HELLO AMERICA!—Today’s filmmakers are hitting every corner of the globe today. The technology has opened the door for fantastic stories which millions of young people who are religiously exploring for mass marketing. Teenagers are creating movies from their iPhones and delivering the best kind of “editing” results which one might expect from any studio in Hollywood.
It’s a phenomenal time for those who have a passion for film story-telling. I was recently introduced to two amazing young filmmakers, Smari Gunn and Stephanie Lewis from England visiting our creative scene here in Hollywood. Their film “Happy Anniversary” was nominated to receive an iHorror Film Award which is quite an honor for young producers anytime in the industry.
Now A bit about the film: “Happy Anniversary” takes place at the one year wedding anniversary of Jeremy and Joanna. Their wedding day was interrupted by a zombie invasion before they got to have their first dance as a married couple, but Jeremy who is a human has planned to serenade his zombie wife, Joanna, by finally doing their first dance to Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.” The film is directed by a fantastic, up and coming, English director, Mark Kuczewzki who is predicted headed for a big film future.
iHorror is building horror news and entertainment company for the social mobile age. Every year, with over 1.6 million followers, iHorror honors those in the business who have contributed to the genre by selecting them as the recipient of the coveted iHorror Award. “Happy Anniversary” is nominated for the 2017 ceremony in the Best Horror Short category.
Smari Gunn and Stephanie Lewis star in “Happy Anniversary,” as tortured couple Jeremy and Joanna. In real life, they are also a couple but slightly less tortured, at least neither of them is a zombie. This is the first time they have been on the big screen together, although they have collaborated on a few projects before this one, but Smari recently directed Stephanie in the martial arts thriller “Shadow of the Dragon Lady” that is currently doing the festival rounds.
“We work really well together as we trust each other and respect each other’s advice which might elevate our performance.”
Smari is originally from Iceland and he goes back regularly to do film and theatre work over there. Stephanie who is born and bred in the UK has been breaking into the Icelandic market as well doing a film there last year. Together they recently completed a theatre run in Iceland performing in “Journey to the Centre of the Earth,” based on Jules Verne’s famous novel.
“We are currently based in London for the most parts,” Lewis said. “And [I’m] working on several film projects individually there this year, but we’ve got one eye on Los Angeles after being there last autumn and making some great connections.”
It was flattering to hear from Smari what they thought about me during their brief stay in Hollywood.
“Michael St John joined us on a lovely night in LA where we watched an improv show at Ford Amphitheatre and he blew us away with his stories about Hollywood back in the day. His anecdotes and relationships with people like Marilyn Monroe, Eartha Kitt and Tennessee Williams were truly remarkable, I remember thinking Michael is like a real life Forrest Gump of Hollywood in the sense that he was there, right in the middle of it all with all the biggest names in film history. Just spending one night with him you understand why all the stars were attracted to his company, his bubbly personality, wit and warmth is like no other.”
Hey folks, hearing this kind of reaction about one’s self is quite kind and I’m anxious to make Smari and Stephanie a part of our documentary “Michael St. John’s Insane, Mad Hollywood World,” currently before the camera.
