October 14, 2013

Indie press Two Dollar Radio to launch film division

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Eric Obenauf, publisher of Columbus, Ohio based independent publisher Two Dollar Radio, has recently announced the company’s plans to launch a film division called Two Dollar Radio Moving Pictures. Obenauf, who runs the press with his wife Eliza and brother Brian, has a background in film and received a B.A. in film from at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

According to Publishers Weekly, “Two Dollar Radio Moving Pictures films will be produced with budgets for each in the $7,000 range, never to exceed $10,000. They intend to produce two films each year and to distribute them as well.”

Two Dollar Radio has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to launch the “micro-budget film division” and kick off the first couple of films, which have already been optioned and are in pre-production. One of these initial projects that has been announced is The Removals, which was written by Nicholas Rombes, and will be directed by Grace Krilanovich.

Eric Obenauf described his reasons for adding film to Two Dollar Radio’s current book publications, and literary journal frequencies:

This expansion is something that has been a long time coming. When we initially filed the business paperwork for Two Dollar Radio in ’05, in the sentence description of the company’s functions we listed film in addition to publishing (and music!). I’ve been especially inspired by the innovation and creativity of indie record labels, institutions like Drag City and Jagjaguwar, who aren’t hampered by traditional definitions of what their roles are, which leaves them free to follow creative pursuits that still align with their sensibilities. That open mentality and spirited drive is something I hope people will find to be true with us as well, if they don’t sense that already.

Claire Kelley is the Director of Library and Academic Marketing at Melville House.

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