THE PENTHOUSE

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A GF&CO Film Collaboration

In October of 2013, GF&CO was invited to collaborate on an industrial film: PENTHOUSE.

This was a rare occasion to expand GF&CO’s visibility, put OTOA into action via a cinematic medium, and an unconventional opportunity to collaborate on a paying project with Director and Filmmaker Jonathan Robinson of Build Pictures.

Penthouse, is a tour of a newly renovated apartment of one of New York City’s largest one-family apartments, in one of its tallest residential buildings, owned by one of the world’s most affluent families and art collectors, and designed and renovated by one of the preeminent international architectural & design firms, ODA (http://www.oda-architecture.com/).

Robinson’s innovation was to reveal the space by inhabiting through a sequence of seemingly unrelated silent scenarios.

Knowing of Forakis’ past directing work and aware of GF&CO as an ensemble of OTOA-based actors, Robinson approached her in September of 2013 with the idea of a Build Pictures-GF&CO collaboration, and the two found they were immediately artistically simpatico.

Gia’s work began by casting the film, according to Jonathan’s criteria, primarily from GF&CO members and then extending it into her own acting network. The GF&CO cast consisted of available Core Members: Danielle Delgado, Kerry Milliron, and Jennifer Lim, plus Affiliated Member, James Chen.

Co-directors Forakis & Robinson broke new ground: as the Film Director, Jonathan Robinson was the film’s visionary and producer; as Director of Talent, Gia Forakis, was responsible for supporting and communicating Robinson’s vision and stylistic influences to the actors.

The two directors collaborated on the shot list, and a sequence of short scenarios that would bring the unique qualities and exceptional design elements of each room of the massive and glamorous apartment to life. During filming, Forakis oversaw the staging and performance of the actors, and in post-production gave feedback on each cut of the film.

FILM SCREENING: On May 12th, 2014 The Director’s Cut of Penthouse was screened, preceded by a wine & cheese reception. The final result is an elegant and sophisticated product that raises the standards of promotional filmmaking, provided the client, ODA, with an exceptional marketing tool –while giving GF&CO, the individual Cast Members and Forakis as Director of Talent, all prominent credits.