Speedy (Frank Kratoska) seated at the bar with the Sax, Joey Ferdinando (Brian Talbot) listening to a client and Mariana Walker (Autumne Sorgius) serving the customers of Lisa Losers Lounge.
Losers Lounge, a new move by Don Boner.
http://www.dl-sites.com/ donboner@dl-sites.com 317-445-5287
The new released feature film, ‘Losers Lounge,’ is the most recent achievement by Indianapolis low-budget Avant-garde filmmaker Don Boner, whose prior works include the short films ‘Ripple,’ ‘The Bumbling Detective,’ and ‘Welcome to Kentuckiana.’ ‘Losers Lounge’ is Mr. Boner’s first feature film with a 87- minute running time.
Four Indianapolis’ locations were used during film production. Stan’s End, 2027 Prospect Avenue, served as Lisa Losers Lounge. Bar back room and courthouse scenes were filmed at Studio 301. The private residence of Gerald Peterson served as Joey Ferdinando’s office-apartment as well as the police station.
The private residence of Sharon Gamble served as Mariana’s bedroom apartment. The film was shot using Canon GL1 and GL2 digital cameras. Sound was recorded on a Sony DAT Walkman. Jolliff Digital Production, Indianapolis, provided postproduction services.
Mr. Boner commented on creating his first feature-length film, “After my previous three short films, I was eager to tackle a more aggressive project. The large pool of talented actors from Indianapolis and nearby cities made selection very difficult, but I am extremely pleased with the results.”
Losers Lounge is murder mystery set in 1948 that follows the perplexing and often seedy life of a private detective who is accused of murdering a troubled young lady with a dark history. Losers Lounge is a dark and mysterious movie that lives on the edge and tells a story of shady characters, crooked cops, switched love and bad luck, a darker side of human nature, a film noir-style murder mystery at its best.
On one level ‘Losers Lounge’ is a simple murder mystery set in 1948 in the fictitious town of Passionville, Illinois, just Southeast of Chicago. Most of the action takes place in Lisa Losers Lounge, where seedy characters hang out. During World War II the bar was a whorehouse.
On another level ‘Losers Lounge’ is much like a modern day Greek Tragedy. The Protagonist is banished from town, the antagonist attempts by false pretences to gain control and innocent lives are upset until eventually in the end all the characters are guided by their fates to leave Passionville. Allegorically Passionville is a not a place but a state of mind. Mariana, the victim of sexual abuse, is doomed to a life of torment until her tragic death. The destructiveness of addictive behavior and chemical dependency is also depicted. Disturbing questions about sexuality appear throughout the movie culminating with the words on the tombstone seen at the end of the movie.
All the characters in ‘Losers Lounge’ appear to be shades of gray, instead of the good and evil that are normally associated with a narrative film. Perhaps the fact that all the characters are shades of gray is saying that all people in fact have some amount of ‘evil’ inside of them; evil that from time to time emerges to cause pain and anguish in others. A closer examination of the characters’ actions and words could prove to be very distressing to those who dare to look.
Bio’s of Cast and crew of Losers Lounge
Don Boner (Director, Writer, Co-Director of Photography)
Don attended the New York Film Academy’s four-week intensive workshop. He wrote and directed the critically acclaimed short movie Ripple in August 2002 and The Bumbling Detective in October 2002. In November 2002 he completed Welcome to Kentuckiana. He is formerly the Director of Product Development for Adman Software. He developed four games on a TRS 80 Model I Level II in 1981, released by the Programmer's Guild and Micro Fantasy: Thunder Road, Deadly Dungeon, Revenge of Bolrog, and The Fortress at Times-End. He is an award-winning wine maker and the author of a beer- making manual.
Jason Jolliff (Co-Director of Photography, Cameraman, Editor, Sound)
Jason’s life goal is to be happy and enjoy life on a daily basis. Video and film production makes him happy so he tries to surround himself with this type of work. He is owner of Jolliff Digital Production and is no stranger to the industry. His last feature film was Suspended Animation where he was assistant editor for Oscar nominated director John Hancock (Weeds, Prancer, Band the Drum Slowly).
Jenne Lee (Production Assistant, Microphone Boom, Location Supervisor)
Jenne was a production assistant on The Creole Affair and Losers Lounge and location manager on Saving Star Wars. She had a walk-on role as a prospective freshman on a college tour on two episodes of As The World Turns. Jenne is a world traveler and an avid photographer, and she loves filmmaking, walking, exploring, and having good times with good people.
Faith Marie (Script Director, Assistant Director, Microphone Boom)
Faith is a former stage actor and television sports announcer for Fox Sports Net's "Indoor Super Snowcross" Stadium Tour. Her film acting includes A Piece of Eden and Suspended Animation, shot by Oscar-nominated film director John Hancock, along with Best for Last and Diagnosis Trauma. She has DGA credit for her work as a 2nd Assistant Director on Suspended Animation, along with countless hours of production coordinating and SFX makeup. Currently she is singing with the well-known Billboard chart topper Henry Lee Summer and producer Mark Moran with an album in the works. She is pleased to be introduced to the wonderful people in the Indianapolis film community.
Gerald Peterson (Assistant Director, Cameraman, Microphone Boom)
A writer and musician, Gerald has extensive experience in managing and running companies and business projects. He is the author of the book The Murder of Matthew Raymonds and the film script It’s Just Life along with many short stories and songs.
Ed Kessner (Key Grip, Cameraman, Microphone Boom)
Ed is retired from the Veteran’s Administration. He served as gaffer on Ripple, The Bumbling Detective and Welcome to Kentuckiana. In his spare time, he restores antique clocks, does detailed woodworking, gold leafing, and Victorian home internal restoration.
Randy Saffen (Music Supervisor, Gaffer, Cameraman)
Randy is a musician/commercial photographer in Indianapolis. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, he attended Ohio State University, where he studied music and photography. His primary musical influences include Brian Eno and Michael Stearns.
Autumne Sorgius (Mariana Walker)
Autumne has studied acting at IRT, Purdue University and IUPUI. Her theatre experience includes Death of a Salesman, St. Susan, and From Dark Pages. Losers Lounge is Autumne's first film experience and she is in the process of working on many other independent films throughout the Mid-West.
Brian Talbot (Joey Ferdinando)
With a 15-year career as a commercial actor and voiceover talent, Brian has completed over a dozen independent film projects in the last year, playing diverse roles in features and shorts. From the blue-collar detective, Joey Ferdinando, seeking justice in the independent feature "Losers Lounge" to a delusional bank customer, a man with psychic abilities, a less-than-upstanding school teacher, a crooked campaign manager and even an over-the-top game show host, Brian is becoming a familiar face in independent films across the country.
Robert Charlock (Captain Morgan Macphearson)
Bob has studied acting with Bryan Fonseca, Julie Powers, Rob Johansen, David Hockey and Jeffrey Sweet. He has been acting in Indianapolis for the past five years, and his stage credits include Death of a Salesman, Cara Becoming a Woman, The Tinker, and Of Mice and Men. He has also appeared in the film The Creole Affair and Welcome to Kentuckiana.
Vickie Smith (Lisa Losers)
Local stage actress Victoria Smith is making her transition to film in Losers Lounge. As Lisa, she runs the lounge where all the seedy low life characters in the film hang out. Vickie has had a busy year on many of the area stages and most recently appeared as Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. She has received instruction both locally and in Chicago and will spend the summer training in New York City.
Colin Alexander (Erwin Cornelius)
Born into a family of touring musicians, Colin was exposed to the arts very early through music. He was a child actor who appeared in local commercials and theatre productions. After receiving a high school and later college scholarship for athletics in football, Colin was forced to put his artistic endeavors on hold.
After injuries cut his career short, his focus again shifted to his artistic interests. Colin began appearing in commercials, industrials, independent shorts and then independent feature films as well as theatre in the Orlando area. He relocated to the Indianapolis area to aid in the creation of a family business, and plans to pursue his entertainment interests full time in the near future. In his spare time Colin practices and teaches Martial Arts. He has produced a few songs for Orlando Hip Hop Musicians, and is currently working on his own CD, due out in late August.
Apollo Bacala (Razor)
A model & acting graduate of John Robert Powers International, Apollo has also studied with Francis Welter, Tim Conway, Tom Polston, and Chita Rivera, and at the University of Louisville and Indiana University SE. His theatre experience ranges from Carmen, Salome, and Il Travatore with the Kentucky Opera to various stage musicals/plays in regional theatres in southern Indiana and Kentucky. Apollo is a former dancer/choreographer with Louisville-based Ballet Espanol, a professional regional touring Classical Spanish & Flamenco Company, and with Dance Pacifica. He has appeared in TV commercials, programs, industrials and as an extra in the feature films The Insider and Eight Men Out. He’s also appeared in the independent films After the Big One and Unforeseen Circumstances. When he’s not acting. Apollo is an avid volleyball player who plans to continue work in film and TV.
Micah Shane Ballinger (Jason Campbell)
Micah Shane studied acting while attending Ball State University. He has appeared in the teen horror flick Evil Inside and in the ABC sitcom What About Joan? He is currently filming the lead role in the supernatural thriller Shadows, directed by Jarrod Ketchem, is in production for Bunk Film's latest venture Troubled Man, and has snagged a role in Jeff Cook's upcoming romantic comedy Someone For Everyone.
Kevin Croak (Sergeant Frank Monday)
Kevin has appeared in over more than 300 independent and industrial films in the last 30 years. He is best known for playing John Dillinger (and his ghost) on the Travel Channel's nationally syndicated TV series America's Most Haunted Places. Kevin is a bonafide film noir buff, and his favorite movies include His Kind Of Woman, LA Confidential, Chinatown and The Big Sleep.
Robert L. Griffin ("Griff") (Tom Walker)
Griff is a local actor who has performed in most of Indy's community theatres, including Indianapolis Civic, Theatre on the Square, The Edyvean, and Epilogue Players. He has been honored with several encore awards as well. He has completed 2 courses with Indiana Repertory Theatre: Intermediate and Advanced acting.
Losers Lounge is his third film; he also appeared in Barefoot Tour Guide and A Certain Justice.
Frankie Kratoska (Speedy)
Attended the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, CA. He has lived in Los Angeles for the past seven years pursuing a career as an actor. After a regrouping stint here in his hometown of Indiana he plans on returning to Los Angeles with a stronger resume and with a clearer and more focused mind.
Lisa Lee (Regina Cornelius)
Lisa is a dancer, model, and actor. She has appeared on screen in Coming of Age, Machiavell, and Climax. She also appeared in the music video Take a Ride. For the past two years she has been a dancer with the Indianapolis Firebirds Arena Football Team. She has been seen on TV on the Fox59 Morning Show On the Scene Segment Reporter on Indie Scene. She has modeled for many pamphlets, posters and other print advertisements.
Laura Parish (Ginger)
Laura is new to the world of acting, but has appeared in commercials. She worked in bars for five years and as a dancer in Ft. Wayne. She studied acting with Bob Berry. She holds a Masters Of Cosmetology. Her hobbies include diving and swimming, softball, volleyball, bowling, and basketball.
Cassandra Schomer (Martha)
Cassandra has more than 15 years of stage experience and more than five years of film, television, and voiceover experience. Her network TV experience includes featured extra appearances on The West Wing and ER. Her film experience includes leads in Maintenance By Any Means, and Love Found, as well as supporting roles in Next Door, The Gift, and Coma Care. Cassandra has had a variety of stage experience including lead roles in West Side Story and The Tempest as well as supporting roles in the Mystery Café Dinner Theatre, Christmas at the Woods Dinner Theatre, Early One Evening at the Rainbow Bar and Grille, Anything Goes, Singin' in the Rain, and several others. She’s performed as on-camera and voice- over talent for a handful of television commercials and industrial videos, plus numerous radio commercials. She has participated in The Biggs and Carter Experience (Acting/Improv seminar with Richard Biggs of Guiding Light and Jason Carter of Babylon 5) as well as four other commercial acting seminars and workshops. Cassandra studied voice for four years under Marian Krajewska and studied acting for six years under Morris Cornell.
Tim Tyler (Rich)
Tim has completed an advanced acting class and an auditioning techniques workshop at Artistic Enterprises with Skip and Judy Welker. He studied theatre at Arlington High School. Tim played a lead role as a bounty hunter in the feature film Zeitgeist, and had parts in the films Back Home in Indiana, A Song for Jade, An Everyday Occurrence and Welcome to Kentuckiana. He has had parts in theatrical productions, commercials, and educational videos. Tim would love to work in the LA and NYC markets.
Bob Williams (Mayor Hermann Paxton)
Bob is a real estate agent and avid golfer, and has been heavily involved with The Mudcreek Barn in Indianapolis for over 20 years, doing shows such Death Trap, Boeing Boeing, Sex Marks The Spot, Harvey and many others.
Zirque Bonner (Voiceover, epilogue).
Zirque received a BA in Music Performance at Northern Arizona University. He is Director of the Music and Media Program at Verde Valley School, in Sedona Arizona. He is an accomplished jazz bassist, composer and multi-instrumentalist who has recorded and/or performed with Brad Meldeu, Lee Konitz, Ralf Illenberger, Chris Spheeris, Carlos Naki and others. He is very active in the Northern Arizona music scene, and has performed in NYC, Indianapolis, Sedona, Phoenix, Germany, Greece, and Morocco. Zirque did voiceover work for the movie Ripple.
Danny Marks (Man in bar) Danny has studied acting with Bob Berry, Mike Ferruza, and at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. He is currently studying voice and dance. He has done various industrial films for Methodist Hospital and Eli Lilly as well as commercials for HH Gregg. His theatrical performances include From Dark Pages, Meeting of Minds, Harvey, and Gypsy. He is currently working on the filming of Someone For Everyone.
Steven C. Galovic (Man in bar) Steven is new to acting both stage and screen. He attends Bob Berry's Actor's Workshop every Thursday night, and has done a short film and a commercial project for Jeff Coats’ class at the Indianapolis Art Center. Steven also enjoys doing voice impressions. He can do a lot of cartoon voices and many accents; has favorite impression is Sean Connery.
Shane Nicholson (Man in bar) Shane is a former U.S. Marine trained in communications and as a Humvee driver. His interests include traveling and all types of sports, including horseracing! Shane is currently on the move to Las Vegas to enhance his career in acting and he will be enrolling in classes. Shane was a crowd scene extra in the major motion picture Seabiscuit starring Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges and directed by Gary Ross. He has also had a small part in an independent feature called On Borrowed Time.
Brian Grcevich (Man in Bar) Brian is making his first foray into the film world with Losers Lounge. He is a graduate of Indiana State University, and currently works as a mortgage broker. Brian saw this as an opportunity to expand himself by learning about movies, something he truly loves. He looks forward to further opportunities in film, in whatever capacity that might be.
John Drake (Man in bar) John was born in Beech Grove, Indiana, and he lives in Whiteland. He has been in six movies in the Indianapolis area starting with Going All the Way in 1996. John also appeared in Ivan Rogers’ Forgive Me Father, as well as Reconciliation , Death Of A Barefoot Tourguide, The Rogue Runners, Troubled Man, Fake ID, and Loser's Lounge. John attended Robert Berry's acting workshop and AIA actor's studio in Burbank, California.
Freda Love (Court stenographer) Freda Love is a rock drummer/yoga teacher from Bloomington, Indiana. Although this is her film acting debut Freda has appeared on television and in music videos with several of her bands, including The Blake Babies, Antenna , the Mysteries of Life and her new group Some Girls.
Vickie Lewis (Epilogue with Speedy) By day Vickie is a Programmer/Analyst. She is an avid NASCAR fan who attends several races around the country each year. She enjoys the outdoors with her husband, and is happy to be an extra in her former boss’s film.
Jim Liu (Epilogue with Speedy) Jim is a Canadian software engineer educated in China. He enjoys movies of all kinds, with a special interest in the Sundance channel. He is dreaming about writing a movie in Chinese.
Festivals
Losers lounge selected as an official entry in the third annual IU South Bend Independent Video and Filmmakers Festival.
The only independent film festival of its kind in northern Indiana, today announced that Losers Lounge will be screened at
the third annual eye you South Bend Independent Video and Filmmakers Festival April 9, 2004 at 9 PM in Wiekamp Hall,
room 1001. The IUSB VFF is held on the beautiful campus of Indiana University South then. New Festival sponsored by the
IU SB alumni Association and supported by the Mid-America filmmakers, the Festival will showcase over thirty films, a variety
of filmmaking workshops, and the opportunity for Midwest film makers to network.
Losers lounge selected as an official entry in the 2004 Bare-Bones International Independent Film Festival.
The world’s friendliest film Festival, the 2004 Bare-Bones International Film Festival announced today that losers lounge, a feature
movie written and directed by Indianapolis low budget advent-guard filmmaker Don Bonner will be screened as part of the competition
screening in Muskogee Oklahoma as part of the annual Bare-Bones International Independent Film Festival April 19 through April 25, 2004.
The world’s largest little film Festival ( BBIFF) is held in the world’s friendliest city, Muskogee, Oklahoma hometown of actors such as
Robert Reed and Clu Gulager veteran of over sixty movies and TV series. The event is the largest gathering of independent moviemakers,
screenwriters, actors, directors and producers in the state.
Losers lounge selected as an official entry in the Cherokee Film Festival on September 5, 2004.
Losers lounge selected as an official entry at the PDS and Cyberyouth's International Digital Film Festival in Kansas City,
Missouri in September, 2005.
Oct. 19, 2003
Black and white movie explores controversial issues.
“Losers Lounge,” Indianapolis filmmaker Don Boner’s first feature-length film, is a mixture of the film-noir style of the 1950s and some sensitive and controversial issues that probably would not have been explored in earlier films produced in this style. Boner addresses the exploitation of women, incest and other sexual abuse, the risks of illegal abortions, drug abuse and official corruption in this dreary film.
The film was shot in black and white and has fade-outs and fade-ins instead of the sharp cuts that are typical of modern scene changes. There is no comedy, and there are no happy characters — this style of movie features grim stories of the street and of people who have serious problems.
It is film at its bleakest.
Boner’s stereotypical characters have desperate lives that match the bareness of the film style. They include Joey, the private eye who was wrongly kicked off the police force, Lisa Losers, the benevolent bar owner, Ginger, the kind-hearted whore, Speedy, the junkie musician, and others who live in the imaginary town of Passionville.
A young woman is killed by strangulation, and Joey is the prime suspect. He has to resort to his detective instincts to find the real killer and save his own skin. There is enough sex, violence and profanity in this film to make it realistic without any of it being gratuitous.
The shortcomings in “Losers Lounge” are found in its inconsistencies. Some of the dialog is very good; other dialog is weak. Some characters, like Joey (Brian Talbot), and the crooked mayor (Bob Williams) are convincing; others, such as Regina Cornelius (Lisa Lee) are not as strong.
Production values also fluctuate throughout the movie. One moment the lighting or the camera angles may be perfect; the next moment shadows may cover a face that should be in the light. And the scenery and clothing do not always accurately represent 1948, the year the story took place.
The inconsistency, however is understandable, as “Losers Lounge” is a “no-budget” picture; less than
$1,000 was spent on making the film — less than what one lunch costs for the crew on a Hollywood movie set. One of the most interesting aspects of this film is how much movie Boner managed to make for so little money.
“Losers Lounge” is worth seeing. Its minimalist approach is different from the standard movie fare, as is the realistic treatment of difficult social issues.
For more information on Don Boner and “Losers Lounge” visit www.dl-sites.com
By Charles Tidd Staff Writer, Sagmore, an IUPUI paper
Awards
