The cover for Jay Bell's acclaimed novel, ‘Something Like Summer.’

‘Judas Kiss’ director, producer re-team for adaptation of one of 2011′s Best Books

SEATTLE — The makers of this year’s acclaimed scifi fantasy, Judas Kiss, are teaming with Seattle-based Jade Knight Productions to adapt the bestselling coming-of-age love story, Something Like Summer, for the screen.

The new project will be helmed by director J.T. Tepnapa, with screenwriter Carlos Pedraza penning the screenplay, based on the book by author Jay Bell. Tepnapa’s and Pedraza’s Los Angeles-based company, Blue Seraph Productions is a co-production partner.

“I’m honored that Jay Bell and producer Tom Ly have asked Blue Seraph Productions to turn the critically acclaimed novel into a movie,” Tepnapa said. “The life of the main character, Ben, mirrors so many moments in my own life, I cannot help but want to treat his own journey with care. I love this story, and I want to see it come to life.”

ABOUT THE BOOK Something Like Summer traces the tumultuous relationship of Ben and Tim, secret high school sweethearts who grow over the years into both adulthood enemies and complicated friends.

The novel is Bell’s second and most acclaimed, earning a spot in Amazon’s Best Books of 2011 list, with a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5, and outstanding reader reviews on the popular literary site Goodreads.

Queer Magazine Online said the novel “not only has lots of passion, humor, angst and twists and turns, it also takes an in-depth look at how the choices we make in life affect not only ourselves, but everyone around us.” The Alpha Reader review commented: “Jay Bell has written one of the most heartfelt and sincere romances I have ever encountered.”

The book was optioned by Jade Knight Productions of Seattle and producer Tom Ly. With Blue Seraph Productions on board, the project moves into development immediately.

Key art for Blue Seraph Productions' 'Judas Kiss,' distributed in North America by Wolfe Video.

IN DEVELOPMENT “We are on track to have the screenplay ready by Spring 2012,” screenwriter and co-producer Pedraza said. “J.T. and I are looking forward to translating the magic of this story from page to screen.”

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work with J.T. and Carlos,” Jade Knight producer Ly said. “I was so impressed by what they accomplished with Judas Kiss. I know they’ll take us to the next level with Something Like Summer.”

Author Bell had similar praise for Judas Kiss.

“I was blown away after seeing the film in Germany this year,” he said. “My heart was pounding when I left the theatre and I knew that this was the right creative team for a Something Like Summer movie. Ben, Tim, and Jace are in very safe hands, and I can’t wait to see them on the big screen.”

Something Like Summer will be Tepnapa’s and Pedraza’s second feature film, following quickly on the heels of their debut, Judas Kiss, the genre-bending scifi fantasy released in 2011, garnering critical acclaim and multiple awards from film festivals around the world. The film is in distribution worldwide, and continues at the top of the sales charts in its genre.

Blue Seraph Productions is a Los Angeles company headed by Tepnapa and Pedraza. Their work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, The Advocate, Edge Magazine, ATV Network, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

###

LINKS

• Something Like Summer Facebook page
• Amazon’s Best Books of 2011
• Goodreads reviews: Something Like Summer
• Jay Bell Books
• Director J.T. Tepnapa’s IMDB profile
• Writer Carlos Pedraza’s IMDB profile
• Judas Kiss reviews | press kit

BLUEFIN TUNA and sea turtles are among the sea creatures being counted in the Census of Marine Life. Animation by Lindsay Digital.

Blue Serif, the writing consulting division of Blue Seraph Productions, has been signed to write story concepts and treatments for a video series showcasing the findings of the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long marine research project.

The video production, helmed by Pacific Grove, Calif.-based Lindsay Digital, is being overseen by the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University on the Monterey Bay in California, and funded by a grant from the Sloan Foundation.

Blue Serif’s Carlos Pedraza is writing a four-episode series of short videos that combine HD marine footage, new live-action scenes, still photos, CGI visual effects and 3-D animation in stories that illuminate the key discoveries of the international Census.

The Census of Marine Life is a global network of researchers in more than 80 nations engaged in a 10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans. The world’s first comprehensive Census of Marine Life – past, present, and future – will be released in 2010.

More Information

• Los Angeles Times article on the Census of Marine Life
• Census of Marine Life Web site
• Lindsay Digital Web site
• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Web page about the Census.

WHAT IF the Right One turned out to be very, very wrong?

LOS ANGELES — Filmmaker P.K. Eiselt announced he has signed Blue Seraph Productions and its partners to produce his first short film, written and directed by him.

Blue Seraph recently expanded its services to a full production suite by partnering with other production companies around the country in order to help emerging filmmakers see their projects to completion.

P.K. Eiselt

Love Minus Zero is a short film about a peculiar couple on the verge of breaking up and the hapless restaurant patrons who suffer the fallout as internalized tensions break free.

P.K. Eiselt, a graduate of UC Santa Barbara’s film program, describes the motivation behind his project on his blog:

THERE IS A RUSH, almost a panic, to find the “right one,” or face a destiny of being unlovable. … The threat seems more acute in the gay community, where options are limited … a sort of desperation that sets in, especially in the over-30 crowd.

Blue Seraph is now in pre-production with Love Minus Zero. P.K. has received script consultation from Carlos Pedraza (Judas Kiss, Blood and Fire). We have also been assigning crew, including Director of Photography David Berry (Blood and Fire, The Child). J.T. Tepnapa (Begging for Change, Drag Queen Heist) will be line-producing the project. Blue Seraph will also handle production meetings and casting at its Los Angeles production office.

Congratulations to P.K. for finding the courage and passion to make a film again. If you have any interest in contributing to Love Minus Zero, or any of our projects, please contact us.

Link

• Minus Zero Productions http://minuszeroproductions.blogspot.com/

New production space always needs fancy accessories! New desks, a new Macbook, fridge, interns, and of course a new Blue Seraph Web site.

Our new Web site gives both Carlos and me opportunities to be infinitely more creative. For myself, I’m not only helping budding filmmakers, I am also opening our doors to coaching actors. There is nothing more enjoyable that helping actors find new discoveries in the subtext of a script. You can see more about coaching under services.

Currently, we are consulting on three projects in development, a gay vampire story set in Amsterdam, Love Minus Zero, a short film about a peculiar couple on the verge of breaking up publicly, and a play revival of Steel Magnolias. If you have any interest in producing any of these stories please contact me.

And with that, welcome! Stick around and enjoy the view or join us in helping talented filmmakers produce great stories at Blue Seraph Productions.

IN JUDAS KISS, a man tries to avoid a disturbing future by returning to his alma mater to confront a dark past.

What happens when your life feels like it’s over before it ever really began? What if you get the chance to face your past and your future at the same time? How do you deal with the discovery that you’re your own worst enemy?

These questions drive the story of Judas Kiss, a feature film in pre-production by award-winning director-producer J.T. Tepnapa and screenwriter Carlos Pedraza.

You can join the journey of this film’s production, from concept to screenplay, auditions to casting, rehearsals to shooting.

Check out what’s going on at the Judas Kiss movie Web site.