About Coal Mine Canary Films

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ABOUT COAL MINE CANARY FILMS

Coal Mine Canary Films is a small (but mighty) independent feature film production company that is driven by hard-core lovers of the art of filmmaking. Coal Mine Canary Films and now Film Punk Films literally started out of a bedroom in a typical, Joe-suburbia neighborhood. Feeding off the love of independent film (and absolutely no tie to a Hollywood connection) we fueled our passion of filmmaking and as a result of not using any cognitive contraception we gave birth to our debut 35mm feature film, 17 & Under. 17 & Under completed the festival route and is now available for purchase or rental at most video stores or Amazon.com. Since 17 & Under, we have gone on to produce, write and direct other films all listed here on the site.

Greg & Jeanne Morgan

Of his three great loves, (his daughters Summer & Autumn, his wife Jeanne, and filmmaking) Greg’s first was film. Immersed in theatre and the arts at an early age, Greg’s grade school years took a path far from ordinary. His friends in those years still recall the boy and his camera, the living room theater, and the proclamation: “I will be a director some day…some day I will…”

One well-lived adolescence and a few dozen short films later, Greg confronted the issue of college. His choice was foregone: The issue was desire, and California State University, Northridge film school sated as well as fueled it. Graduating with a well-stocked quiver, Greg enlisted the help of his comrade and wife Jeanne and soon wrote and shot their first feature film 17& Under. The film won them their first awards, garnered successful distribution, and landed them squarely on the filmmaking map.

Several years later, Greg’s next feature, The Playaz Court, followed. Once again, he found distribution, this time with Artisan Entertainment. The awards just sweetened the pot, yet after this second success, he felt the need to pause. It was, in this long breath, that Greg charted a new course: A course borne of wishes, bound for fabled shores.

The Substance of Things Hoped For signals Greg’s arrival. Steeped in visual metaphor, haunting and visceral, Substance is his first true will and testament, an expression of the artist and the man. If love has any sway, there will be many to follow…Oh yes, there will!

The drama La Linea, currently in preproduction, sees Greg & Jeanne and Duke Addleman partnered again. The forecast is for clear desert skies, mythic rivers, and voices…

Duke Addleman, Producer, Writer

Began as a philosopher: quick to emote yet steeped in promise. Despite a fine education, noble parenting, and a scientific mind, he tumbled head-over for the art of arranging words. Here follows his confession:

"Writing is my charm of making, one long and mad act of alchemy. Under its sway, I fall invisible. I haunt the speakeasies, the waterfronts, the parkways under whose wide trees you first kissed. These are my halls, and in them I conjure yet another clutch of wishes: words to coddle and warm, to stand ward over lest they find winter. Yet the spell is unfinished. Soon, in one last act of love, I must set the whole of them before you. 'What is my part in all this?' you wonder, but I believe you already know. Yours is the most sacred act of all. You are here, my beloved witness, to birth these hatchlings, to fuss over their feathers, to guide and chide them, to bear them into the wide, wild world."

Duke, knight-errant of The House Addleman and Clan McCreary, has since ventured into production work on Greg and Jeanne Morgan's film "The Playaz Court." Recently, he has written or co-written "Ashland," "A Fear of Quiet Life," "Torn," and "The Substance of Things Hoped For." Development of an adventure epic (code named "Blood") ensues with Greg Morgan.

In this time, Duke lives much as he dreamed: writing, fathering, and teaching in a small blue house by the sea.

A message to screenwriters:

Forgive us, but we are too swamped to accept submissions currently. We still encourage you to keep writing and keep trying to get your work out there.

Greg at Camera.jpg (59855 bytes)

Greg's third directorial effort and pet project will begin shooting August 2005. It is called "The Substaqnce of Things Hoped For.".

Greg is now a featured filmmaker in the new book "Final Cut Pro for Avid Editors: A Guide for Editors Making the Switch" Click on the picture of the book below and check it out. It can be purchased at Amazon or anywhere else on the web.