A movie in the making By Jen Ellison Orvgan f TO*) Wluin Darryl Roberts finished writ ing tin* s< ripl fnr his movie How l; Like Me Now in 1089. ho walked into a pawn shop, trying to sell his com puter for the funds to produce the film When the salesman asked hint why he needed money. Roberts told him nlHiut the film "1 want to he an actor." the sales man said Roberts saw one of his characters in the man. "It was the way he said it." Rolmrts said. “1 knew he'd be right for one of my ports.” A year later, after all the prepara tions for the film were made, the salesman gave Roberts $500,000 to produce his entire movie Roberts stayed within the budget How H Like Me Now is a comical in count of the romantic and profes sional relationships between a group of African-American friends in Chica go. starring Darnell Williams, Salli Richardson and Roberts. Roberts' ideas for bis movie come from watching the male/female rela tionships around hint. "A' the time I wrote the script I was dating n lot." Roberts said I found that women like to talk about men Some of the experiences that Roberts heard about and saw gave him the idea for his script "I realized that no one had ever done a black comedy about male/fernale relationships before." Roberts said. Set in Chicago’s South Side, the film is about Valerie [Ru hardson). an ambitious career woman who knows what she wants from life. Only one thing holds her ba< k — her boyfriend. Thomas (Williams). Thomas is unmotivated and happy just where he is in life Ted up with Thomas’ passivity, Valerie moves out of their apartment and relationship Coaxed by her hairdresser, Valerie goes to a singles bar where she meets an array of men including one that matches her personality. He’s hand some. successful, charming, educated and ambitious. He’s also white. How U /jke Me Now is original with it’s protagonists. The African-Ameri can bad guys don’t sell or use drugs, shoot anyone or got shot at Originality is also prevalent in Roberts’ ability to stay within the bud* get. CourtPnoto Darryl Roberts (right), writer, director, producer end co-atar, directs Spoony (Daniel Gardner) and Thomaa (Darnell Williams) lor How U llko Mo Now. 7 realized that no one had ever done a black comedy about male/female relationships before Darryl Roberts Director "I sought out some of the best non union techs in Chicago and told them what the budget was,” Roberts said. "They really liked the script and agreed to do it.” Roberts also payed all the actors, with the exception of Williams, the Screen Actor s Guild minimum of $400 a day. and all his locations were donated without cost. Darryl Robarta The movie was released in 20 cities around the nation between January and April. The videocassette will be released July 2H, 1993, from MCA/Universal Home Video. Anthems of empowerment Canadian Singer and songwriter Jen nifer Berezan is touring the Northwest in celebration of the release of her album Borderline* and will play in Eugene at the WOW Hall Friday, June 11. Combining a lyrical style with a poignant politic al bite with a blend of folk, rock and urban country, Berezan's music creates a new genre of inspiring and spirited progressive folk. The album, released on the Chicago based folk recording label Flying Fish, features an all-star cast of San Francisco Bay area musicians and was produced by Windham Hill recording urtist Mike Marshal). Raised m Alberta. Canada. Berezan started playing guitar in second grade and formed an all-girls rot k band in sixth grade. After graduating from the University of Calgary with a degree in comparative religion in 1985. she moved to the San Francisco Ray area and earned a master's degree in earth based spirituality at the Institute in Cul ture and Creation Spirituality She also studied with Starhawk. Berezan's interest in spirituality, social awareness and political activism drives her music. A harsh critic of much that passes for the American way. Top Ten Artists and Albums on KWVA, campus radio, from May 26 to May 29 ALBUM ARTIST 1. Porno for Pyros 2. Primus 3. Monie Love 4. Midnight Oil 5. Sacred Reich 6. Frank Black 7. Arcade 8. Who's The Man? 9. Pond 10. Fishbone Porno for Pyros Pork Soda In A Word Or 2 Earth and Sun and Moon Independent Frank Black Arcade Soundtrack Pond Give A Monkey A Brain... Frank Black Getting to know the grungies Editor's Note Associated Press newsman luiis Cabrera is lead singer, sometime rhythm guitarist and primary hyp notherapist for a working Seattle rock hand SEATTLE (AT) — So who are those "grunge" rockers jumping around onstage, wailing and mercilessly pounding their instruments? Are they mild-mannered slot khrokers who trade in their briefcases and business attire for flannel and boots at the end of the day? Are they disgruntled rich kids with nothing better to do than pierce assorted body parts and design their next tattoos until it's time to mount the mosh pit? Possibly. But most grungesters are workaday twenty somethings struggling to realize the common dream of cre ating music and bringing it to people Take the guys in Bathtub Gin. They've been playing Seattle and beyond for the past three years or so, and they've begun to attract a sizeable fol lowing A cut from their demo tape, Mash, is getting steady airplay on one of the Seattle FM rook stations, they've got some fairly high powered San Francisco management behind them and they're beginning to he recognized on the street. They’ve even started to see some money coming in from shows and merchandise sales, and have been making con tract talk with several labels, some of them majors. That doesn’t mean they're on grunge's easy street, howev er. As guitarist and founding member Brian Martinez ex plained. "We put all our money back into the band. We don't split it up or anything ." Martinez still details cars for a living. Singer and harp man (ohn Reidt does landscape work. Guitarist Jeff Hiatt works as a cook at Julia's on 45th, on the deadly 6 a m. shift Bassist und background vocalist Troy Hewitt is a bricklay er's assistant and drummer John Cutler "doesn't do a damned thing. He refuses to work for a living,'' Martinez said. The response they're getting now is gratifying, though "you always anticipate for things to go quicker." Martinez said. The band plays a brand of up-tempo blues that's heavy on distortion and the chunky, twoguitar Seattle feel. It's a hit with the crowds that like the harder edge. Turn to GRUNGIES, Page 10 Btraun'i songs deal with tin* histori cal legacy of the women'* movement, sexism, homophobia, homelessness and other topics that make her songs anthems of empowerment for the dis possessed of our society "She filters these concerns through personal experience." according to reviewer Robert Reid, with "a strong, crystalline voice softened with a sultry edge that, if anything, is even more impressive in concert than her record ings might suggest ' Tickets are S' in adenin e or $H at the door Showtime is ft .10 jSl JlA nurt#M Mtv+o Jennlfar Banezan comas to tha WOW Hall as part ol har Northwest tour. Chain Art Project crosses international boundaries What began for computer .irt rirM^ri^^nsrsrsyu,M55rTryT5>,c"yTy?qw>??Swrs> _»«**•+»** QHWV* lig^f^ltr xnof^MQ, OOQOm-Tw r ttfthfy l* ft®® ft ftfc® J flft "Marvelous And Sensual! A touching epic of forbidden love..A delectable 10." “Bripil. Passionate And Funn>.” I IKE VAT E R F 21? C H ? 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