Who Are We?

WE ARE CHARLATANS
We are artists,

We are illusionists,

We make the mundane fantastic,

We make the unbelievable seem real.

We turn FACT into FICTION,

We turn FICTION into FACT,

We blur the lines between reality and imagination.

We may be filmmakers,

We may be storytellers,

We are CHARLATANS.

Watch the Charlatan Studios Reel featuring the best low budget films!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp4TAnr8sTg

What is a Charlatan? And why Charlatan Studios?

Many people ask about the inspiration behind the film label. “Charlatan,” after all, is a word with both negative and positive connotations. On one hand, it can refer to the magicians and illusionists who make fantasy seem real… on the other, a fraud, a quack, a fake. It was this duality that attracted Douglas Lamore and Brian Mack, in that it reflects the very nature of art: fact is turned into fiction, and life mimics art. It’s in this constant give and take where the line between reality and fantasy blur the TRUTH is found.

“I’ve always been interested in film and art that blurs the line between reality and imagination,” Douglas Lamore says. “Orson Welles did this with “War of the Worlds” and “Citizen Kane,” and he was perhaps the first to take credit for being a faker. In his appropriately puzzling alternative documentary “F for Fake” he says, “What we professional liars hope to serve is truth. I’m afraid the pompous word for that is ‘art.'”

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Filmmaker Douglas Lamore, and producing/writing partner Brian Harrison Mack first exploded on the festival circuit in 2009 with their short film “Marry, Fuck, Kill,” a short dark comedy that won the Jason Reitman and Daniel Dubiecki sponsored award for best low-budget film. With a budget under 100 dollars, this Charlatan Studios film went on to gather praise at numerous other festivals around the nation and proved well worth the investment. It was then, perhaps unconsciously, that Charlatan Studios began to develop its artistic philosophy.

“You don’t need a crew of hundreds, a million dollar budget, or famous actors to make a good film,” Lamore said in a recent interview, “All you need is a good story, vision, and artistic integrity. We make a lot from a little.” Aptly named Charlatan Studios holds true to that vision. True auteurs, this two-man band handles every aspect of the art: writing all original material, directing, shooting, editing and even acting.

Quickly following up on their 2009 success, Charlatan Studios returned to ShortFest with two films, one of which kicked off the festival at the opening night gala, showcasing the filmmakers’ acting skills playing alter-egos Alan and Frank. “The Festival Heist” (a film actually shot during the festival a year prior), parodies the two filmmakers attempts to “break into Hollywood” by sneaking into the festival tape vault and secretly planting their REJECTED film. Ken Jacobson, programming coordinator at Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival, made a special request to screen the film on opening night. “We loved it. We were showing everyone in the office, it was hilarious.” The Charlatans describe the Alan & Frank series as a vehicle to vent their frustrations with Hollywood.

“We’re largely dissatisfied with filmmaking today,” Mack said at their 2011 cast & crew pre-screening. “Really, it has become nothing more than over-hyped sensationalism, a regurgitation of the same ideas with remakes and sequels. We believe filmmaking is an art, and it needs independent voices. And that ISN’T coming from the Hollywood studio system.”

Lamore and Mack are part of an emerging era in cinema. In a time when James Cameron tops records with a 237 million dollar budget for Avatar, a new breed of filmmakers are emerging using new, inexpensive technology to make movies for next to nothing. Breakthrough cameras like the Canon 7D are giving new artists the tools to create and distribute high quality films without breaking the bank. As alternative do-it-yourself distribution becomes more and more popular, it seems the future of cinema will likely be polarized between extremes: ultra high-budget studio blockbusters vs. ultra low-budget indies. Time will tell which model makes better films. “You can’t take chances within the studio system,” Lamore says, “Producing a film on a shoestring budget isn’t easy, but I think the challenge weeds out the people who lack passion. You have to be passionate about what you make… and not just after successful box office returns. Ultimately, that’s why you see more groundbreaking from independents.” A painter, turned animator, turned filmmaker, Lamore speaks with sincerity. But, struggling with two jobs, he goes on to say, “Of course, we’d love to quit our day jobs and do this full time.”

The latest Charlatan Studios production deals with just that: day jobs. “Restructuring Michael Swift” is a six-minute dark comedy that satirizes the current state of affairs in corporate America. “Michael Swift” is a hard working, dedicated employee who endures the endless stress and acute paranoia experienced within a downsizing corporation. Hilarious, sad, and poignant, the film is relevant today. Based of Lamore’s own work experience, the film takes a closer look at the demoralizing effect of layoffs on those who are left to cover the work. It’s a film that will resonate with anyone who has worked in corporate America.

So what’s next for Charlatan Studios? Taking the next logical step, they plan to start their first feature film in the summer of 2011. “This film couldn’t be made in the studio system… so we thought, what better project for our first feature?” Shooting a feature-length film isn’t the only new challenge facing Charlatan Studios, they’re also fundraising for their first budget. Still an extremely low-budget feature by conventional means, they plan to raise approximately 40k to cover actor day rates, special effects and location costs. “This is definitely the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken. It’s huge.”

The controversial film might not be for everyone. In Charlatan style, the untitled feature is a dark satire, dealing with subjects of religion, art and the culture of worship. “Ultimately, films shouldn’t just entertain,” Lamore says, “Films should ask questions, provoke thought, and challenge the viewer… like all great art. THOSE are the films you remember.”

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Watch all of our streaming movies online HERE!
BEFORE WE WERE CHARLATANS (click HERE)