For Detective Rick Stancer every case can turn into a War...
"A COLD FAREWELL"
AN ANIMATED FILM NOIR
An Animated, Hand Drawn short film designed, written, and directed by Art Medina
Art Medina is a Chicago-based artist who set up a small production company at home to bring a 2012 original script to life.
At the start of the Pandemic Art Medina carefully choose traditional Paper, a series of fountain pens, and jet black Carbon Ink and got to work!
Designing every background, hand drawing each detail and using only gray and black markers Art Medina used the knowledge he gained as a self-taught animator and graphic-artist.
Being a fan of Classic and Foreign Films Art Medina filmed "A Cold Farewell" as an animated short movie which making took up the majority of the time in quarantine.
Written in 2012, script was a love letter to the Hollywood film noir style
In 2011, soon after writing and directing a short film entitled "Artpology" and taking part in the 2012 48 Hour Film Project, Art Medina wrote a 60 page original script based on his love for American Private Detective Movies. The traditional Classics of Hollywood's Film Noir style have endeared through motion pictures in the 40's such as "The Maltese Falcon", "The Big Sleep" and unto the 70's with "Chinatown".
VOICE CAST
Greg Norgaard
as Private Detective RICK STANCER
Greg Norgaard is a Pulp-Fiction writer . His first novel, the western, A Savage Retribution, won the Readers Favorite Silver Award for Action-Adventure. His follow up, A Savage Darkness, won second place for E-books at the Hollywood Book Festival in 2012. Savage Noir: The Complete Adventures of Frank Savage, has recently been published by Pro Se Press, a publishing house that specializes in pulp-fiction novels.
With a mutual interest in Classic Hollywood movies Greg became associated with Art Medina when he was cast in a supporting role in the short film "Artpology". Soon after Greg wrote and starred in the 2012 entry into the 48 Hour Film Project for 8-12 Productions "A Savage Romance" which included the first screen portrayal of Greg's creation, Frank Savage. This led to the ambitious step to write another Frank Savage adventure and in 2013 Greg produced, wrote and starred in "Savage Noir: A Western Film".
In 2019, Greg participated in the 48 Hour Film Project entry "Rideshare" for which he was awarded Best Actor.
Art Medina had given the script of "A Cold Farewell" to Greg with the hopes of shooting it as a live action feature in 2013. Greg was always the first and only choice to play Private Eye Rick Stancer and when Art decided to film the script as an Animated Film Noir he invited Greg to finally portray the Detective.
EMILY EMBER as TATIANNA CARTER
Emily Ember is a Chicago-based actress and voice talent. Since graduating Northwestern University, she has performed in a number of theatre and short film productions, including writing and producing a few of her own. After recently deepening her faith, Emily is currently using her talents for the greater glory of God. Learn more about her at: www.EmilyEmber.com
Michael Cabrera as ALFRED GREEN
Michael Cabrera is a Chicago-based writer, director and Photographer. The expanse of his work included the study and recreation of Hollywood Glamour Portraits which fit well with the interest in Films that he and Art shared.
In 2011 Art asked Mike to shoot and edit their first short film project entitled "ARTPOLOGY". Since that time Mike Cabrera has collaborated in several 48HFP entries in which he was director, writer, editor and actor. This included "Savage Romance" (2012), "In the Form of You" (2013)
"Hovel" (2014), "Turning Tricks" (2016), "Tinder Two Step" (2017) and "Rideshare" (2019). Mike is also the composer for the entire music score for "A COLD FAREWELL".
Jessica Catanzano as DORRIE
Jessica Catanzano is a Project Manager for UNITED and was born in upstate New York. Art Medina could only think of Jessica's "Girl Friday" natural voice for the role of Dorrie, Rick Stancer's associate at their detective agency.
In 2016 Jessica was the producer for 8-12 Productions entry into the 48HFP, "Turning Trick" which was written by M. Cabrera and directed by Roy Torres. Not inclined to be on the spotlight Jessica performed the role of Dorrie as favor to Art which he greatly appreciates.
Jerry Vasilatos as Police Sgt. MERLE BURROWS
Jerry Vasilatos is a Chicago Filmmaker, Editor, Director and Inventor. His first film, "Solstice", was broadcast nationally as a Lifetime original movie in 1994. He attended Columbia College. between 2015 and 2018 Jerry served as Chicago City Producer of the world renowned 48 Hour Film Project while developing several projects for his co
Jerry Vasilatos is a Chicago Filmmaker, Editor, Director and Inventor. His first film, "Solstice", was broadcast nationally as a Lifetime original movie in 1994. He attended Columbia College. between 2015 and 2018 Jerry served as Chicago City Producer of the world renowned 48 Hour Film Project while developing several projects for his company Nitestar Productions.
Jerry's "Solstice" was awarded the Silver Award by the Charleston International Film Festival, the Bronze Award by the Houston International Film Festival, and was broadcast again by Lifetime Television on Christmas Eve of 1995. The film has been restored from the original camera negative in 2K under Jerry's supervision for a 25th Anniversary release in 2018.
Jerry is a direct influence in Art Medina's small film career inspiring him to make his own short films. From sharing a love for all movies Art wanted to cast Jerry in the role of Police Sgt. Merle Burrows when "A COLD FAREWELL" was planned as a live action film. His voice performance is considered by Art as a "combination of Jackie Gleas
Jerry is a direct influence in Art Medina's small film career inspiring him to make his own short films. From sharing a love for all movies Art wanted to cast Jerry in the role of Police Sgt. Merle Burrows when "A COLD FAREWELL" was planned as a live action film. His voice performance is considered by Art as a "combination of Jackie Gleason and Artie Lange".
Jerry is also the host for the YouTube show Chicago Corner which airs twice weekly.
Igor Rubchinsky as "The Man in The White Hat"
Igor Rubchinsky is a Chicago based musician, artist and music-video director. Born and raised in Kiyv, Ukraine, "Iggy" came to the U.S. with his Family In 1979. He and his wife, Claudia Chavez, both contributed to "A COLD FAREWELL" with Iggy's use of the Russian language in the film to Claudia designing the dress the character of Tatianna Carter wears in the conclusion.
In 2001 Iggy started the Industrial Band
Bio-Carbon 13 (BC13) which still tours the mid-west. He also participated as an actor in Art Medina's 48HFP 2013 entry "Traditional Retirement". During production of the animation for "A COLD FAREWELL" Iggy used the footage as a background for one a Bio-Carbon 13 music video.
The character of Tatianna Carter is named after Iggy's Mother.
Roy Torres as Moto
Roy Torres is a long time friend and associate of Art Medina who has participated as an actor in Sean O'Mallery's web-series "The Good Fight". Participating in 48HFP entries throughout 2012 to 2019 he has directed "The Tinder Two Step" which starred Emily Ember, "Turning Tricks" and "Rideshare" which were all written by Michael Cabrera.
The character of "Moto" (moe-toe) is the traditional menacing thug enforcer depicted in film noir. Roy also advised on the fight sequence at the conclusion of "A COLD FAREWELL"
Gallery
The intention of the animation was to reflect the vintage look of a Classic Hollywood Movie, the kind you watched on late night TV.
In an example of traditional animation several poses would be layered into a scene frame by frame to create motion.
Several drawings were elements that were then layered together to look and move like a single element.
Each drawing was then scanned and part of the animation relies on everything matching. Mouth poses would be synched with their recorded audio tracks.
Google research was done so much that most of the film has the style of the 50"s in order to match the decade.
Google photos of what Chicago was like in 1955 were used to create many backgrounds in "A Cold Farewell"
About the Filmmaker
Origins
Art Medina began his journey as an aspiring architect. Fascinated by how things function and interact with each other, Art has delved many times into storytelling and presentation. During the 90's a friendship with Filmmaker Jerry Vasilatos led to sharing a love for classic and current movies. In 2011 Art was inspired by Jerry's who produced his own short film, "Solstice", the first original LIFETIME movie, from 1994. Art admired Jerry's accomplishment that truly embodied the efforts of an independent filmmaker. Re-connecting with Jerry through social media a decade later, and becoming friends with Michael Cabrera, Art began see how the digital age was creating internet content made by amateur and professional filmmakers. During this time Mike Cabrera's commitment to studying photography in his spare time provided Art with the idea of making his own short film. With Art as writer and director and Mike as photographer they threw together actors and a small crew and made "Artpology", the first film in the 8-12 Productions filmography.
immigrant from mexico
Art Medina was born in Mexico City, DF in 1969. Art's Father, Jose Manuel Medina, began working in the U.S. for several years while Art was growing up in Mexico. When he was 5 years old Art and his Mother and sister were reunited with Jose and by 1978 Art's father had moved his entire immigrant family to the city of Chicago. Art's very first impression of his new home was through American television when he watched a re-run episode of the camp-series BATMAN. Seeing the show as a kid and hearing them speak English rather than Spanish, like he was accustomed to at that point, Art instantly wanted to learn the language and watch more TV.
Genesis
A Cold Farewell was a noir film inspired animation whose seeds were born in 2012. Art proposed a script to his friends with the intent to shoot a live action film. This fell through the cracks and eventually became an afterthought. Just prior to the pandemic Art made the decision to animate his story.