New "Cereal for Dinner" Site!

Good news: my NYU 16mm thesis film, "Cereal for Dinner" (formerly titled "Day of Embers") is nearing its post-production completion!

It's been a long time coming, and I appreciate everyone's patience as we work on the finishing touches of sound and color correction. This site is a way of paying my respects to a group of fantastic people that have helped in so many ways to make this film happen.

So, without further adieu, I invite you to visit "Cereal for Dinner's" official website! Here you'll find everything on the "Cereal" world:

• Trailer
• Production Stills
• Schedule
• Film Supporters
• Cast/Crew
• Updates on the Film's Progress

Later on, we hope to keep track of film festival entries, as well as premieres. In addition, I have added links to our crew's professional websites, so you can check out what else they've been up to.

Please feel free to leave comments, ask questions or leave suggestions about things that can be added to the site. And most of all, thank you once again for your ongoing faith in the film: it's a long journey, but it's worth the time. I hope you will agree.

DOE Update: New Title Christened + Music

Just thought I'd pass on the good word that my film DOE ("Day of Embers") has officially been re-titled "Cereal for Dinner."

This was a decision made based on the following:

a.) "Day of Embers" sounds like a post-apocalyptic epic thriller, whilst my film is about two kids, a sprinkler, and a lawnmower that happens to catch fire. It doesn't need the fanfare.

b.) I wanted a title that tied into the childhood theme and that meshed with the message; I was having dinner with Ryan and my producer, Josh, when I started talking about my family (which is what the script was based on) and the fact that we were so chaotic and odd that we used to eat cereal for dinner frequently. A lightbulb appeared over each of our heads, and the title was born.

In addition to re-vamping the title, I have been trying to rework the edit to make it shorter and more engaging. Unfortunately, I can't do any sound design until the edit has been finalized, and it desperately needs it better sound. In some ways I feel this is hindering the actual editing process, but I have no choice but to cut what I can as is.

One thing I have been trying to do to help with the flow is to incorporate some music beforehand to get a feel of where I want it and how it can be utilized to affect the emotions portrayed onscreen. Ryan has put together one main theme to use throughout to represent the kids; it has a very bittersweet, ethereal, summer sound. I am also experimenting with some other songs he's created before that are more fast paced (see original trailer) to hype the energy up for the scenes with the parents arguing and lawnmower climax.

Check out Ryan's new track (and other music) here!

Works on 16mm

Back at NYU: Tisch, I took a semester of 16mm Filmmaking with professor Rick Litvin. They were shot with a crew of four (a rotating crew of Director, Cinematographer, Sound, & Gaffer), in whatever locations were available, and with whatever props we had ready, on a chunky, German Arri camera.

Here are some of my works, in order from earliest to latest:

"Lost in the Library" 2005

A little girl gets finds herself separated from her sister on a trip to the library, shot in the eerie NYU Bobst Library. My favorite of the 16mm shorts.

CAST
Michelle Coughlin
Lili Stromberg

"Rain Shower" 2005
One of the more experimental films I've done (I'm not very good at them). I had this idea during a peculiarly rainy week, of a girl fainting/dreaming in the shower.

CAST
Tara Rose Stromberg

"Waiting for Dad" 2005
Time passes slowly when you're waiting for dad to get home safe and sound.

CAST
Ceri Stromberg
Lili Stromberg
Jim Stromberg
Tara Stromberg

"Changing Season" 2005
I like this Stranglers song, so I just sort of came up with some images - half film, half drawn - to go with it. It was shot in New Jersey's Longstreet Farm, where I used to volunteer.

CAST
Michelle Coughlin

"Day of Embers" Trailer Out!

When a mini disaster strikes, Katy's family undergoes a true role reversal. Why can't she just be a kid?

"Day of Embers" [Working Title]

DIRECTOR: Tara Rose Stromberg
EDITOR: Phil Chernyak
PRODUCERS: James Morrison, Joshua Goolsby
DP: Andrew Willis
MUSIC: Ryan Haupt

ACTORS:
Gianna Dafflisio (Katy)
Jason Schulmann (Peter)
Chris McNamara (Glenn)
Rebecca Hailey (Lorraine)