Let Them Chirp Awhile

Let Them Chirp Awhile is a 2007 independent dramacomedy by Jonathan Blitstein, filmed in just eighteen days in New York during October 2006. The film was produced by Anouk Frosch and Jonathan Blitstein. It was photographed by Andrew Shulkind. The release began December 5, 2008 in select theaters. It received positive reviews in Variety, the Village Voice and TimeOut NY. Opening weekend in NYC had a sold out screening on Saturday December 6, 2008 with the cast in attendance for QA.

The basic storyline of the film follows Bobby and Scott, two young men in their late twenties who are struggling to make careers out of their artistic dreams but their competitiveness with each other gets in the way. Bobby is a screenwriter and Scott is a musician but neither of them are productive because they dont believe in themselves and they share incredibly high standards for their work. Bobby meets an old lover, Deirdre, who is headed to Los Angeles and she begs Bobby to take care of her dog while shes gone. Bobby agrees but only in exchange for a sexual favor. Later, when Bobby makes the mistake of sharing an idea for the opening of his new screenplay with Scott, Scott tells their mutual friend, Hart, a playwright, and Hart steals the idea, incorporating it in his new play Death of a Banker, a campy morality tale about the September 11, 2001 attacks set to be performed offBroadway later that month. Bobby loses Deirdres dog and tries to figure out a way to get out of the situation.Blitstein, was the youngest independent filmmaker ever to write, direct, produce, and edit a 35mm color featurelength film which was ultimately released in theaters. He wrapped shooting on October 24, 2006 when he was still twentythree years old. After months of thinking and planning his script concept, Blitstein wrote the first draft script indays and proceeded to assemble an indie crew composed mostly of friends he met at NYU film school. The total projected budget of the film was nearly 600,000, but because of donated 35mm film, equipment, and services from New York City rental houses and friends of Blitstein and Frosch, the film was completed on the last day of shooting with only 99,000. The film was funded by friends, family members, and Blitsteins own personal savings from his job as a waiter. Blitstein also maxed out more than seven credit cards. Locations used included Blitsteins East Village apartment, the apartments of his friends, and restaurants and local shops with

Source: Wikipedia