Designer Carolina Inoue Starts 2017 Off Right! Wins Best Production Designer Award at the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival

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Steve Thompson

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Designer Carolina Inoue Starts 2017 Off Right! 
Wins Best Production Designer Award at the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival

(January, 2017, Los Angeles, CA) Carolina Inoue is an award winning production and costume designer. This Japanese-Brazilian designer based in Los Angeles has worked in South America, Europe and now leaves her mark in Hollywood. She has become known for Kumal (2016), Red Souls (2016), The Meet (2016) and will soon be known for Downrange (2017), and many more!

She began the new year by earning a Best Production Designer award from the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, for Kumal, directed by Thirati Kay, her second award for this movie.

Last year she worked on The Gliksmans, directed by M. Skolnick, starring the legendary actors Edward Asner and Cloris Leachman; The Open House, directed by Matt Angel and Suzzane Coote and starring teen star Dylan Minnette. She's working in the pre-production of Keanu Reeves' next movie, and was also the Production Designer of the pilot for the series Faulk My Life, which is expected to be distributed by a major studio soon.

Several of the movies she worked on last year went on to earn awards:

Red Souls - Best Film at Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival 

The Boy in the Mirror - Best Film - California Women's Film Festival

Not Yet - California Film Awards and International Filmmakers Festival of World Cinema - Milan

Run for the Truth - Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards

Carolina on The Glicksmans set with Cloris Leachman

Daughter of an architect, she grew up helping her mother design luxury houses and apartments in Brazil. But she always had a passion for making clothes: "My mom taught me how to stitch when I was five, so I could make my own clothes for my dolls and stuffed animals." 

She attended The University of Sao Paulo in Brazil earning a bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, specializing in Costume Design. After graduating she earned a scholarship to study Fine Arts and Design at the University of Porto (FBAUP) in Portugal. In the US she studied Business and Creativity at Stanford University, and film at the New York Film Academy.

That training opened the doors to the the theatre and movie industries. Once she began working in movies she discovered her passion for the art department. Designing and building sets reminds her of making sketches and floor plans with her mom! She started helping colleagues with their thesis films, and through referrals and good networking, in less than a year she progressed from ultra low budget films to movies with budgets of millions of dollars.

She has now been working in costume design for seven years, and has worked in production design in the US  for about three years.

Villain's Mask for Downrange

She is currently working as a costume designer with Ryuhei Kitamura, a well known Japanese director, on Downrange. She designed and hand made the villain's costume. The villain's mask will be featured in the film's marketing as the "face" of the movie.  And for Hector Echavarris on The Pastor, she's making the hero's costume.

"Every script is a new adventure. The story begins on piece of paper, then I as the designer, create the universe that surrounds the story told in the script. I consider where the story takes place, when it takes place, who is in the story, who the characters are, and what we want the audience to think of them. The characters range anywhere from a rich, organized, intelligent man, to a messy, dirty, poor, miserable old lady. Their homes and clothes all have to communicate that. What I love about my work is that I tell the character's story when they aren't speaking. I can tell the character's whole background story through the set design and costume design. That's a big power and responsibility. If I don't study the story and the characters deeply and carefully, I could mislead the audience and they could get confused or misunderstand the story."

Carolina on the Downrange set with asst Designer Iasmine Bon

At the moment she is beginning work on a pilot for Netflix, and she has several other projects lined up for this year.

"I am truly grateful for all the opportunities I have received. I am one of the few professionals in Hollywood who started as head of their departments. Most people start out as a PA and work their way up. I'm very blessed to be given the opportunity and trust to lead my department for both Production Design and Costume Design. Work in film isn't easy, but seeing the result up on the big screen is really rewarding. I have several projects in pre-production for the next three years. The industry never stops and I'm looking forward to being on set with some of my biggest idols, some of whom I have already had the opportunity to work with."

Carolina Inoue is a hard working, talented designer, with an impressive, growing list of credits. 2017 looks to be a spectacular year for her, and beyond? The sky's the limit!

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Carolina Inoue is available for interview by appointment, 

pending availability.

Contact: Steve Thompson / Thompson Communications

856-942-4434

steve@thomcomm.net

Carolina Inoue on IMDb

Carolina Inoue Press Materials

Falguni Thakkar: Award-Winning Director of Photography (DP) and Digital Colorist Creating Impactful Slice-Of-Life Stories Across the US

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Falguni Thakkar:  

Award-Winning Director of Photography (DP) 

and Digital Colorist 

Creating Impactful Slice-Of-Life 

Stories Across the US 

(March, 2017, Los Angeles, CA) Falguni Thakkar is a Los Angeles based Director of Photography (DP) and Digital Colorist. She is a member of the prestigious Film Independent Society, Independent Filmmaker Project, International Documentary Association, New Filmmakers LA, Filmmakers Alliance and Colorist Society International.

As a filmmaker, Falguni Thakkar feels inclined and passionate towards making films that are based on agents that affect the normal fabric of human society.

She successfully and artistically applied her inclinations and talent to her award winning short film You Use, You Lose, for which she was the Director of Photography and Digital Colorist.

Her film went on to win the Award of Recognition - Women Filmmakers from the Accolade Global Film Competition and the Best Shorts Competition. Her film has also been a Competition Finalist at the Filmmatic Filmmaker Awards for the Short Thriller / Horror Category, and has been an Official Selection for the 5th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival, Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival, Oasis Short Film Screening Series, and Diamond in the Rough Cut. It screened at Oasis Short Film Screening Series, Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival, and 5th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival.

“Wearing multiple hats, gave me an intricate understanding of how visual media appeals to the human experience and I enjoy living my life catering to that primal desire. The experience of producing the film, added to the positive feedback and has made this project the single most important thing I have ever done so far."

"You Use, You Lose is a story based on drug abuse. Its an effort to make media that leaves a lasting positive impact in the world. I fully committed myself to the project. The limitations forced me into making interesting decisions and think creatively to shoot effectively. It involved not only writing and directing, investing my own money but I had the pleasure of being the Director of Photography."

She has also been a Digital Colorist for numerous films including her own. As a Digital Colorist, she worked on the pilot episode of the web-series Juiced, which has been her favorite so far.

Her forthcoming films in the festival circuit as the Director of Photography and Digital Colorist this year are Non-staurant of Water Street (Documentary), Lotus and Coming Out which are currently in post-production.

Non-staurant of Water Street is a documentary filmed in New York. It's on an individual that reflects on a bigger global issue. An opportunity to follow his day's journey and understand that common face we see on many streets of New York. 

Her inclination towards slice-of-life based stories made her choose Lotus, based on the journey of a teenage mother and how she grows into a woman. She decided to use her skills as a filmmaker, to explore this emotional and psychological impact on not only the sufferer's lives, but also on their loved ones.

The film Coming Out, highlights the complex perspective of dealing with the subject of homophobia and LGBT issues prevalent within the Indian diaspora.

Her upcoming projects are Thugy Smartpants, Adrift, Rent of A Lifetime and several others.

“As a filmmaker I want to put together character driven film narratives that engage audiences on journeys exploring and tackling important social justice issues.”

As a Director of Photography and Digital Colorist, Falguni brings a unique perspective to each project adding value that results in creative solutions to often complex problems and she excels in have a sharp, meticulous eye for color and a strong communication with her clients in order to bring their vision to the screen respectively.

Born in Mumbai (India), Falguni's passion for film came from watching black and white and Technicolor films from her father's collection. Growing up, she was a television and movie junkie. She was enthralled with how the camera moved and framed the characters in order to tell their story. All that television might have been bad for most kids, but Falguni turned it into a career.

Falguni Thakkar on Set

She began her path into film making with a Two Year Diploma Degree in VFX (2012-14) from the Whistling Woods International, Mumbai (India). Driven by the desire to master her technical skills in film, her next stop was New York City, where she earned a Diploma in Cinematography at the New York Film Academy in October 2014, beginning her career as a Director of Photography (DP).

She admires the work of Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorcese, Quentin Tarantino, Claudio Miranda and Wally Pfister. They keep the flame of unconventional visual story telling alive inside her.

We will be hearing more about Falguni Thakkar in the near future, as she continues to refine her talent and creative visions, then applies them to her work.

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Press Release written by Falguni Thakkar

Falguni Thakkar is available for interview by appointment, pending availability.

Contact: Steve Thompson / Thompson Communications

856-942-4434

steve@thomcomm.net

Falguni Thakkar Website

Falguni Thakkar on IMDb

Falguni Thakkar Press Materials

Award Winning Director of Photography & Digital Colorist Aakshay Parab: Creating Waves with His Stylistic Approach Towards Minority-Centric Films in the US

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Aakshay Parab

Press Contact

Steve Thompson

Thompson Communications

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For Immediate Release

Award Winning Director of Photography 

& Digital Colorist Aakshay Parab: Creating Waves with His Stylistic 

Approach Towards Minority-Centric Films in the US 

(Los Angeles, CA – March, 2017) Raised in his home country India, Aakshay Parab is a Director of Photography and Digital Colorist, currently based in LA. He is a member of the prestigious Film Independent Society, Independent Filmmaker Project and Colorist Society International.

His journey as a cineaste began in 2013. He produced and directed Projekt Tyler. This edgy and gritty documentary earned the 2014 nomination at the Mumbai International Film Festival for Best International Documentary Under Forty Minutes and National Academy of Cinema & Television, Bangalore for Best International Documentary.

In 2015, Aakshay’s producing thesis Ram’ji’bhai was nominated for Short Of The Month - January in Mumbai, the Official Selection in 2015 Navi Mumbai International Film Festival and also won the Best Student Film in Festival Of Cinematics. 

The success of his early projects gave him the initial experience and confidence in his filmmaking abilities necessary for him to enter, survive, and thrive in the competitive world of independent films.

Then in 2016, his documentary Projekt Tyler went on to win the Fame-US Bronze Award at the Fame-US International Film Festival in Hollywood, California.

Establishing himself as a filmmaker specializing as a Director of Photography and Digital Colorist, Aakshay notes, “the role of a Director of Photography and Digital Colorist in completion of the film is exactly that of a painter who paints a canvas." He keeps a keen eye and open mind to bring to life the visions of his Director as well as the Writer. 

His choice of projects has mostly been women-centric because he believes there is much work required for the de-objectification of women.

The Moment is a woman-centric short for which he was the Director of Photography (DP) and Digital Colorist. This is the heart wrenching story of a woman who kills her husband in a fit of rage. Being the Director of Photography helped Aakshay work at an organic level by keeping the soul of the story intact. He chose to give a strong Hitchcockian dash to his own stylistic high contrast and low key light design to maintain the overall tension in his film. 

The Moment went on to win the Award of Recognition for Film Short at The Accolade Global Film Competition in 2016.

Another of his women-centric films is The Derelict. He was its Writer-Director and Director of Photography. It screened at the New York Short Film Festival in November 2016 and was also an Official Selection of the Autumn 2016 Creation International Film Festival. 

The film, inspired by true events, is the story of Marie who tries to unite with her only son after life in prison. She is hopeful of resurrecting this precious relationship. 

Amongst his films to look forward to in 2017, is the urban fiction Grab N’ Go for which he was Director of Photography and Digital Colorist. The story is based on a gambling addict who receives an eviction notice. It brings him at cross roads between finding a job immediately and making a quick buck to save his crumbling relationship. 

Non-staurant of Water Street is a documentary Written and Co-directed by Aakshay slated to hit the festival circuits in 2017. It gives a glimpse into the lives of those who are trapped in the vicious circle of hand to mouth existence.

Teenage motherhood can be an unforgiving past for many women. Lotus is an upcoming film based on this theme. His experience of working on films centered around gender issues led up to him being hired as the camera operator for this short.

Coming Out is a film based on homophobia and LGBT issues in the Indian diaspora. He was the Camera Operator for it. 

One Chance is another of his works in line for 2017. It is based on boxing and inspired by Mohammed Ali. He was the Digital Colorist for this challenging project. 

Further on for 2017, he is the Director of Photography for the web series Gyro which is based on the subject of ‘induced homophobia’. Widow’s Peak and The Derelict feature are amongst others.

Aakshay also intends to further the cause of minorities in various walks of life and the world of LGBT community through his work.

His passion for cinema grew out of an early love of theatre and storytelling. His film education began with his acceptance into the Film Producing Program of Whistling Woods International, in Mumbai (2012-14). He further went on to specialize in Cinematography, which he pursued at the New York Film Academy in New York City where he earned a Diploma in Cinematography.

Aakshay notes: “As a Director of Photography and Digital Colorist, I prefer contributing to films concerning ‘the insignificant,' whose woes get systematically muffled on a daily basis within our social structure. We need to bring that to the very conscience of our loud society."

Aakshay Parab is inspired by film industry icons such as Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Alfred Hitchcock, Wes Anderson, and Steven Spielberg, whom he considers some of the grandmasters in the world of cinema and a source of inspiration.

We can be sure that we will be hearing more about Aakshay Parab in the future! 

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Press Release written by Aakshay Parab

Aakshay Parab is available for interview by appointment,

pending availability.

Contact: Steve Thompson / Thompson Communications

856-942-4434

steve@thomcomm.net

Aakshay Parab Website

Aakshay Parab on IMDb

Aakshay Parab Press Materials