Mark R. Madler
When the independent film "Lady Luck & the Player" premieres in Los
Angeles next weekend, it will be in Arclight Cinema's number 13
theater.
But the filmmakers don't consider the number to be a bad omen.
"Especially for independent filmmakers, we need all the luck we
can get," said co-executive producer and Burbank resident Denise
Pouchet.
The story of two loves -- a girl and baseball -- set against the
backdrop of glittering Las Vegas, "Lady Luck" was a years-long
project for the director, writers and producers. The film will
premiere during the fifth annual Silver Lake Film Festival.
As producer Joey Palmeri tells it, there were doubts that the film
would ever be finished until an "angel investor" entered the picture
with financing to bring the film to completion.
The story of the film's completion mirrors that of the plot: that
the right person will enter at the right time, Palmeri said.
Director, co-writer and male lead Drew Johnson, a Las Vegas native
and Burbank resident, first wrote the script in 1997. After some filming had taken place, he realized that changes needed to be made
and he brought in David Burr to help, Johnson said.
"We would get together in Johnny Carson Park to talk about the
script," Johnson said. "He gave it the polish that it needed."
Johnson co-starred with Corinna Harney-Jones, a 1992 Playboy
Playmate, and veteran actors Bo Hopkins, Wilfred Brimley and John
Saxon in a film made in the traditional style that he said romantics
will enjoy.
Burr, also of Burbank, describes the story as one of a boy with
two dreams: Melissa, the love of his life; and baseball.
"He chases both those dreams and they are intertwined throughout
the movie," Burr said.
Principal filming was done from 1998 to 2002, with post-production
taking up much of the following year. Pouchet's role was to get the
film into festivals and to contact sources she has made to get the
film distributed. A deal is nearly set to have "Lady Luck" available
on home video.
Both Johnson and Palmeri work at Burbank-based at Foto-Kem
Industries, a family owned pre- and post-production facility they
both said was wonderful to work for while working on their own film.
Foto-Kem co-worker Dan Muscarella worked as the timer, who color
corrects the film so that each shot matches up. Muscarella's previous
credits include "Titanic," Palmeri said.
