US Premiere at Danceswithfilms
June 16, 2004 in Santa Monica, CA .

    Well, the premiere went really well in Santa Monica, same as England. Its such a joy to see that we can play this film anywhere from England to Southern California and people still are reacting to it and really feeling its message. The audiences seem to really get it, and like the film. On that note, I'd like to announce that American Yearbook won the AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD for features at Dances With Films!!! I'd like to congratulate you all, without all the great lighting, camerawork, set design, sound, music, and memorable performances, the audience would not be so moved by my story. Your collaborations with me have pushed this project to all the success it has achieved.
     For those of you not there, the premiere in Santa Monica was a gala event! We had a couple stars stop by to see the film, friends of our Exec Producer Gabreal Franklin who has championed the film and been a terrific partner for me in getting the film out there (which has been much tougher than making it, it seems). He is truly a major reason we made it to that wonderful premiere, as well as the one in England. Also the stars I mentioned that Gabreal brought were Lindsay Wagner (the Bionic Woman), Carlos Lauchu (played the god Anubis in the 1994 blockbuster Stargate) and Betty Garrett Parks of Laverne & Shirley/All in the Family fame. Composer Garrett Parks, and actress wife Karen Culliver attended.  A friend and Academy Award nominated producer Bob Larson attended to show his support, as well as our attorney Rob Jesuele and Producer's Rep Harris Tulchin.
    We had acquisition executive Laura Ruggeri from Focus Features (Universal Studio's indie feature distributor arm) attend and she not only stayed through the screening and the Q&A, but our producer's rep Harris Tulchin spoke with her afterward and she said she really liked the film and would be recommending us to her boss! I'm not holding my breathe (and you shouldn't either), but its a damn good thing to have happen... Oh, and Miramax called the morning after the premiere asking for a screener, which I appropriately dropped off at their offices on Sunset in Hollywood that afternoon... That was a nice phone call to get. ;)
    So, we're on their radar now, and with a 4 star review, Audience Award, big distributor interested, and more festival screenings to come, I could not be more proud nor more optimistic about this film. Thanks to you all.
                                                                                               - Brian Ging (Director - American Yearbook)

Brian going over surround sound settings with projectionist Charley.

Brian and Giovannie standing by the limos before the screening!!

Here's the crowd, inside the theatre complex.

The line starts here for the premiere. Dan Brown's proud dad Larry, first in line.

After the screening outside the theatre with Brian Ging, Gabreal Franklin,
Carlos Lauchu, and Jeremiah Jacobs.

Someone kick this guy or something, he's just way too full of pride...

More to come, as people email me photos from that amazing night!!. I didn't take many pics cause I was so busy, but send more if you have them and I'll put them online. - Brian Ging