DAKOTA SKYE is coming out on DVD on July 14th.

You can pre-order it NOW through various sites.

I do not know as of now where it will be available for rent, but should know soon and I'll post something when i hear.  Sorry about the prolonged absence from MySpace, but I am back now and will be updating more frequently.

The DVD is going to be GREAT.  we put a lot of work into making it something special.  special features on the disc include:

- audio commentary with director John Humber and writer Chad Shonk
- "Truth Behind the Lies: the making of Dakota Skye" - a 17 minute doc about the making of the film.
- trailers
- interviews
- gag reel

Please check out the film and let us know what you think.  We are all really really excited about the movie finally coming out.  It has been a very long road but it is all more than worth it.  Thanks for all the support and please help spread the word about the movie coming out.


- John


here are some links to where you can pre-order the film:
Amazon

Best Buy

Target

Barnes and Noble

I got some great news the other day…

WE GOT INTO ANOTHER FILM FESTIVAL!

I am incredibly happy to announce that we will be screening at the 10th annual WATERFRONT FILM FESTIVAL.  I have heard amazing things about this festival and am extremely honored to have DAKOTA be a part of it.  I was looking up some information online and found that when the "Screen Actor's Guild Magazine" listed their top 5 favorite film festivals in the Winter 2007 issue, Waterfront was on that list.  The other festivals listed were, Sundance, Cannes, CineVegas and SXSW.  That is pretty amazing company.  

The festival will be held June 12-15th in Saugatuck Michigan, right on the shores of Lake Michigan.  The complete list of films have not been published yet, but that and the schedule for the festival should be up in the next few days.

Chad and I will be coming up there for the festival and could not be more excited.  

As things progress with the festival, I will be updating and I am intending to bring my computer to the festival and let everyone know how it is going day by day.  This is a really exciting time and could be the "break" that we need to start on the road to distribution.  On that front, there are some other things percolating that I cant get into now, but if they work out the way that they look to, I will be writing about it soon.

Thanks again for all the support and if you are in the Northwest in June, please come out and check out the film.  The festival is going to be a hell of a time (according to people I've talked to that have gone).

-John

click to go to Waterfont Film Festival page

I know that it has been a while since I have updated the page but I wanted to write and let everyone know about the FirstGlance Film Fest that we screened at last month. We were the closing night film of the festival, had a great turnout and a pretty amazing response from the audience. Thank you to everyone that came out to support the film. I really hope that you enjoyed it. My thanks to the festival and to its director, Bill. I had a blast and my only regret is that I was not able to see more films. The downside of being in a festival where you live is that you seem to have your pesky life get in the way.

One more thing about the festival…

WE WON MORE AWARDS!!!

I know that in the grand scheme of things, the awards do not mean much, but let me tell you… it is really nice when you do get one. The night of the screening we were presented with the award for "Best Ensemble". This one was really great because it was an acknowledgement of the entire cast. I am so proud of all of them and to have their hard work awarded was really special. The other award that we got was the big one. We won the "Best of the Fest". It is the grand prize of sorts that singles out one film out of all the features, documentaries, and shorts and rewards it. One more thing that makes this one really great is that the audience ballots are factored in with the jury vote so it means that the people really responded to the film.

The fest was awesome (no, not just because we won awards) and I highly recommend it to anyone that lives in LA and wants to catch some quality films. I can only assume that the sister festival in Philadelphia is just as fun.

Thanks again to Bill and staff and volunteers at the FirstGlance Film Fest Hollywood. I'm already looking forward to next year.

- John

So to say that it was a great weekend would be an understatement…

A large group of the "Dakota Skye" family (Chad, Shaun, Eileen, Ian, Bay, Dominique, Chuck, Jeff and myself) all came out from LA to attend the Phoenix Film Festival.  In town, we had the support of my incredible family who bent over backwards to help with everything and some of the crew that was able to make it out and see the movie for the first time.  Put that all together and we had a nice group there to represent the film.  The reception for the film was phenomenal to say the least.  All three of the screenings that we had were pretty full and the final showing was completely sold out.  Not only was the Sunday show sold out, but they ended up starting the screening a little late so they could bring in folding chairs because so many people wanted to get in that could not get tickets.  It was overwhelming.  I could not have asked for a better crowd or a better reaction to the film.  The fact that it was where I am from and where we shot the film just made it that much sweeter.  

The Phoenix Film Festival was incredibly impressive.  I have been to about a dozen film festivals and this one belongs among the top.  It is so well run and organized, but maintains a personal touch with the best volunteers that I have ever met.  We just started taking Dakota to the festivals, but talking to the other filmmakers, the sentiment was the same.  It is easily one of the most filmmaker friendly festivals that are out there.  We all had a fantastic time.  The other thing that caught me off guard was the other filmmakers.  It was an amazing group of people and a great group of films.  I really wished that I had the chance to see all of their films, but the ones that I saw were really impressive.  As far as people, you couldn’t ask for better.  I really feel that after 5 days in Phoenix, I left with a group of new friends.

Now the best for last…

WE WON AN AWARD!!!

Chad Shonk won the award for the best screenplay.  It was amazing!!!  I just want to say that as a friend and as a collaborator, I feel lucky to be able to call you both.  Congratulations and very very well deserved…

It was a very fitting award for our group since it was the script that brought everyone together.  It was and is a great script and it is nice to see it being recognized.  I am extremely proud and honored and I can only guess what it meant to Chad.  It was a magical night and weekend. 

If you love movies or if you like to have a good time, please take the time out to check out the Phoenix Film Festival.  They have a fan for life in me for sure.  

- john

One more special mention to the unsung hero of the "Dakota Skye" family for the weekend...  Thank you Spencer!!!  Spencer was our liaison at the festival and could not have been more helpful.  He is a great guy and we all are grateful for all his help.

so we are here in Phoenix about to have our first showing and i go downstairs and look at the morning paper and there, on page three of the movie section, there is an article about me and about the movie!  it is quite surreal to open the paper that you grew up reading and see your own picture.  here is a link to the article:

link to AZ REPUBLIC article

i was also on the JR and Mary morning show on 93.3 KUPD (thanks to friend and fellow DAKOTA SKYE producer Shaun).  i am told that it went well and that i sounded awake.  that may not sound like much, but considering that last night was the opening night party and i didn’t get to sleep till after 4am and the interview was this morning at 630am, i thought it was quite the feat to sound away and chipper.

there is supposed to be something tonight on the local news about the film as well... if you are in Phoenix, keep an ear open and be sure to come out and see the movie (and bring EVERYONE you know). 

the screenings are at:
Harkins Scottsdale/101
Friday - 440pm
Saturday - 920am
Sunday 1240pm

here is a link to buy tickets if you wan to get them online:
click HERE to buy tickets

i will try and keep updating as the weeked progresses...
-john

We are screening "Dakota Skye" in Phoenix starting at the end of the week, but there are some stories running this week about the film and how it was shot in Phoenix. 

if you want to check out the full story, click on the link below.

link to article in the SCOTTSDALE TRIBUNE

just a reminder...
"Dakota Skye" is playing:
Friday, April 4 at 4:40 pm
Saturday, April 5 at 9:20 am
Sunday, April 6 at 12:40 pm

I hope you can make it out if you are in town.  More information can be found on the page.

-john

Tickets are on sale for the April 13 screening of DAKOTA SKYE at the FirstGlance Film Fest Hollywood…

The movie will be playing with a few short films and it will sell out fast, so you should buy tickets SOON if you want to see it. I don't know when the next time we will be screening in LA, so this is the time. Please buy tickets and spread the word to anyone that might want to go. Since it is playing with some short films, I would love to sell out the limited amount of tickets that they have so that more people will be there in support of DAKOTA. There is an audience award at this festival, so each vote counts.

I know it is easy to put off buying the tickets because the screening is not for another month, but they will be gone soon if you don't buy them now. I really hope that everyone that wants to come will be able to, but the only way to guarantee that is to click on the link below and buy them.

Here is the screening information:

SUNDAY LATE SCREENING
Raleigh Studios Chaplin Theater
5300 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038

SUNDAY, APRIL 13
8PM


CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Thank you and I hope to see you there

-john

There is some great news to report in the world of DAKOTA SKYE… There is an addition to the family. Jeff "The Dude" Dowd has agreed to rep the film!!!

Now that might not sound like anything if you don't know what a producer's representative is and what they can do for a film. Here is a little bit of what a rep and in our case, The Dude, can bring to the table. He is connected in every level of the industry (festivals, critics, publicists, distributors, executives and so forth) and will put this knowledge and 30 years of experience towards finding not only a home for our movie, but the RIGHT home. This is one of the big pieces that has been missing and having him on board will help equip us with the tools and the direction that we need. He loves the film and is excited about taking this journey with us. I could not be happier about it.

Here are just a few of the films that he has either consulted on the marketing or been a producer's rep on:
BLOOD SIMPLE, THE BLACK STALLION, CHARIOTS OF FIRE, GHANDI, HOOSIERS, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, MATALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER, BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS, and DUMA.

That is just a small bit of the things that Jeff has done. Here is a link to his website if you want to check out how awesome he really is…

www.jeffdowd.com

Oh, yeah… one more thing that is kinda cool about him. He served as the inspiration for the character of "The Dude" in THE BIG LEBOWSKI… that's right – he's the "real" Dude!!! Here's a quote about him by Roger Ebert:

"Everybody knows someone like the Dude—and so, rumor has it, do the Coen Brothers. They based the character on a movie producer and distributor named Jeff Dowd, a familiar figure at film festivals, who is tall, large, and shaggy and a boil with enthusiasm. Dowd is much more successful than Lebowski (he has played an important role in the Coen's career as indie filmmakers), but no less a creature of the movement. Both dudes depend on improvisation and inspiration…"
-Roger Ebert
CHICAGO SUN TIMES

I have spent a good portion of the last week meeting with Jeff and talking about the film, the strategy and the possibilities. Trust me… his involvement might be that thing that we need to go to the next level and have a chance to shine in front of the people that can really get the film out there for everyone to see. There will be many more updates to come, so please keep checking in.


So there you have it… The Dude abides!
-john

The screening information for DAKOTA SKYE has been posted and the individual tickets are now on sale for the Phoenix Film Festival. If you are close or feel like a nice flight or drive to Phoenix, please come and support us. We are in competition at the festival and it is a coming home of sorts for us all as well. We shot the movie there and finally we can show it there. I am very excited...

Here is the information about the screenings:

FRIDAY, APRIL 4th
4:40 PM
Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre 6

SATURDAY, APRIL 5th
9:20 AM
Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre 6

SUNDAY, APRIL 6th
12:40 PM
Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre 6



There will be a Q&A after the screening with myself and Chad for sure and maybe some other people if they can make it out.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Here's a link to the site where you can buy individual tickets:
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

-John

The full list of films in the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival have been posted along with show times and descriptions.

The good news is that there are only four feature films in competition and "Dakota Skye' is one of them!!!

The other thing is that the short film that plays before us at the festival is called "X" and is the directorial debut of none other than Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, American Gangster, Goonies). Here is a synopsis of that short:

"A father and daughter search for their buried loved one.

In his directorial debut, Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) directs his brother, Eden Brolin, who skillfully plays a guilt-ridden inmate recently escaped from prison and reunited with his young teenage daughter. Together they head out on the road to find the hidden grave of his murdered wife in order to give her a proper burial. As they travel, they develop a new understanding for each as they both confront their mutual love and loss. Drama. USA. 16 m. Screens with Dakota Skye."


Come out and see the movie. Thanks!

-john