ONE FILM: GLORY The saga of a couple of guys, a camera and a lunatic new flick Part One Written by Frank J. Avella (Opposite - Ben Sandomir and Scott Hammon)

The indie film explosion of the 1990’s produced some of the most exciting filmmakers since the early 70’s--auteurs such as Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, David O. Russell, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Jonze...just to name a few. In order to capitalize on this wealth of amazing talent, the major studios began creating smaller, subdivisions to handle independent features (and to compete with the mighty Miramax). Many worried that this would signal the end of true independent film.

But like the theatre, where Broadway elitism gave birth to off-Broadway avant-garde which, then, begat off-off-Broadway where with a script and and a generous Aunt Sally anyone with some knowhow can produce a play, new filmmakers (without a trust fund who have no ‘connections’ to speak of) are now able to be a part of the maddening, thrilling, infuriating, wonderful world of movie-making.

So with the glisten of Sundance in their eyes and the knowledge of the latest technological advances that have significantly lowered costs without damage to quality, a generation of ambitious artists are embarking on their own projects in the hopes that they can get their vision seen by an audience, a studio rep, a manager...anyone but Aunt Sally!

Okay, even Aunt Sally!

This entire process, however, is fraught with the perils of saturation. The New York Times recently ran an article about the legion of filmmaker-wannabes bankrupting themselves and their supporters (usually friends, family--wave to Aunt Sally!) in pursuit of a dream: following in the footsteps of mavericks like the Blair Witch dudes (what are their names again? does anyone remember? No.) or Jonathan Caouette, who made the autobio-docu gem, Tarnation, for a reported $218. (Although when song rights were cleared and post-production editing improved--that figure ballooned to $460,000--a gargantuan Macy’s Day Parade balloon!)

In a time when the road to the festival-circuit is laden with the eviscerated remains of ‘filmmakers’ who had the wherewithal to actually survive pre-and post production without offing themselves only to find it impossible to get past the application process, it takes a true visionary with rabid ambition and genuine passion, perseverance--not to mention a killer sense of humor--to survive that grenade-laced road. Someone with balls.

Or two someones.

The Directors

Whether they are rabidly ambitious or not remains to be seen (as does their film which is currently in a post-production freeze while they raise further monies to edit) but Ben Sandomir and Scott Hammon are two filmmakers who certainly have passion, perseverance, a terrific sense of humor...and balls! And there is an exhilarating lack of pretense about them. A couple of bullshit-free boys, something rare and spectacularly refreshing in the filmworld!

Who is BenScott?

Can Ben and Scott prove to be the new Ben and Matt? Do they want to be the new Matt and Ben? I never bothered to ask as they didn’t seem like guys who wanted to be anything or anyone except what and who they are. And from what I learned, their film, Fortune Cookies & Glory, will probably reveal a great deal about them (once it’s completed) and we may all be, at once, intrigued, terrified and bedazzled when it finally sees the flickering light of cinema-day.

Will the bullshit-less-ness last once Hollywood gets it’s vice-grip-grope on them? They could very well become a couple more smiling, brooding, monotone sound-byte spewing talking heads. But why worry about that now? BenScott find Fortune Cookies & Glory their reason to get up in the morning and that is much more than most people have.

WHO ARE THEY, you’re still asking...keep calm. Let’s discuss their balls first or to use a less crass--more family friendly word, chutzpah! Okay, that isn’t necessarily family friendly. How about: audacity; fearlessness; spunk--oops, back to vulgar.

And what makes them so bold? (that’s the word!) I will tell you. These first-time feature filmmakers (and best friends) have taken it upon themselves to co-write, co-produce, co-direct AND co-star in Fortune Cookies & Glory. (A feat I am certain Kevin Spacey would attempt if he could clone himself. Let us thank good Christ the medical community hasn’t come that far--yet!) And BenScott made it to the post-process and are still friends! That alone deserves some kind of award. Or, at least, some investments!!! (www.hammomir.com)

Ben Sandomir and Scott Hammon grew up in Florida. They met their Sophomore year in college, hitting it off instantly. After shooting a short together, they began writing the screenplay that would become Fortune Cookies & Glory.. The production company was then named Hammomir, which is a hybrid of their two last names and was chosen “because Sandhamm sounded stupid.”

Ben Scott	Ben Scott

Much of the script was written in a back/forth improv style where they would share ideas “arguing over every piece...everything,” shares Scott. .”Always striving for originality.” They both offer that the film’s climax is “very twisted” and has never been done before, a bold (that word again) statement, especially in 2005 where appropriation is it’s own art form in film, music, television and theatre.

Once the script was finished (a 5 month process) the decision to lens the film was a pretty easy one. First came a meticulous list of every shot as well as all the pre-production headachy/fun stuff such as scouting locations, casting (they wanted the Jungle Queen to be “topless” but no one would do it, once they removed that word from the casting call, they found their Queen!), purchasing the state-of-the-art digicam, oh, and, of course fundraising (Hi, Aunt Sally, how have you been?)...

Story Board Drawing of
Main Characters Brad & Gerry Before
Their Lives Were Ruined

All prep work culminated in a calamitous first day with both guys sharing directing chores. Murphy’s Law was in high gear that day as they battled the elements--literally the rains poured as it was hurricane season (Florida has since become synonymous with treacherous weather). They were able to shoot after locating the MIA DP, and they both recognized the moment they saw footage and knew something magical had happened...and the family and friends they had left were there to experience it.

Filming ran from July to October of 2004 and when it was over they had 50 hours of footage just waiting to be spliced together. And it still sits in their apartment waiting to be spliced together...thank God! Like any underdog story this one has it’s scary moment as well. BenScott (they live together, too) were burglarized and lost a load of computer equipment as well as that state-of-the-art camera...but miraculously, the tapes weren’t touched.

To support themselves, Ben works at a health desk and Scott is a 5th grade teacher. Both have a game plan after the film is edited which involves the festival route (of course) and other ways to try and snag a distributor.

Both seem to trust each other, making decision on what best serves the movie. Ben modestly offers: “I have computer knowledge and Scott is really handsome.”

So what’s Fortune Cookies & Glory about?

Story Board Drawing of
Main Characters Brad & Gerry After
Their Lives Were Ruined

BenScott couldn’t seem to agree on how to categorize it (and we do live in the age of the perfect this-meets-that pitch shit.” It’s a dark comedy.” “It’s an epic comedy with dark elements.” Semantics? Not to them. “It’s a comedy adventure with a bit of horror.” “It’s an outrageous comedy that has a climax you have never seen before.” “It’s a fucking awesome story that’s never been done before.” Well, I’m certainly curious.

Plotwise, three women get pregnant at the same time by Brad and Gerry (Ben and Scott). And the guys must come up with a way of making money to support them. They do, but manage to piss off a tribal village in the process. And somehow there’s the possibility of the arrival of a giant penis. The twists and turns are pretty evident in the trailer which you can check out at http://www.hammomir.com.

Disclaimer: this writer has no idea if BenScott (the writer’s shorthand for the filmmakers) actually have an Aunt Sally and if they happen to, let it be known that nothing was written to deliberately offend and/or compliment such Aunt in any way. On an unrelated note, this author has a CyberAunt Sally and would like to give her a high five!

Note to snippy film geeks: The Blair Witch Project was directed by Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez. Again, I add, who?