Dana Brunetti | The Kid's Aces!
an emily blunt interview

TriggerStreet.com has arrived! Get ready for things to be shaken up in in the Hood - Hollywood's hood that is.

TriggerStreet.com, what in the H-E double hockey sticks is that you beg? TS.C is an online neato keen talent tree house, a forum, for screenwriters and filmmakers to meet, mingle and present their works without the usual business of having to schmooze till your blue in the face and your ethics being suspect.

It's your talent, not your manipulating abilities that will be judged by your peers! They decide if the "studio" recommends or passes on the project/script. And the studio heads are you all. Not some flippant hipper than thou Hollywood mogul with an implanted megalomaniac ego drip high off the power of his own voice who can't even decide between equal or sweet and low.

TriggerStreet.com is backed by a few genuinely good folks that have been stead fast in launching what well could be the place you sell your film! Who are these kindred souls riddled with genuine glee at the prospect of helping others pursue their dreams? In the forefront you get producer Dana Brunetti, filmmaker/screenwriter Ross Partridge and big kahuna Kevin Spacey orchestrating the bevy of talent behind the scenes.

They're doing it - making it happen baby! Girlish girly girl point: the Trigger Street staff also happen to be exceptionally good looking. Purr. Shallow, but so true folks - I just calls 'em as I sees 'em. I was privy to some impromptu comedy short they made while "playing in the surf" that still makes me smile like a Cheshire cat with an eyebrow raised in delight at the biceps and frolicking before me.

Attractions to the chiseled and cherub faces aside TS.C really is what it sounds like: you join, you review others, you upload and… well why don't I let Dana Brunetti explain better in our interview…

EMILY: Many of us are familiar with the company Trigger Street Productions (for those who aren't - they produce theater, documentaries and films). Now there's TriggerStreet.com is it separate entirely or an umbrella company?

DANA: A bit of both. We work hand in hand and as a support mechanism for one another. TriggerStreet.com is searching for the talent; Trigger Street Productions will help give it legs once it's found.

EMILY: Okay. So what is TriggerStreet.com all about - the mission?

DANA: To discover and showcase new talent by providing a venue that is easily accessible to all. Now that we have the ability to redirect attention to areas where it should be, we are.

EMILY: TriggerStreet.com sounds like a Shangri La on the web for struggling writers and filmmakers. How did TS.C come to be?

DANA: While I was sitting on the toilet - that's where I come up with some of my best ideas. [laughter] Basically it kinda morphed out of a few simple ideas. Kevin [Spacey] is always looking for 'out of the box' material to be involved with and we where searching out a way to open up access to individuals who might not ever get the chance to be heard no matter how talented they are. I was trying to think of a simple way grant access to undiscovered screenwriters and filmmakers without a gimmick or contest and be able to manage it in a productive manner. It slowly/quickly grew to a grander scale as we began to garner major celebrity attention and support. The basic idea and concept is still the core, just now it is going to be a lot bigger, which works out better for talent looking for exposure.

EMILY: [Blunt Aside: I can not - at this time - say exactly who the celeb powers are. Hubbaloo. But, trust this guy folks - think about who these fellows would hang with and smoke cigars around (wink-wink) and you'll get an idea of what caliber of celebrity he speaks of] What about a writer who has representation? Can they still submit - is it going to help them? Can they benefit or is this for the newbie?

DANA: Anyone can submit their work as long as it's original work and they retain the rights to it while it's on our site. Since it's also a tool for us to find fresh new material, we can't be considering work that we can't touch or has already been around town.

EMILY: All right, you go on the web, you're a new writer, and you submit your screenplay to TriggerStreet.com. What are the pros as oppose to finding an agent and relying on them to "shop" your work?

DANA: Actually, just finding an agent can be difficult, and TriggerStreet.com can also be a great asset for helping one do that by allowing you to upload your work to be seen and reviewed as soon as it's complete. If you're a filmmaker and have just finished editing your film on your PC, you can upload it directly to the site for the world to see literally seconds from its completion. The same goes for screenplays. Hot off the press, instant gratification. [<- I'm not even gonna start with the innuendoes on this one - though a certain Academy Award winning film's "shower scene" pops gloriously into mind...]

EMILY: Do they lose the right to seek an agent or management if they upload their script to TriggerStreet.com?

DANA: No.

EMILY: So they can upload at TS.C and still shop the script or the film to other studios and agents?

DANA: Sure. They maintain copyright but we have first look.
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EMILY: How does the "first look" and option program work with you fellows?

DANA: We do have the stipulation of first right of refusal for the material for 90 days once a script makes it into our top 10. This is in effect to protect us from poaching from other entities. Although it's our main goal for talent to be discovered, we don't want to be losing opportunity due to poaching. That said, it doesn't mean we will not necessarily stop a person
from taking their work to someone else, but before they do we at least want to have a look at it to consider it for production. If it's not suited for us, or we fell the writer will be better off with the company they want to take it to, we will fully support that. That would be considered a success
for our site even if we didn't produce it.

EMILY: How do you prevent folks from just reviewing their own scripts? Or asking friends and family to read and rate their scripts?

DANA: There is nothing wrong with asking friends and family to review one's script. It's no different than a politician asking for a vote from a family member. But without going into too much technical detail, there is a system in place to prevent ballot stuffing. We are able to monitor certain aspects to know if there has been a particularly large amount of reviews for a particular submission of for a particular submitter coming from the same place.

EMILY: The short films. When the maker uploads to TS.C who now "owns" them?

DANA: The filmmaker. We only have the right to use them in various mediums, which essentially will be used to draw more attention to the filmmakers talent

EMILY: If they are on TriggerStreet.com can they still submit for festivals outside TS.C?

DANA: Yes.

EMILY: Okay, you're a screenwriter. You submit to TS.C is it automatically copy written? Protected from plagiarism? Or should they still precede submission with a holler to WGA for proper accredited registrations?

DANA: This is the responsibility of the person who is submitting the material, but they must retain all rights to the material that they submit.

[Blunt Aside: Here's a link to The Writer's Guild kiddies]

EMILY: How will scripts get made through TS.C?

DANA: Not all scripts will get made. But scripts that do make it into our top ten will be considered. Any scripts that fit our model at the current time that we are interested in will be pursued. At the same time, if we see a really good script that may not be the type of film we want or can produce, we can bring it to the attention of A place that can bring it to the screen. Again, any talent that is discovered on our site is a success for us whether we are involved after or not.

[ Dear god this man's legit huh? What a swell guy. Okay I have been professional till I am ready to BURST…]

EMILY: So, tell me, what's Kevin Spacey's favorite dessert? Bet it's Strawberry pie from Big Boy's [eyebrow - erect - with a personal vision].

DANA: [He makes a call... sigh] Banana Pudding from the Magnolia Bakery.

[Thought not spoken: Yeah, he'd look just as cute dipped in banana pudding…]

EMILY: What is the goal - ultimately - for TriggerStreet.com?

DANA: To help find and nurture new and undiscovered talent.

EMILY: Wow! [and he means it too!] Are you going to have an annual TriggerStreet.com Short Film Festival with the talent you "discover?"

[Thought not spoken: Banana pudding? Really? Drat. I may have to rescind my marriage/breeding proposal. I mean he'd smell like banana pudding…of all the rotten luck]

DANA: We hope to have some type of annual awards event to recognize all of the finalist of our on-line festivals in a public form where we would also screen their films, but that depends on the success of the site. Ask me again a year from now or just wait and see if it happens in the meantime.

EMILY: The site will be successful dear. Already I am getting emails of joy from folks who have been dreaming of something like this. You've worked hard to get this together, why bother?

DANA: First, we think it's important to never forget where you came from, and while doing that, remember that no matter where you are in life or your career more than likely you would not be there if you didn't have help along the way. We're trying to 'send the elevator back down' and stopping to let more in on the way up. Second, it's great way for us as a company to find fresh material and new talent from somewhere else other than the conventional avenues. When a farmer from Idaho can get his script in front of a Hollywood audience; that is truly 'out of the box.'

END

There you have it; every once in a while people do things for other people - how did they put it? They, "send the elevator back down." Don't look for the negative - lose the smirk - these are not your typical Hollywood sleaztacks. Remember, Buddy Ackerman was just a character über cutey Spacey played…

Grab on to this spirited group of do gooders and wallow in their infectious enthusiasm! Positive breeds positive after all. Hey! You wanted someone to read your script or see your film right? Well…. what are you still doing here? Get over to TriggerStreet.com and learn about, join in, review others and upload yours! Git going now! Skadattle.

Entrance to: TriggerStreet.com