In Search Of A Midnight Kiss
***PRODUCTION NOTES***
Runtime: 90 Minutes
This film is not yet rated.
Written and Directed by Alex Holdridge
Starring:
Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire, Katy Luong
And
Twink Caplan
With
Nic Harcourt
Press Contacts:
Los Angeles New York
Joy Phillips Betsy Rudnick
GS Entertainment Marketing Group Falco Ink
[email protected] [email protected]
323.860.0270 (office) 212.445.7100 ext. 17
832.654.4360 (cell)
www.InSearchOfAMidnightKiss.com
FILMMAKERS:
Writer/Director Alex Holdridge
Producers Seth Caplan
Scoot McNairy
Executive Producer Anne Walker-McBay
Director of Photography Robert Murphy
Editor Frank Reynolds
Editor Jacob Vaughn
Gaffer Justin Huin
Lost Shoe Photography Johanna Jarco
www.thelostshoeproject.com
CAST:
Wilson Scoot McNairy
Vivian Sara Simmonds
Jacob Brian Matthew McGuire
Min Katy Luong
Buoy Bret Roberts
Wilson’s Mom Twink Caplan
Jack Robert Murphy
Radio DJ Nic Harcourt
Neighbor #1 Annie Chatterton
Neighbor #2 Cindy Drummond
Maitre d’ Giorgio Pierangeli
Child Michael Pierangeli
Stevie Bruce Jay
Jacob’s Mom Stephanie Feury
Wilson’s Sister Julie Levin
Vivian’s Mom Alicia McNairy
Karen Via Osgood
Neptune Justin Huin
Subway man with roses Angel Diamond
Gay Date Caller Sandra Lindquist
Hooker Caller Regina Crosby
Party DJ Travis Johnson
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
“One man's search for a midnight kiss on New Year's Eve.”
Synopsis
In Search of a Midnight Kiss is a rollicking comic ride and tender journey though
love, sex, and modern romance in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve.
WILSON (Scoot McNairy), a twenty-nine-year old guy who has just had the
worst year of his life, is new to Los Angeles, has no date, no concrete plans and every
intention of locking the doors and forgetting the last year ever happened. That is until his
best friend, Jacob (Brian McGuire), browbeats him into posting a personal ad on Craig’s
List. When Vivian (Sara Simmonds), a strong-willed woman hell bent on being with the
right guy at the stroke of midnight responds, a chaotic, sometimes hilarious, sometimes
touching journey through the black and white streets of L.A. begins. In the waning hours
of the year, emotional vulnerability and bitterly honest humor seem to be waiting around
every corner.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss is directed by award-winning filmmaker, Alex
Holdridge, whose last film, Sexless, is the only movie to have won both the Jury and
Audience Award for best feature film at the SXSW film festival (2003). The veteran art
house producer Anne Walker, (Before Sunrise, Dazed and Confused) is Executive
Producer. It stars Scoot McNairy (Art School Confidential, Six Feet Under) and Sara
Simmonds (Echoes of Innocence). The film is produced by Seth Caplan (Flatland) and
Scoot McNairy. Editing is by Jacob Vaughn (Cassidy Kids, Dear Pillow) and Frank
Reynolds (In the Bedroom). In Search of a Midnight Kiss is a blend of up-and-coming
talent and proven experience making it a dazzling independent film not to be missed.
Production Notes
ORIGINS
The origins of In Search Of A Midnight Kiss begin in Austin, Texas where ALEX
HOLDRIDGE (Writer/Director) made his first two films (Wrong Numbers, Sexless).
Both films were well received, and the success of Sexless – the first film ever to capture
both the SXSW Audience and Jury awards – motivated Alex to move to Los Angeles to
pursue his film career.
Holdridge took heavy inspiration from his early days in LA for In Search of a Midnight
Kiss. The film follows the theme of what aspiring young Hollywood hopefuls do when
the phone doesn’t ring. Knowing that resources would be scarce, Alex wrote the film with
several key collaborators in mind, including SCOOT MCNAIRY (Producer, “Wilson”),
BRIAN MCGUIRE (“Jacob”), SARA SIMMONDS (“Vivian”), and ROBERT
MURPHY (Cinematographer, “Jack”).
On January 2, 2006 Alex contacted SETH CAPLAN (Producer), who was busy soaking
up college football after just wrapping two features in the past six months. Alex pitched
the opening scene of the movie, the basic plot and the actors who had already signed-up.
Caplan had to turn the television off and get to work as Holdridge had arranged for the
cinematographer and camera package to arrive in LA to begin shooting on January
9th…just one week away.
CAST
For casting Holdridge first looked to his old friends whom he’d worked with on two
previous films. The talented Scoot McNairy, fresh from a role in Terry Zwigoff’s Art
School Confidential and a multi-episode stint on HBO’s Six Feet Under, was a natural for
the main character. McNairy’s genuine everyman quality and great sense of comedy make
"Wilson" a sympathetic and funny lead for the film. Scoot was also critical in making the
movie happen, whether it was finding an actor, obtaining production equipment or providing
that can-do spirit to help resolve any challenge that production presented.
The beautiful Sara Simmonds had just completed her starring role in the film Echoes of
Innocence when Holdridge mentioned the project to her. Holdridge brought Simmonds on
early and she helped him develop the ideas, talking through the story while actually
walking the streets of Downtown LA. Much of what they discussed on their walks made
it into the final script. Holdridge understood her range as an actor and felt comfortable
building a complex comedic character that in the end had to disarm and show subtle
vulnerability.
The hilarious Brian McGuire was real-life roommates with Holdridge when they first
moved to LA. Wilson and Jacob’s apartment in the movie is the actual apartment where
McGuire and Holdridge lived. Playing a leading role in Sexless, Alex knew how deep
Brian’s comedic and dramatic talents were and developed the part around him. Brian
brings a strong likable quality to Jacob’s character, coming off as shy even when he’s
being boisterous.
RORBERT MURPHY who shot the film beautifully also plays the part of the wild,
cowboy, "Jack". Robert’s performance in previous films as a wild Southerner, inspired
Holdridge to develop an uninhibited confrontational scene, he knew Robert would play
perfectly. His performance is certainly one of the funniest and most memorable of the
entire film.
Scoot McNairy also helped cast the film by finding KATIE LUONG (Min) and TWINK
CAPLAN (Wison’s Mother). Twink joined the project when in a pinch, Scoot called his
manager and business partner, JOHN PIERCE, to help fill a role that was set to be filmed
that evening. Twink received the call and threw caution to the wind and agreed. Not
having seen the script till she showed up on set, she delivered an amazing performance
that became a highlight of the movie.
PRODUCTION
Holdridge and Caplan, both avid University of Texas football fans, took inspiration for
the production from UT’s title winning game on January 4, 2006. In that famous game,
quarterback Vince Young led an underdog UT team to victory over the University of
Southern California in the Rose Bowl. The cast and crew of Midnight Kiss – all of whom
are either from or have lived in Texas – identified with the UT football team. They too
were a group of underdog Texans fighting for victory in Los Angeles against the large
institutional forces of Hollywood.
Production was focused, efficient, and creative. The guerilla-style shoot required everyone
to pitch in to make each shot happen. From dialogue suggestions to holding a bounce
board, every actor and crew member contributed to the project in more ways than their
title reveals.
A large portion of production was shot on the streets of downtown Los Angeles.
Director Holdridge’s vision for the film was to utilize the grimy faded grandeur of
Downtown LA. While downtown is a film production hub of the city, Midnight Kiss is
unique for shooting this area in a vérité style that exposes both its decay and its beauty.
After filming the first 70 pages of the script in just nine days the team knew this would
be a special movie. Holdridge began cutting scenes together and the magic jumped off the
screen. As soon as team members saw the footage a decision was made to raise more
money and complete shooting of the original script
The entire team reconvened one month later for two more weeks of filming. With renewed
purpose the cast and crew labored through 20 hour days to finish filming. The
production’s light and quick nature allowed for the improvisation required of low-budget
filmmaking.
One day the team set up to shoot Vivian’s motel room scene. Holdridge and Murphy had
planned out all the shots in the room. However, once the hotel owner spotted the set
dressing -- empty liquor bottles and prescription drug pill boxes --he kicked everyone off
the set and threatened to call the police. The team packed up while producer Caplan
found a hotel down the street and booked a room. Ninety minutes later the scene had been
set-up and shot in the new hotel room…just as the manager of that hotel threatened to
call the police based on similar suspicions.
Additional filming took place in Austin, Texas to complete footage for montage sequences
including the opening shots of kissing couples.
EDITING
After production wrapped director Holdridge took a first pass at cutting together the
footage. Holdridge sent a rough assembly to FRANK REYNOLDS (Editor), editor of the
Academy Award nominated film In the Bedroom. Extremely impressed with what he
saw, Reynolds caught a plane to Los Angeles within a week. Reynolds spent eight weeks
shaping the first assembly of the film before departing to work on a previous editing
commitment back in New York.
Jacob Vaughan (Editor) assumed the editorial reigns. Vaughan and Holdridge labored for
over three months to shape and perfect the story. By late summer, they had a presentable
cut.
POST-PRODUCTION AND BEYOND
ANNE WALKER-MCBAY (Executive Producer) was a big fan of Holdridge’s after
seeing his first two films. Walker-McBay - the first person to receive a copy of Vaughan
and Holdridge’s cut – instantly loved the film and signed on to Executive Produce. She
had visited the set during production and reminisced on the similarities to her first film,
Richard Linklater’s Slacker. Walker-McBay, eager to help the film reach a wider audience,
sent Midnight Kiss to her long-time friend JOHN SLOSS of Cinetic Films.
John Sloss loved the film at first sight and suggested that the movie premiere at the
Tribeca Film Festival. The team grew to include sound designers and digital colorists.
Additionally, the team worked hard to get the word out by producing a website and
publicity photo shoot. Through the entire production this talented and hardworking team
has relished in their collaboration and friendship to make a great piece of art together!
Biographies – Cast
Scoot McNairy
Besides starring in and producing “In Search of a Midnight Kiss” (directed by his
old buddy Alex Holdridge) Scoot has appeared on TV (“Six Feet
Under”, “Jake in Progress”, “Close to Home”), in two TV pilots
(“More, Patience” and “Good Girls Don’t”) and in films (“Art School
Confidential” from director Terry Zwigoff and opposite John
Malkovich; “Twisted” from Director John Asher; “The Shadow
Effect” from directors Jared and Justin Varava; the upcoming “The
Listening Party” opposite Selma Blair, Neil Young, and Seth Green,
and “The Fall” from director John Krugger,).
Scoot McNairy started on a winding, fateful path to Hollywood by way of
Richardson, Texas. His love of the entertainment industry found its seeds in a local
theater where his parents sent him for an after school activity. However, after doing a
number of plays at a young age Scoot’s love of the outdoors won out and he spent the rest
of his childhood fishing.
When Scoot moved to Austin, Texas he met Alex Holdridge, who gave him his
first movie role in the feature film “Wrong Numbers”, which went on to win the Ausitin
Film Festival. You would think this experience would have led Scoot straight to
Hollywood. But no, Scoot decided his next move should be to British Columbia to be a
glacier guide. When a back injury put Scoot’s hopes of climbing on hold he finally found
himself in Los Angeles, pursing his interest in cinematography at film school. A year
later Scoot landed a job building sets, which led to a friend at work introducing Scoot to
an agent. “I met John and he told me there was not a chance in hell he would represent
me. So I showed up at his office two weeks later with some 4X6 photos and he gave it a
run, which has turned into five years of working together”. From this chance meeting
with John, Scoot has recently started his own production company, Group Films,
partnering with John Pierce and his former agent from UTA Josh Klein. They are
currently working on a film project with director Tony Kaye (“American History X”) and
writer Robert McKee.
Sara Simmonds Sara Simmonds became a local Texas star of commercials, theatre, and
independent film before her recent move to Los Angeles. She co-starred
in Sexless from director Alex Holdridge, which won the Jury Prize at the
South by Southwest Film Festival. Holdridge wrote In Search of a
Midnight Kiss with Sara in mind.
This stunning native of Houston, Texas was born to very young,
artistic parents; mom a painter and dad a building designer so Sara was
mostly raised by her grandparents. She was in tap and ballet class from age four and
loved theatre as early as junior high. No school play went forward without Sara,
including her stellar performance in The Scarlet Letter; she then studied acting at the
University of Houston for a couple of years. She left school when professional acting
assignments were taking all of her time. Thrilled to be a working actress and a member of
the prestigious Main Street Theatre Company, she starred in Beth Henly’s Debutante Ball
and won Best Actress from the Houston Chronicle Theatre Awards.
Realizing that a future in film would require a move to Los Angeles, she relocated
and immediately found an agent. Just a few weeks later Sara landed a starring role in
New World Pictures feature Echoes of Innocence opposite Jake McDorman
(Aquamarine, Bring It On: All or Nothing), which was released nationally in 2006.
Brian Matthew McGuire is a man of many talents. Actor. Writer. DJ. Musician. He can
currently be found planning to shoot Working The Combover, a joint collaboration with
writing partner Dan Finkle.
McGuire’s acting credits include Appetite for Construction for
which he won the Cinema Texas Best Actor Award; The Cassidy Kids
starring Anne Ramsay (“Six Feet Under”), Kadeem Hardison and
Judah Freidlander (“30 Rock”); Dear Pillow, winner of the Atlanta
Film Festival Grand Jury Award and the Boston Underground Film
Festival Bunny Award; Sexless written and directed by Alex
Holdridge; Wrong Numbers, another feature written and directed by Alex Holdridge, co-
written by Sam Merrick, and winner of the Austin Film Festival Audience Award; Adam
Rifkin’s Detroit Rock City; a co-starring role in “Two Mothers for Zachary,” a GLAAD
Media Award winning made for TV movie starring Vanessa Redgrave; and a leading role
in Jesus for Judson written by award winning Jacob Vaughn.
McGuire is also a successful musician fronting his band “GENE WILDER” as
well as DJing at nightclubs around the world. Some of Mcguire’s music is featured on the
soundtrack for In Search of a Midnight Kiss and can be found on his label, LEFTHOUSE
RECORDINGS.
McGuire was born in Chicago Illinois. He is the second of seven Irish kids and
lives true to the quote, “Only real Irishmen are from Chicago.”
Katy Luong stepped on the acting scene over ten years ago. Her film credits include a
leading role in the short Lead; co-starring roles in Hunger, a film set for release later this
year; Color Blind, a short currently on the festival circuit and Spirits, a Vietnamese horror
film. Luong’s supporting film roles include Missing Brendan starring
Adam Brody, Edward Asner and Illeana Douglas; 8 Days, a short
written and directed by comedian Dane Cook; Green Dragon starring
Patrick Swayze and Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker; Dead
Man on Campus directed by Alan Chon (“The Real World”) and
starring Tom Everett Scott, Mark Paul Gosselaar and Linda Cardellini
and 2 Days in the Valley starring Jeff Daniels, Teri Hatcher, James Spader and Academy
Award winner Charlize Theron.
On the small screen Luong has taken on supporting roles in “Threat Matrix”,
“JAG”, “The Magnificent Seven” and “Baywatch”.
Luong was born in Vietnam and grew up in Orange County which allowed her to
enter the acting scene at a young age. Her hobbies and passions include cooking and
photography.
Bret Roberts most recently appeared on FX’s “Dirt” as Courtney Cox’s
love interest. He has worked on several indie films including MAY directed
by Lucky McKee and starring Jeremy Sisto (“Six Feet Under”, Clueless)
and Anna Faris (Scary Movie 1-4); Hillside Strangler and Night Stalker
(lead), directed by Chris Fisher, and White of Winter (lead) directed by Robert Saitzek -
all Sundance Selections. Midnight Kiss is Roberts’ first Tribeca appearance. An
upcoming project is HBO’s KUSH directed by York Shackleton.
Twink Caplan is an American actor, comedian and producer.
She recently returned from London wrapping the romantic comedy I Could Never Be
Your Woman, playing Michelle Pfeiffer's costume designer with Paul
Rudd as well as Producing. The film marks her twenty year acting
reunion with Michele Pfeiffer playing her best friend in Falling in
Love Again.
Caplan will soon be seen playing a vulgar past-her-prime movie
star desperate for a come-back in Secrets of `a Hollywood Nurse; B.
Lawney, a waitress with Richard Gere, co-starring Claire Danes, in The Flock directed by
Andrew Lau; Mary Benett, a hard-edged bus driver for Jerry Bruckheimer’s CSI Las
Vegas; and an odd and embittered Aunt June in Changing Spots, directed by Susan
Turley.
In Night at the Roxbury Caplan played opposite Will Ferrell and Chris Katan; in
The New Homeowner's Guide to Happiness she worked with Bonnie Hunt as the nosey
neighbor duo living next door to Demi Moore and Judge Reinhold. The massive hit that
won a People's Choice Award , Look Who's Talking, which starred John Travolta and
Kirstie Alley raising a baby voiced by Bruce Willis, Caplan played Alley's flirty best
friend Rona and went on to do the sequel, Look Who's Talking Too. Caplan played the
Home Economics teacher in "Fast Times," the series with Courtney Thorne-Smith,
Patrick Dempsey, and Wallace Langham.
At Sony Studios Caplan produced "LOSER" starring Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari.
Caplan played Mena's best friend at work (a nude dance bar). She is probably best known
for her role as Miss Geist in the hit Clueless, starring Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy
and Paul Rudd. Caplan went on to play Miss Geist in the ABC series "Clueless" as well
as Executive Produce.
Her favorite project is the just finished In Search of a Midnight Kiss, with her
favorite director, Alex Holdridge, playing a newly divorced mother living in Florida --
mother to Scoot McNairy.
Nic Harcourt (Radio DJ)
Regarded as being the ultimate “tastemaker” in
music and named the “most influential DJ in
America”, Harcourt has been an innovator as
Music Director at the influential Los Angeles
radio station, KCRW, and as host of the highly acclaimed music programs, “Morning
Becomes Eclectic” and "Sounds Eclectic”.
Harcourt has through the years been an early champion of many artists including
Coldplay, Dido, Moby, Death Cab For Cutie, Massive Attack, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand,
KT Tunstall, Arcade Fire, Damien Rice, Jem, Pete Yorn, David Gray and Norah Jones.
Harcourt’s talents have made him uniquely suited to select innovative music for motion
pictures, television and commercials. His program is monitored daily by studio and
advertising executives. Harcourt has worked as a music consultant and/or music
supervisor for such television shows as “Queer as Folk”, “Life As We Know It", "In
Justice", “What About Brian” and “Love Monkey” (for which he was also a Co-
Producer), as well as advertising campaigns for Mitsubishi Motors, Apple’s Ipod and
Victoria’s Secret. During the next year, Harcourt will be the “voice of Land Rover” for
all of their television and radio commercials. He has helped to select music for the
motion pictures Ice Age, Ice Age II, Anchorman, Igby Goes Down and the upcoming
movies Gone Baby Gone (directed by Ben Affleck) and Pride and Glory (starring
Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight). He has also compiled and produced
several volumes of live performance CD's under the SOUNDS ECLECTIC name and has
completed and released his first book, MUSIC LUST (Sasquatch Books).
Harcourt also produces and hosts a monthly half-hour segment called “Second
Sunday with Nic Harcourt”, on the television show “Breakfast With the Arts” for the
A&E network, which focuses on new and emerging musical talent. He has filmed
episodes which include interviews and performances from such artists as DAMIEN
RICE, SI SE, BRAZILIAN GIRLS, GUSTER, REM and THE PINKER TONES.
Biographies – Filmmakers
Alex Holdridge (Writer/Director) went from high school valedictorian to
straight-A college graduate to English major drop out. He says movies are to blame. He
eked out his first feature, Wrong Numbers, while delivering chicken,
waiting tables, and seeming like the could-have-been-something child.
It went on to win the audience award at the Austin Film Festival and
attracted attention from multiple studios in Hollywood. Working with
his good friend, Jessica Bendinger (Bring it On, Stick It), he developed it
as a re-make with Red Wagon (Gladiator). When the opportunity came
to direct another script he had written, Sexless, he took it. Sexless won both the Jury and
the Audience Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival and is the only movie to
have done so since its inception. In Search of a Midnight Kiss is inspired by his
transition to full-time life as a writer, director and human in L.A.
Seth Caplan (Producer) is a Chicago born award-winning filmmaker
who has worked for production companies in New York, Los Angeles,
and Amsterdam. Seth co-founded Enspire Learning, where he
produced e-learning courses for Harvard Business School and the
Department of Education. He holds degrees from the University of
Texas at Austin and an M.F.A. from the American Film Institute. Caplan's thesis film
"Duncan Removed" was honored with a student Emmy and was nominated for a Student
Academy Award. His next project, "FLATLAND: THE MOVIE" is an animated film
featuring the voices of Martin Sheen, Kristen Bell, and Tony Hale.
Anne Walker-McBay (Executive Producer) has produced: Dazed and Confused,
Before Sunrise, SubUrbia, The Newton Boys, Waking Life, Tape,
Before Sunset, Levelland, A Scanner Darkly, and Infamous. Anne
recently started her own production company, Texas Avenue Films.
Her current projects include the documentary: ‘A Place to Dance’, ‘The Two Bobs’, and
the American adaptation of 13 Tzameti.
Robert Murphy (Director of Photography) also plays Jack-meaux, Vivian's ex-
boyfriend and his band, Sybil, has a couple of songs featured on the film's soundtrack:
"Discolite" and "Mocha Queen."
Murphy has been shooting films and making music for 17 years. After growing
up in the cultural mecca of Beaumont, Texas, he attended the University of Texas where
he majored in film and English. Since then he has worked on a variety of film and video
projects, ranging from a stint as a production assistant on Waiting for Guffman to a gig as
the cinematographer of a French rap video for Tony Parker's record label.
Murphy has written and directed one feature, All Night Boogie, in which he also
starred. He has also worked as the cinematographer on three independent high definition
projects this past year, including horror film Christian Roane and comedic thriller
Grammy's.
In his spare time, Murphy enjoys jamming with Sybil, who has had their
extensive catalog of music featured on MTV's “The Real World”, the Dr. Demento radio
show, XM Radio, and college radio stations across Texas.
Murphy’s heroes include Stanley Kubrick, Kurt Cobain, James Brown, Martin
Scorsese, Liz Phair, Fiona Apple, his mom, dad, brother, close friends, Fellini, and Vince
Young.
Frank Reynolds (Editor) has edited seventeen feature films. The most well-known is
Miramax's In The Bedroom, which was a Best Picture nominee at the
2002 Academy Awards. His most recent project The Alphabet Killer, is a
suspense/horror film starring Eliza Dushku, Timothy Hutton and Cary Elwes, and
directed by Rob Schmidt (Wrong Turn, "Masters of Horror.") Reynolds edited the 2005
South African film Cape Of Good Home; the 1999 Fine Line comedy Man Of The
Century; the 1996 cult film Tromeo & Juliet; and M. Night Shyamalan's first feature,
1993's Praying With Anger.
Jacob Vaughn (Editor) began his film career at the age of 10 with a film called “Jake,
P.I.”, shot on his dad’s JVC camcorder. Jacob’s graduation from the University of Texas
was followed by brief stints selling tickets to a comedy show, working at the Austin Film
Society as the program coordinator, and going on walkabout around Mexico. Jacob
produced, shot, and edited Dear Pillow in 2003. The film premiered at
the Slamdance Film Festival and went on to corrupt audiences around the globe,
eventually earning an Independent Spirit Award nomination. In 2005 Jacob Vaughan
directed The Cassidy kids which premiered at the SXSW film festival. He is currently
writing a script to be shot in Houston and Mexico.