Bob Fosse, The Beatles, Harry Nilsson, Jim Henson, "under the."
Directors
Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Stephen Soderberg, Federico Fellini, Robert Altman, John Cameron Mitchell, Richard Lester, The Coen Brothers, Todd Haynes
Festivals
SXSW, Florida Film Festival, Solstice Film Festival, deadCENTER Film Festival, Temecula Valley Film Festival, Athens International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival
Rainbow Around the Sun's Interests
Music
Purchase the original album that inspired the movie! Featuring 15 songs, including one track not included in the film
"Rainbow Around the Sun" is a rock musical based on the album of the same name by singer-actor Matthew Alvin Brown. In the vein of classic musicals like "Tommy," "Pink Floyd: The Wall," and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," "Rainbow" tells its story almost entirely through songs and imagery.
Brown stars as Zachary Blasto, a hard-drinking but talented songwriter and performer who creates vivid musical fantasies to avoid dealing with the downward spiral of his personal life. When confronted with the loss of someone he loves, Zach must choose whether to face his demons or surrender to the madness of his imaginary world.
Balancing dramatic interludes with vaudevillian dance numbers and fully animated rock performances, "Rainbow Around the Sun" is an unconventional narrative that plays more like a favorite album than a typical movie. Scenes are sequenced like songs on a record, seamlessly moving from dramatic moments to honky-tonk performances and fully animated Busby Berkely-style hallucinations.
It's a film that wears its heart on its sleeve, created by filmmakers who believe that music can be a healing force in life, if you let it.
"Rainbow Around the Sun" world premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2008.
TEAM AWESOME presents in association with PANTHER OF TRUST MUSIC "RAINBOW AROUND THE SUN"
MATTHEW ALVIN BROWN JAMIE BUXTON DOUG VAN LIEW
based on the album "Rainbow Around the Sun" by MATTHEW ALVIN BROWN
performed by THE FELLOWSHIP STUDENTS additional scoring by NATHAN SILER
director of photography ALAN NOVEY editor BEAU J. LELAND production design REBECCA McCAULEY
produced by KIM HAYWOOD screenplay by KEVIN ELY directed by KEVIN ELY and BEAU J. LELAND
That truly was awesome. Just seeing what you all could do together... yes. And what a classic yet new way to tie music, blend it to Zach's story.
Mind blowing, gut busting. And we even discussed how cool it would be to know all the words and sing along with Matt/Zach. And maybe dress up a bit, throw confetti, eat cupcakes.
The element of the death of a loved one/fear of loving kept making me tear up, damn you.
And...
I'm a little embarrassed, but at a quiet moment the teacher/den mother in me came out when a chatty group was at it by the popcorn machine. I stood up and 'shhhhhushed' them, and when that didn't work, I said, "Hush!".
Shellie pointed out that it might very well have been you all over there.
god, i wish i could! argh! this film i am working on is gonna be very god but it's very very very stressful right now and i wishi could come have a beer or 30 with y'all in your hometown!!! fried pickles!
Paint Orlando (or the appropriate suburb to Orlando) rainbow, my pretty ones. And please don't drunk dial me in the middle of the night. Mama needs her beauty sleep.
Oh you all! I am so sorry to have missed sending each one of you a great send-off...filled with luck and a hope for success and great experiences!
I can say that I love each and every one of you, I'm proud of you, and I wish I could help or be there and listen to what everyone says to you or anything about the showing.
When you come back home, can you show it to me? I know the rules for many festivals say that it can't be 'shown' previously to the premier at the festival. But you will let me know when I can come see it won't you? I'll make us some hamburgers and bring mudslides if one of you has a blender.... (but not the hamburger and mudslide together in the blender, because that would be silly! And gross.)
Oh! And why don't one of you all put down your flyers, romance novels and bon bons :) , and put a blog out on your day to day experience.
Draw spaghetti sticks. I nominate Kim if you don't have spaghetti sticks.
Recently uploaded is Shooter Jamie King’s feature STEAL THIS FILM II, a follow-up to his first film about film piracy, the torrent phenomenon and questioning the battles between new and old methods of distribution.
