copy of the movie on DVD. Both sent emails approving of the documentary. Mindy wrote today that it was "very good", adding, "It is a little hard to be objective since we have lived this."