Press
Birmingham Magazine:

"A MAJOR PRODUCTION"

A spotlight on the Birmingham filmmaking community. Hear from directors, producers,actors, screenwriters, grips and more. By Carla Jean Whitley.

Need to get your film made? For our cover we put together a "dream team" of local film folks to help us with our Major Production. "...My greatest accomplishment film-wise has probably been making a living in the industry at all, much less for this long," says David Brower, director of photography, who has worked in the film business for 35 years. "...It's custom to criticize the South, but this is the place where everybody was friendly to me," explains Yuri Shapochka, director and producer. Instead of waiting for filmmaking to be resurrected in his home country, he moved to the United States, choosing Birmingham.

Photography: Beau Gustafson;
Art director: Robin R. Colter
Birmingham Magazine's Website: www.bhammag.com
Birmingham Magazine
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The Birmingham News



The Birmingham News: 'Six blocks' alters view of world
It was there in a packed Carver Theatre that it was forced upon me. I was there for a screening of the short film Six Blocks Wide -- written by Renaissance Cop Teresa Thorne and shot in Birmingham -- when I got the feeling this was bigger than a bit of film, and we ought to treat it as such. And we ought to treat this town as if it were smaller...
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FOX6



FOX6: Short film shot in Birmingham premieres
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC-TV, MyFoxAL.com) -- The red carpet was rolled out in Birmingham Thursday night for the premiere of a film shot here in the Magic City. The producer says the film has a message that could help reduce crime. FOX6 News Reporter Sherea Harris has more on the story.
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WBHM Public Radio



WBHM Public Radio: Filmmakers explore the culture of violence
In the last week, there've been at least ten reported murders in Birmingham. But while some residents try to ignore the violence and others stomach it with fear, two filmmakers explore it in a new short film called Six Blocks Wide. WBHM's Connor McCarty reports.
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business journal



Birmingham Business Journal Article
STREET TALK: Lights, camera ...
Teresa K. Thorne, executive director of Birmingham's City Action Partnership, is about to become a screenwriter.

Shape Films is producing the independent film "Six Blocks Wide" - written by Thorne. Her script centers around a young girl and an old woman who stand up to a drug lord in an inner-city Birmingham neighborhood.
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FOX6



Moving Picture Magazine: The stories behind movies
Expertly directed by Yuri Shapochka, the film subtly shows how one person's individual hopes are often intertwined with the hopes of others. The way life plays out is unexpected, like a game of chess.
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FOX6



FOX6: Birmingham Filmmaker Goes to Cannes
"What's it like to go to the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival? Yuri Shapochka knows. The Birmingham filmmaker showcased two of his films at Cannes last week. Today, he is in the FOX6 Studio to talk about his experience..."
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CBS-42



CBS 42 News: Local Filmakers In Cannes
by Emily Ingram

A couple of local filmmakers make it to the big leagues of film recognition in France. They've been selected to submit two of their short films titled "Waiting" and "High Expectations" in the Cannes Film Festival.
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Die Stütze Magazine



International Press: Die Stütze Magazine in Berlin
"Yuri Shapochka aus der Ukraine entführt den Betrachter in virtuelle Welten, in denen sich der selbstmordgefährdete Verkäufer eines Videospielshops zwischen der imaginären Welt der Videospiele und der Wirklichkeit verliert." (Feb 2006, Page 12)
www.die-stuetze.com
Feb 2006 Issue of Die Stütze, PDF