User:FFFilms/Roulette

Summary
Roulette is a 2012 American independent thriller/drama film written and directed by Erik Kristopher Myers, and produced by Four-Fingered Films. The film stars Mike Baldwin, Ali Lukowsky, Will Haza, Leanna Chamish, George Stover, and Brian St. August, along with many others. The story centers around a group of three characters (Mike Baldwin, Ali Lukowsky, and Will Haza) troubled by their pasts and gambling with their lives through a game of Russian Roulette, only to find that their lives are connected through overlapping events that have consequently brought them together.

Roulette was filmed in and around Baltimore, Maryland, and has received high praise from the local filmmaking industry, local and regional media outlets, movie critics, and has received multiple awards.

Plot
The story of Roulette centers around three characters; Dean Jensen (Mike Baldwin), Richard Kessler (Will Haza), and Sunshine ‘Sunny’ Howard (Ali Lukowski). The three characters all suffer from suicidal thoughts brought on by depression and past events, later discovered to be connected through a network of gradually revealed ties. Meeting in a group therapy session, the three decide to ditch the group and retreat to Dean’s house where they subsequently engage in a dangerous and dramatic game of Russian Roulette. As the film progresses, the viewer is introduced to each character’s backstory, bringing to light the reasons for their depression, the actions that brought them together, and the unforeseen connections between them.

Dean Jensen (Mike Baldwin) begins his story as a healthy, young construction worker and landscaper. After marrying his loving and lustful girlfriend Zoe (Michelle Murad) he begins to have medical problems that cannot be explained. He is forced to stop working, and is stricken to a wheelchair. Zoe is then forced to take care of him and lead a life that she did not intend. Through Dean’s worsening condition, their relationship is strained and consequently ended, ushering Dean into his depression.

Sunshine ‘Sunny’ Howard (Ali Lukowski) is a sheltered young woman raised in the shadow of her devoutly Christian father’s lifestyle. Upon meeting Leon (Jan-David Soutar) in the library, she begins a sexual and sinful relationship that she keeps hidden from her father. As their relationship continues, Sunny becomes pregnant, and thus is turned into the exact target of her earlier Christian pro-life beliefs. When Sunny decides she doesn’t want to keep the baby a dramatic scene unfolds.

Richard Kessler (Will Haza) begins the movie as a hard-working professional with a drinking problem and a strained marriage. Upon being passed-up for a promotion, he spirals into a self-destructive cycle of heavy drinking, late nights at the bar, anger, and depression. After he no longer has his job and his wife leave him, Richard loses all control and ruins not only his own life, but the life of another.

Filming
Roulette was filmed on-location in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Locations in Maryland include Baltimore, Columbia, Ellicott City, Monkton, and Towson. J65 Productions, LLC with Director of Photography Jamie Bender, provided cinematography.

A substantial amount of behind-the-scenes footage was recorded during the filming of Roulette, with a documentary series, The Luck of the Draw, being uploaded to YouTube. A full-length documentary is planned following home media distribution of Roulette in late 2013.

Post-Production
The film was edited by Erik Kristopher Myers.

Scoring
Original score for the film was written and recorded by Dan Schepleng, and supervised by Erik Kristopher Myers.

Release
In early 2013 Erik Kristopher Myers and Dan Schepleng signed a contract with a national and international distributor to release Roulette across a variety of platforms including DVD, BluRay, Netflix streaming, and Amazon streaming, among others. The release is scheduled to occur in the fall of 2013.

Critical Reception
Roulette has received high critical acclaim from many notable publications, media outlets, and film festivals.

The film received awards at the 2011 World Music & Independent Film Festival for Best Director (Erik Kristopher Myers), Best Actor (Will Haza), and Best Actress (Ali Lukowski). Further recognition was seen with awards at the 2012 Hot Media International Film Festival for Best Drama Feature Film, Best Director (Erik Kristopher Myers), Best Screenplay (Erik Kristopher Myers), and Best Actress (Ali Lukowski).

Recent reviews of Roulette have also given the film high praise. Cary Conley of Rogue Cinema is quoted as saying “I would be surprised if I saw any other film in 2013 that comes close to the emotional impact that Roulette has.” Notable community website celebrating the 1973 classic The Exorcist, Captainhowdy.com recently gave Roulette the honor of being the first topic reviewed on the site that is not directly related to The Exorcist, stating that Roulette is Erik Kristopher Myers’ “filmmaking soul laid bare for all to see should they have the mind and stomach to.” The film was also reviewed in April 2013 by The After Movie Diner podcast program, Episode 78 – Back to Baltimore, where Baltimore filmmaking was discussed, with a focus on Roulette and two films by another Baltimore director, Chris LaMartina.

Awards
2011	       World Music & Independent Film Festival - Best Director (DMV) - Erik Kristopher Myers 2011	       World Music & Independent Film Festival - Best Actor (DMV) - Will Haza 2011	       World Music & Independent Film Festival - Best Actress (DMV) - Ali Lukowski 2012 	Hot Media International Film Festival - Best Drama Feature Film 2012 	Hot Media International Film Festival - Best Director - Erik Kristopher Myers 2012 	Hot Media International Film Festival - Best Screenplay - Erik Kristopher Myers 2012 	Hot Media International Film Festival - Best Actress - Ali Lukowski