Urban Jacksonville

An exciting development is taking place at the 5 Points Theatre. Local cinema director, Tim Massett and his wife, are in the planning stages of negotiating a new lease to take over and re-energize the theatre.

If he pulls it off, it would add a vital cultural spark to an eclectic collection of close-in neighborhoods that would welcome such a spruced-up amenity, Riverside Avondale Preservation founder Wayne Wood said.

The Plans: Think Alamo Draft House

Plans include a larger screen, improved sound and acoustics, theater seats with a bar running the length of each row, and full-on kitchen where food will be delivered to your seat.

It will provide a unique combination of movie theatre and dining, showing first-run and independent films while offering beverage and expanded concession service that includes a carefully selected menu of freshly prepared appetizers, sandwiches, and pizzas as well as a wide selection of handcrafted, local beers and great wines.

Tim’s has a background in re-developing theatres and turning them into successful businesses. He got his start at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, where he worked in 1997. The Alamo Drafthouse is quite possibly the most famous movie theatre in Texas and maybe the US.

You may know also Tim from his involvement in many local film projects which include running the San Marco Theatre, The Pit, The Brooklyn Microcinema and The Talkies.

Crowdsource the $$$! An Innovative Funding Model

The business plan that has been reviewed and approved by the Small Business Association office in Jacksonville, now they need to raise about $95,000. So, Tim is taking his cause to the people and using the crowd-funding site Ulule to help fund the project.

Learn more about innovative ways to fund your next project in a recent article I wrote for One Spark, a movement dedicated to highlighting and fostering innovation in Jacksonville. @BeOneSpark

It should be noted that Tim and his wife plan to invest $10,000 of their own money in the redevelopment.

Plans to raise the money mirror an NPR pledge drive. There are pre-defined contribution levels and each has a reward associated with it. If you choose to pledge, the money will not be removed from your bank account until the project reaches it’s goal. If the project does not reach it’s goal in a stated time frame, no money will change hands.

For example, the $100 pledge level includes twelve movie tickets and twelve popcorns. With the average cost of a movie ticket around $7.50 this contribution pays for itself.

The Urban Jacksonville Matching Challenge & Other Ways to Help Launch This Project

I will match up to $100 contributed by Urban Jacksonville readers. I believe this could help elevate Jacksonville culturally and improve our quality of life. If you think so too, I challenge you to contribute.

Once you have contributed, forward me a copy of your contribution conformation email from Ulule. If there is anyone else out there who is interested in providing a match grant, let me know and I will help facilitate. Let’s amplify our efforts!

Here are some other ways to help. If you can do two of the items below, that would be awesome.

• Visit the project page, contribute and get some great rewards.
• Write a blog post, feel free to use any of the content on this post.
• Share the project page on Twitter or Facebook.
• Convince a family member or friend to contribute.
• Share this blog post with others.

I’m interested to hear your thoughts and comments if you have any. What do you think about this project?

The 904 from EnFocus Media on Vimeo.

Jacksonville, Florida- area code 904- has been the Sunshine State’s murder capital for the last 10 years. The homicide rate in Jacksonville has consistently topped other major metropolitan areas across Florida, including Miami, Orlando, and Tampa.

This past Thursday, the documentary The 904,” produced by First Coast Connect host and producer Melissa Ross had its debut screening at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Natalie Halpern from Jax Indie Film was there and interviewed Melissa Ross. Watch to Melissa describe the making of The 904 and the biggest lesson she learned.

Viva Cinema celebrates the best in Latino Filmmaking. This is a Jacksonville Film Events program in association with the NY Int’l Latino Film Festival. There will be movie screenings, workshops, and parties and I have two VIP Passes to give away.

Check out the schedule and the venues.

The Giveaway Details

I have two tickets to give away and here’s how it will work: You must be able to come to Five Points to pick up the tickets.

All you have to do is tweet this post.

At the end of the day (Wednesday) I’ll randomly choose a winner. If you’ve won before I’ll pick someone new. I’ll announce the winner on this post and I’ll let the winner know personally when they can come pick up their tickets.

Listen and Subscribe

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Subscribe with iTunes

You can now listen right now, click the play button above.

Special Guests: Jack & Pete from 5 Points Theatre

We move the show to the AM just for Tony and he skips out for a golf tournament.

Breakfast Sponsor: Uptown Market (we love it!)

5 Points Theatre
started on Hollywood model
switching to concentrated programming

challenges
“big, weird space”

Joey’s big idea - jaxindiefilm.com
blog for the theater
build buzz for independent film

“hub” for film buffs
resource for film makers
able to see your film on the big screen

upcoming events
Jacksonville Latino Film Festival

5 Points Horror Fest
October 23-30
Costume Party October 30

Friday Midnight Movies
all October movies = horror

Weekend Football Games
regional games
unique way to watch sports
FREE

First Fridays
open house

Facebook page
Twitter

Recommendations
Joey – TU article about Jags
Jonathan – bus shelters/ads article
Jack Diablo – Neon Indian @ TSI (Saturday)
Jack Shad – October 19 @ 9pm 1970 concert film
Pete – 5 Points Horror Fest

The 5 Points Theatre is looking for someone passionate about the Jacksonville film community to blog, tweet and help with theatre promotion ideas.

In exchange for helping, the theatre will grant this person, plus one guest, all access to every event at the theatre. No Exceptions.

If you want to apply you can read all the details here »

The Background

The theatre came to me and my partner David Wingard looking for ideas to promote the new indie/community theater format. When they realized community and independent film events brought in more people than the big, Hollywood films, they decided to do away with the big features and embrace the local film community.

My idea is to make the 5 Points Theatre a go-to place for local and independent film events. I hope to create a connection between the physical venue and the film community. I thought if the theatre opened up to the film community, local filmmakers would open up to the theatre.

So we are looking for that one person who can be an online advocate for the film community and let people know what’s going on around Jacksonville. You’ll get to work closely with the theatre and have an impact on your local community.

The deadline for applications is October 16th, so spread the word and tell your friends who might be interested in being this person in the film community.

It’s a big week for bike events. This weekend is the Night Ride and they need volunteers:

Just an hour or two of your time is all that is required and most of it can be done while you are out enjoying the different festival happenings. None it requires anything in the way of labor or heavy lifting. If you can help out email bikejax@gmail.com

1. I need a couple of people to split time and help out at Fuel (festival central)
2. I need a couple of people to hawk raffle tickets throughout the day. (Can be done while out enjoying the fest.)
3. I am going to need several ride guides for The Night Ride itself.
4. I am in need of a couple of people with digital video cameras that would be willing to document the event in all of it’s glory.

Here is the massive Night Ride schedule. The Night Ride is a day long celebration of the bicycle and it’s rider. All events are Free to all that attend and are held throughout Riverside and Five Points.

• Bike Art Show – All Day @ Flux Galley – Creations of Local And Not So Local Artists Held at Flux Gallery.
• Bike Tour of Bold City Brewers – Noon to 5 PM – Celebrate the Opening of Bold City Brewery With a Tasty Bike Tour. Tours are on the hour every hour Noon thru 5 PM.
• Bike Film Festival – Starting 1 PM @ Fuel – Features and Shorts staring the bike and those who ride it. Films will be running thoughout the day starting 1 pm at Fuel in Five Points.
• Bike Polo – 1 – 2 PM
• Woman’s Workshop – 2 PM @ Jax EBikes – A ladies only workshop. Learn how to maintain your bike along with basic repairs from the gang at Zombie Bikes CoOp.
• Bike Polo – 3 – 4 PM
• Bike Maintenance Workshop – 4 PM @ Jax EBikes – A workshop open to all. Learn how to maintain your bike along with basic repairs from the gang at Zombie Bikes CoOp.
• 70′s Theme Costume Contest – 5:00 PM @ Fuel – Funkyist Male & Female Receive a hand made bomb proof Burro Bag.
• Raffle – 5 PM @ Fuel – Sweet swag from the fine merchants in Five Point and Jacksonville Area Bike Shops.
• The Night Ride – Ride starts 6:30 PM – The Night RIde is the culmination of our day long celebration of the bike. I hope you will make plans to join us on this epic event for and about cyclists. Where: Riverwalk Under the Fuller Warren Bridge When: leaving at 6:30 PM Oct. 11th
• 8:00 PM – Bike Films @ Fuel

On to other bike related events. Yes, there are more.

Burro Bags is planning a birthday party for this January
Movie Night! Tomorrow Night at Zombie Bikes: 12-4 and MOVIE NIGHT at the shop bring blankets/chairs we’ll be watching Quicksilver at 8pm

Editors Note: This post was written by Tim Massett, the film programmer of San Marco Theater. Tim is also a friend of Urban Jacksonville.

Heavy Metal in Baghdad
San Marco Theatre
June 13th & 14th at 11:55pm

In 2003 the folks over at Vice were tipped off about the only metalband in Iraq, Acrassicauda. They became immediately obsessed:

We’re in Baghad to interview the only IRAQI heavy metal band called, ACRASSICAUDA, we have been calling them for three years and we needed to check in on them to see if they are still alive. This is risky, it s dangerous an people would say it s really fucking stupid for us to be doing this but uh… you know HEAVY METAL RULZ!! -Suroosh Alvi

The band formed during the reign of Saddam Hussein and even had the chance to play a few times while the country was still under his thumb. The band (and the people of Iraq) saw some relief after the initial invasion but then soon after the country began to spiral out of control. In 2005 Vice, despite mortars flying overhead and having to jump through an exhausting series of hoops, arranged a show for them at a hotel in Baghdad that went off without a hitch minus a short-lived power outage. Unfortunately that was to be the last show Acrassicauda would ever play in Iraq.

In 2006, through a precarious set of travel arrangements, the filmmakers make itto Baghdad to finally meet the band after all these years. What they find in Iraq is a “gangster’s paradise” — rampant kidnappings and up to 300 murders in a day. The filmmakers first hook up with Firas, the bass player, and discuss the current situation. He sums it up with “They took Ali-Baba and left the 40 thieves.” The band is on hiatus as Marwan has fled to Syria. The meeting arranged by Vice was the first time Firas and Faisal (best friends and bandmates) had seen each other in six months though they live 15 minutes apart.

The film presents a small but incredibly powerful window into the complete chaos the good ol US OF A helped to create through a common story to which every Westerner can relate …rock n roll. It seems to me that the existence of a bandlike Acrassicauda created under Saddam was evidence of the west s real secret weapon to overturn the tyrannical regime that was in place. It may have been a slower process but one that would have avoided the cataclysmic shock and suffering that has befallen the citizens of Iraq.

I don’t know whether or not you’ll come see Heavy Metal in Baghdad because of the time slot. Perhaps scheduling it as a midnight movie isn’t the smartest programming choice I have made but uh…you know HEAVY METAL RULEZ!!

San Marco Theatre
June 13th & 14th
11:55pm

NY Post and IMDB Reviews