What happens when you take a
hard working couple... six of their best friends and three
acquaintances... a handful of quirky, unique individuals that makes Jim
Carey seem normal?
Then bring them all together, ask them to cook their favorite dish and
invite them to a party?
You've got the perfect ingredients for a night to remember!
Expect to smile, laugh, think and maybe even cry as day to day life is
exposed and turned upside down in,
"Dog Me: Potluck"
Can you imagine what dessert is like?
THE FILM
After
moving to Memphis Tennessee, David was laying on his couch one night
and caught a film on the Sundance Film Channel
called, “Fuckland” by José Luis
Marquès.
“Fuckland
is far more interesting in concept than in execution. Arming his lead
actor,
Fabian Stratas, with a small, hand-held camera,
director Jose Luis Marques sent
him to the Falkland Islands to shoot a clandestine film. Part of the
intention
of Fuckland is to present
an unbiased
view of the Falklands as they exist today, nearly two decades after
Argentina
lost the war with Great Britain over the
territories. But the film also has a
fictional narrative element, as well. Fabian woos a Falklands native
(actress
Camilla Heaney,
who actually hails from England) with the objective of having
sex with her. His ulterior motive, which is not revealed until late in
the
proceedings, does little to soften our opinion of him as a
opportunistic
predator.”
Commentary by
James Berardinelli
January 26, 2001
The film introduced
David to the, Dogme95
principals of filmmaking. A style or movement of
film, that strips everything bare and goes back to the basics. It
was something that caught
David’s
attention immediately.
“This was it! I loved the idea
of how the film was made
and the ‘Vow of Chastity’ filmmakers have to take and adhere to during
the
filmmaking Process.
I
wanted to make a
Dogme95 film right away.”
M. David Lee III
And that’s
how “Dog
Me: Potluck” was born.
Using some of the same techniques utilized on “3 Days…” but
perfecting them, David brought together another group of talented
actors and
crew members to shoot a hilarious film about a couple going throw
marital
problems, who decide to invite their friends over for a potluck dinner.
“I’ve
never really done a comedy
before, but I might have to do another one soon. This film is
truly funny, honest, warm and in my opinion one of
the best things I’ve ever done.”
M.
David Lee III
As usual David rehearsed for weeks
before shooting. This time with the luxury of four days,
virtually unheard of in Triple Sticks Production history!
Once the film was complete, David
went to work editing right away and put together a film that takes the
viewer on a roller coaster of emotions with comedy. To date it is
the most celebrated film from Triple Sticks Productions.
RECEPTION
Dog Me: Potluck, was an
instant success! After selling out it's first screenings, "Dog
Me: Potluck," went on to critical success at several film
festivals.
Then at the "2004 Barbones Script-to-Screen Independent Film Festival,"
the film and David landing two huge honors."Dog Me:
Potluck," was selected
as the
“2004 Bare Bones Script-2-Screen
Independent Film
Festival”
Best Feature Film. In addition to the Grand Jury selection as the
festivals top film,
Producer/Writer/Director/D.P./Editor M. David Lee III was presented with
the "Oscar Micheaux Spirit Award" for his work on "Dog Me:
Potluck" The
Oscar Micheaux Spirit Award is not given annually, but only when the
Grand Jury
identifies and chooses to honor an exceptional filmmaker.
The film was quickly picked up by a distributor and is available on
DVD. In 2008, the film landed one more award... it was named an
"Official Dogme95" Film and was added to the Dogme Library of films at
the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
REVIEWS
"Another
local feature of note is M. David Lee III's Dog Me: Potluck, a naturalistic
ensemble comedy... it's as smoothly directed and acted as any local
feature in recent years, having some of the same character- and
dialogue driven charms as the recent indie hit The Anniversary Party."
Chris
Herrington
Memphis Flyer
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