RAISING FLAGG

This zany comedy-drama about a rural handyman who ekes out a living doing odd jobs for his neighbors features Alan Arkin in one of his best comedic performances since 1979’s madcap The In-Laws. Flagg prides himself on being a man of principle — though he often can’t remember which principle — but he is all too frequently overwhelmed by the challenge of navigating the little complexities of daily life as a husband and father of six children. Flagg touches off his latest conflict with his neighbor and nemesis Gus after accusing him of cheating at checkers. Their dispute escalates until they wind up in court, but in the process, Flagg alienates his neighbors, who refuse to hire him to do their odd jobs. Devastated by community ridicule, he climbs into bed and insists he’s about to die. As his children reluctantly descend on the family farmhouse for the “final rites,” their humorous plots to raise him from his “death bed” only serve to stir long-simmering resentments and sibling conflicts.

Additional Information
Filmography: First Feature
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Filmmakers & Equipment Present
		In 1976, long before “independent” films became a force at the box office, NEAL MILLER began his award-winning career as an “Indy” filmmaker. Unlike many of his peers, he ignored the prevailing wisdom that you have to live in Hollywood to make it, and it never hindered his efforts to mount critically acclaimed productions with major stars and directors – including Alan Arkin, Susan Sarandon, Christopher Walken, Joanne Woodward, Virginia Madsen, Darryl Hannah, and Jonathan Demme. Overcoming many challenges, Neal has produced an enduring body of work that has been hailed by many of the nation’s top critics and endorsed by major film festivals (including Sundance).
		NANCY MILLER received her B.A. degree from Wellesley College and her masters from NYU, after which she taught school in Puerto Rico and New York City. In her mid-20s, she began representing graphic artists and traveled the country selling their work (as well as her own) to architects and interior designers. Nancy met Neal in 1973, and partnered with him in renovating Victorian apartment buildings in Chicago. When Neal entered the world of filmmaking, she edited his screenplays and often worked on the sets during production. When not pursuing her current interest in video editing and documentary making, Nancy is typically in her studio, creating eclectic mixed-media sculptures.

THE DEx SYSTEM
RAISING FLAGG was recorded on HDCam tape (high definition digital video) using two Sony HD 900 24p cameras. The original masters were converted to Digi Beta format to view dailies and load onto an Avid linear editing system. After editing, output from the Avid was recorded back to HDCam for on-line finish work. The hope was to have a distributor pay for the conversion to 35 mm film, prohibitively high for indie filmmakers (minimum quotes of $45,000 + $1,200 per positive print), for theatrical release. The dilemma was projecting the movie in theaters without a 35 mm print or using inferior quality DVDs.

RAISING FLAGG was converted into .WMV (Window Media 9) format at a significantly lower cost and stored on a computer hard drive (5.7 giga-bites). Using a variety of desktop and laptop computers, RAISING FLAGG was then projected onto “big screens” through standard video projectors already in place in theaters. The quality was excellent, however the computer equipment was cumbersome and instructions to projectionists rather complicated.

Filmmaker Neal Miller then began developing the DEx System (Digital Exhibition), a special purpose computer that is very portable, simple to operate when connected to video projectors in theaters, inexpensive to use, and capable of projecting high quality video (up to 1920x 1080i) and audio (Stereo or 5.1 surround). The current DEx system is a third stage of prototype with built-in touch screen and capable of projecting extensive playlists of movies. A smaller portable system is also available for some venues.