A bright start for dark drama...

November 26, 2010 marks the first day of production for my new drama, 'One Last Sun Ray in the Eyes of Joy'. What a great success! Shooting took place in a delicious dessert spot in nyc 'Amorino' (http://www.amorino.com/) on 60 University and then off we went to Central Park and shot nice intimate scenes between Raimonda Skeryte and Ronnie Armani (The Reunion, Enigma) who plays her heartbreaker of a boyfriend, Antonio.

Make up artist Gabriella Lascano joins the crew once again, the last time she worked with me wasn't too far back; it was actually in January of this year on the short movie-'Happiness is You' (post production).
What a wonderful job she has done once again!

The Cast increases for 'One Last Sun Ray...'

Irina Brovina and Khalimah Gaston have been on board for Keith D. Bracker's new drama 'One Last Sun Ray in the Eyes of Joy.' They are still in the process of rehearsal.

Irina has appeared in Hollywood films such as 'Friends with Benefits', 'Men in Black 3' as well as Garry Marshal's 'New Year's Eve' soon to be released. 
In 'One Last Sun Ray...' she plays Dorothy, a fiesty, strong willed mother with some flaws.

Khalimah Gaston, making her debut in Keith's movie. She is respectfully an accomplished theatre actress and is very excited about playing the heroin addict Tiffany, who is a friend to the main character Ona (played by Raimonda Skeryte).

Update on new tragic drama

So rehearsals have begun on the lastest drug/alcoholic infested tragic drama 'One Last Sun Ray in the Eyes of Joy'. The indie actress Raimonda Skeryte will be losing x amount of pounds for a role that was written for her by me. Raimonda is familiar with the stress free way of working with me but this role is on another level. The intensity will be different.

Raimonda played Gunta in the experimental short 'Beautiful Women Wake Up Early' (recently in post production) as a model with some gender issues.

'Beautiful' Ones Speak Part 5: Sarah Himadeh

Audition

I think that from the start, from the audition process to wrap of the shoot, he's [Keith] been, actually 'til today he's been so amazing and such a pleasure to work with. Like from the audition, he makes the environment safe so you can go wherever. You feel you can get into the character that your suppose to get into. Be yourself, when you guys are talking about the character or talking about the shoot, the film...or talking about life in general. So he really does create that environment; you feel completely comfortable. I went through the monologue at the audition and it's a monologue where you go into places that are private and intimate, it was just so effortless. I felt like nobody was in the room. He's got such a presence but it's so graceful and elegant and effortless when he's there.

On the set

During the shoot he's just so great generous and kind in transmitting the idea of what the character should be like...he encourages discussion. The character that he paints is just so vivid in front of you. If there were any hiccups we had he was there to clarify it. During the shoot he was just so...I've never worked with a director so gentle and present with the actor and making sure that the actor is okay. It makes it so pleasant...it really allows you to go there. It doesn't matter, any mistakes you make, you just jump in...

He cast so well, all the women that we work with were so talented, gracious, and you can tell it was very well selected.  I remember the [woman-(Connie Romano)] that played my aunt we instantly had chemistry, he was able to cast so well that, without a chemistry read, was able to put us together in a room and it was just instant sparks.

The crew treated us so well. So yes, he brings a great energy around him...and you can tell that he treats unto others the way he wants to be treated and it really does pay off.

Favorite memory

My favorite memory of him is the last day [of] the shoot I had to catch a flight for work and it was a climax; a breakdown scene. I had found my aunt who pasts away we did the scene in a take or two, two [takes] max. He wrapped it, I ran out of there, and ran as fast as I could to the subway so I could catch my flight. He just opened a path for me to run and get out of there as fast as possible. He's just so understanding is basically what he is. And so human...we love Keith.



The 'Beautiful' Ones Speak Part 4: Aija Terauda

Audition

So my first day on my audition I missed it because I was sick.  He [Keith] had another day to go on. So when I came and I had my monologue I like the atmosphere. I like [the] welcoming and I like [that] everyone was listening carefully to what I was saying. I felt that this [is] good people to work with so when I get the call from Keith, I think it was monday, I was really happy to work on it-he was so excited-he said you got the part to my film, and I was like 'wow that's great'.

On the Set

Working on the set with Keith was so easy, not stressful at all. He does things with big love and you can feel the love around on the set. I can feel that he loves what he does. On the first day we were shooting I felt that the film is going to be good because of this energy around. Cast, crew, amazing. Everybody knows what they are suppose to do.

Favorite memory

So my best memory was on the last day of filming the scene, on [my] second day of shooting. We were thinking maybe my character should go out the windo... she was suppose to have an awakening part and we were thinking maybe its going to rain. At the end of the day the rain started. I...was praying [at] the window and I just went outside on the balcony through the window. So my character became alive. At the end of the scene everyone was happy & he [Keith] was supporting the scene...he said that was exactly what we were thinking about [to] ending the scene.

Solitude

To be a great filmmaker/digital director/screenwriter one has to learn to put aside time to be alone. To be alone for hours frightens a lot of people. Not me. This is where ideas flow, ideas are produced, developed, grow, and are eliminated. We hear the thoughts that are in the forefront of our minds...but what about the those incredibly deep thoughts in our subconscious? Now these thoughts could be very disturbing, vulgar, sweet, warm and comforting. This is what a artist should tap into. Either you keep these thoughts, use them for a character, a story, or you just throw it away. To throw it away could be liberating, this frees you from all the garbage that could hinder your story. True writers don't have time for nonesense, the writer wants what we all want to discover in our art, as a participate and an observer, and that is Truth. This truth can only be found in a deep way when you are soaked with what is before you-the characters, the plot, the subplots, the supporting characters, the settings, everything-only then you'll find truth. It'll reach you, it'll speak to you. I'm not trying to make this sound mysterious or mystical in any way. This is about immersing yourself into your work so that you can find the gold treasure buried underneath the shallow surface. And the surface is nice and cozy and you want to hang out there for awhile but way, way below is something greater.

I believe as a digital director I will find that 'something greater' -kind of treasure everytime when I make a movie.

Solitude, it's not a bad word.

The 'Beautiful' ones Speak Part 3: Diana Margulies in 'B.W.W.U.E.'

I worked on the movie 'Beautiful Women Wake up Early' as a make up artist and I love it. Mr. Bracker is a pleasure to work with because he's very well organized. We didn't waste time, everything was prepared...I knew exactly what look I should achieve...the atmosphere was very good... it wasn't rushed. Even though we were working fast, you didn't feel like someone [was] pushing us.
Mr. Bracker is pretty easy going, I love to work with him. It was no problem. Even if something didn't go the way as it should he could reverse the situation and make it look good...it was a very good experience.