The making of COLOR ME OBSESSED – part 21.5

I’ve finally come to the realization that I’ll never be a blogger. And I’m okay with that. I think back to a filmmaking couple that did a very sweet little film that premiered shortly before my You Are Alone did in 2005. I saw theirs at the festival where my premiered. They started blogging about the fest circuit, about making their film, about being broke, pretty much about anything that came to mind. Regular blogs, video blogs, they were even quite popular.

But what I felt at the time was that they had stopped being filmmakers, and had become professional bloggers. Which is fine. If that’s what you want to be, and that you realize it’s what you really are. I’m not sure they ever realized that.

Since then we’ve really seen no other features from this talented couple. I’ve made Friends (With Benefits) and Color Me Obsessed, and I’ve already started work on three others. A weeks or so ago, when I was in Madison for the truly wonderful Wisconsin Film Festival, I had enough down time where I figured I’d get some blogs written. Instead I worked on the script for a film called Broken Side Of Time, which is part three of my planned Alone Trilogy. (Hell, it might end up being part two.) I worked on the script not because I needed to, there was no rush, no deadline, but because I wanted to. It’s what I like to do. It’s what I do. Blogging on the other hand feels like work. And I have no desire to become a professional blogger. I’m a filmmaker. And happy to be one.

The making of COLOR ME OBSESSED – PART 19

Our first official press release, our first four screenings…

March 7, 2011

Documentary on indie-rock legends The Replacements set to premiere.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT & TAMPA, FLORIDA: COLOR ME OBSESSED, the first documentary about famed 80’s indie-rock band The Replacements, will have its World Premiere at the 5th annual Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, Florida. Gorman Bechard, the film’s director, took top honors at last year’s GIFF with his romantic-comedy FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS).

Told through the eyes of fans, friends, and contemporaries, COLOR ME OBSESSED breaks from the traditional music documentary format of music and performances. Not looking to make a VH1/where-are-they-now style documentary Bechard took a unique approach, “I decided to present the band in a more iconic way,” he explains. “I thought, people believe in God without seeing or hearing him but rather through the passion, faith, and stories of others. After watching COLOR ME OBSESSED, I’m pretty sure music fans will believe in The Replacements in much the same way.”

Telling the band’s story was a project close to the heart for Bechard. Like many who were weaned on punk music he latched onto this brash young Minneapolis band with fervor. Dubbed “the last best band” by Spin Magazine, their live shows could be miraculous or downright disasters. Their fans, unwaveringly faithful. As critic’s darlings, their albums were wrought with angry guitars and passionate well-written lyrics that hinted at potential commercial success. Yet, somehow, the band managed to continually shoot themselves in the foot. Their relative obscurity was a motivating factor in presenting their story on film. “The Replacements should have been the next Rolling Stones,” Bechard says, “And to the people who loved them, I think they were.”

Combining over 140 interviews with rockers (Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, Tommy Ramone, Grant Hart and Greg Norton of Husker Du, all three members of Goo Goo Dolls), journalists (Robert Christgau, Legs McNeil, Ira Robbins, Greg Kot, Jim DeRogatis), and fans both famous (Tom Arnold, Dave Foley, George Wendt) and not, Bechard delivers the obsessive tale of the most influential band you’ve never heard of, The Replacements. And though containing not one note of their music, COLOR ME OBSESSED is a documentary that really rocks.

COLOR ME OBSESSED screens on Saturday, March 26th at 7:30 PM at the Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, FL. On Saturday, April 2nd at 6:45 PM at the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison, WI. On Friday, April 15th at the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival in Chicago, IL. And on Wednesday, May 4th in Minneapolis, MN as a special presentation of Sound Unseen’s monthly screening series.

For more info on COLOR ME OBSESSED please visit: http://www.ColorMeObsessed.com
For more on the director please visit: http://www.GormanBechard.com or contact us using the information provided below: