More Chump Change Links to check out:http://www.chumpchangethemovie.com/
Friends,
The following is a letter from the Burrows of Hollywood with new information on the SUCCESS of Chump Change. Please visit the site for a plethora of funny tid-bits on Chump Change including the covers that didn't make it.
I picked up a DVD copy of Chump Change from Honk Kong with Japanese subtitles and the original poster as the cover. I find it interesting that this movie has already been around the world.
Enjoy,
Steve Meisner
04/05/04Howdy Fellow Chumps -
Thanks to you all, Chump Change is a DVD hit! We wanted to let you know that the 'official' Chump website is finally up and running (http://www.chumpchangethemovie.com/ ) - it's truly the one-stop shop for all things Chump. Heck, you can even buy the movie through it. If so inclined, you can also peruse some of the great reviews we've received, not to mention all sorts of other chump nonsense.
Also folks, we want to encourage all of you and yours to go to the industry standard website (http://www.imdb.com) and place your vote for Chump. Somehow the scoring is all screwed up for us. Chump's median score is 10 and our arithmetic average is 8.4 - but the 'weighted score' works out to only 3.7! We can't figure it out and when we contacted IMDB their only response was "it'll work out when more people vote". Duh. So, please spread the word - and help us get out the vote! (though one vote per chump only, please.)
Thank you again for all your support through the long years of getting Chump Change out there to the audience. Stay tuned as we hope to be emailing you an announcement regarding our next movie - soon!
All our best,
Steve & Margo
aka The Burrows of Hollywood
P.S. Just found out our Chump Change website has won a Golden Webby! (whatever that is.)
2/10/04
Howdy Folks -Great news for Chump Change. We just got our first review from a national publication - Entertainment Weekly, no less! In the February 13th issue (the Survivor cover) Entertainment Weekly gave Chump an A for our just released DVD. We're right in between Lost in Translation (A), Rain Man (A-), and the Coen Brothers (C). We're on page 59.
Our little movie has finally gone public - nationwide. Many thanks to all who helped us get there. Also, check out the new official Chump Change website @ http://www.chumpchangethemovie.com/ .
Steve & Margo
The Burrows of Hollywood
01/17/04
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESHOW ME THE CHUMP CHANGE!
Miramax releases Milwaukee native's award-winning film on DVD
Fresh off a successful showing at the inaugural Milwaukee International Film Festival, where it earned rave reviews and sold out the historic Oriental Theater for the first time since 1987, "Chump Change" is hitting DVD shelves around the country.
Starring Milwaukee native Stephen Burrows, who also wrote and directed the film, "Chump Change" is a fast-paced comedy based on Burrows' real-life experiences in Hollywood and Wisconsin. In addition to the film, which stars Tim Matheson, Traci Lords, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Abe Vigoda and Fred Willard, the "Chump Change" DVD features a director's commentary, a director's commentary on the director's commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes, deleted scenes and an interview with Traci Lords, to mention a few.
"Miramax put together an entertaining DVD that builds on the humor of the film and gives viewers about four-and-a-half hours of laughs for chump change," Said Burrows. "I'm excited that the hundreds of people who put their heart and soul into this project can now pay from $15 to $30 for a movie they didn't get paid to work on."
"Chump Change" is now available on BN.com, Amazon.com, Video.com, Blockbuster.com, Buy.com, deepdiscount.com, Borders.com, etc. and in Barnes & Noble stores, Suncoast Video, Best Buy, etc.
Burrows will sign copies of the DVD and participate in a Q&A and discussion with fans at the following location:
Friday Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Mayfair Mall
(414) 475-6070
Miramax picked up "Chump Change" at the HBO/U.S. Comedy Arts Festival after it earned the Best Actress Award for Traci Lords, as well as the Audience Award for Best Picture. The film includes numerous notable Wisconsin landmarks, including the world's largest six-pack (LaCrosse), the world's largest stuffed fish/museum (Hayward), the world's largest talking cow (Neilsville), Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Domes and Steve Meisner and his Band.
12/2/03
Howdy Chumps -
Just a quick completely impersonal update following the Chump Change premiere in Milwaukee.
On November 7, for the first time in history, the palatial Oriental Theatre sold out its 1,200 seats, and turned away 500 poor folks freezing their arses off in 10 degree weather for the premiere of Chump. It was insanity gone mad -red carpets, cleg lights, accordion players, Shriners, attractive young gals handing out 3" pieces of cut-up Chump film print, an organist playing everything from On Wisconsin to Lady of Spain, a plethora of cast and crew members including Traci Lords, an after-party, an after-after party, an after-after-after party - whew!
Our press was exceptional (to check some of it out):
http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2003:11:23:289126:ARTS
http://milwaukee.about.com/b/a/041307.htm
http://www.jsonline.com/onwisoncinc/movies/nov03/184058.asp?showheadlines=all
http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/movies/nov03/182959.asp
And we found out there's already a run on pre-ordering the film
(through http://www.amazon.com or http://www.blockbuster.com ). This has always been the little film that could, and we thank you all for all the amazing support along the way.
Our release January 20 is inevitable - Chump will finally belong to the audience it was made for.
Have a great holiday season.
All our best,
The Burrows of HollywoodP.S. If you want to see some photos of the premiere go to http://www.milwaukeefilmfest.org/htmdocs/press/photos/20031107/index.html
10/7/03
"CHUMP CHANGE" TO PREMIERE AT THE
MILWAUKEE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALDear Friends,The long awaited release of "Chump Change" featuring Steve Meisner and his band, and original Meisner music is just around the corner. Please read the attached press release for details and forward this on to your friends. I'll try to keep you all informed with updates during the few weeks before "Chump Change" opens in Milwaukee on November 7th. Many of this film's stars are expected to attend. Please check my website for updates on all "Meisner" news.See you at the movies,"CHUMP CHANGE" TO PREMIERE AT THE
MILWAUKEE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Finally, the Miramax film Chump Change (Fame, Fortune, Cheese, & Beer), will be premiering at the first annual Milwaukee International Film Festival. The feature film debut by Stephen Burrows, who wrote, directed and starred in the film, will screen at Landmark's palatial Oriental Theatre on November 7th as part of The Milwaukee International Film Festival weekend kickoff.
For those uninitiated, Chump is a comedic, fast-paced romp and is based on Burrows' real-life experiences in Hollywood. "Both a subtle study of disparate lifestyles and a hilarious expose of the unexplainable peculiarities of the Hollywood Machine, Chump Change is warm, brutally honest and sidesplittingly funny." [American Film Institute] Chump Change has been rated R by the MPAA.
Chump Change was picked up by Miramax at the HBO/U.S. Comedy Arts Festival after it garnered the "Best Actress" Award for Traci Lords as well as the Audience Award for Best Picture. Miramax has scheduled a high-profile DVD release for January, 2004.
Tickets for the premiere go on sale starting October 23rd and may be purchased on-line at www.milwaukeefilmfest.org or by calling (414) 831-1776. The Oriental Theatre is located in downtown Milwaukee at 2230 N. Farwell Avenue.
Our sincere thanks to all fellow Chumps for your support over the past years. It's meant the world to us and the life of our film. If you want more information, please contact Steve or Margo via email at mburrows@usc.edu as Steve will not be checking his Backyard email.
Please forward this on to anyone who might even be remotely interested. Muchas Gracias, y'all!
Steve & Margo
The Burrows of Hollywood
3/4/03
Hello fellow Chumps,
So sorry about the mass email - it's my first! If you get this, I have finally done something right on the computer.
Just got back from NYC where the Chump Change test screening went great. That's the good news. The bad news - we have to endure more tests. The problem seems to be on how to properly market the film. The general feeling at Miramax is that Chump Change is "too independent to be main stream, and too main stream to be independent," whatever that means.
One thing is very clear - it is no longer my movie. It's now a Miramax film and they will do with it as they see fit. It's very hard to let go of our baby, but that, I'm afraid, is show biz. I'll keep you all abreast as the seemingly never-ending events unfold.
My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have helped, supported, and simply cared about my little movie. I look forward to thanking you all in person, for without you all, Chump Change doesn't exist. Thank you - truly.
Next time - the Oscar.
Steve Burrows
P.S. You can check out the trailer for Chump, and other various scenes from the movie at CHUMP CHANGE TRAILER.
This article was submitted by Steve Burrows, director of Chump Change, for a comparison as to why Chump Change has not been released yet.
When is the movie going to be released, and if
it
has is it available on video?
Chump Change has not been released yet.
However, I have just learned that it was recently purchased by Miramax which is the
largest distributer of independent films in the industry. I don't have any further details
on it's release date yet. I have also learned that it was featured at the Slam Dunk Film
Festival where it won best comedy and best screen play. It also, won Audience Award for
Best Picture, Also Best Comedy and Best Leading Actress awards at the HBO U.S. Comedy Art
Fest in Aspen, CO last month. With all of these awards, I'm sure it will be released soon.
Thanks for asking and I will try to keep my web page updated with information as soon as
it becomes available. Steve Meisner
From the Location Update publication July 2000 - a film, video and digital production magazine
by James C. Davis, writer-producer and entertainment publicist, Auburn, CA
"Wisconsin did (undisclosed) amount in business last year," said Stanley Solheim, Director of the Wisconsin Film Office. "That's strictly projects that the Film Office worked on. Feature production brought us (undisclosed) and included American Movie, The Straight Story, and Chump Change".
Solheim is understandably concerned about his states's proximity to Canada and the lure for local filmmakers to take their projects north, but by building on connections in the industry, he's seen a number of Wisconsin natives return home to film their projects and generate interest within the state's growing independent film and digital video community.
"We have to nurture these ties and bring people back, so we're concentrating a lot of our effort with the low budget independents rather than promoting the big ones."
"I have shamelessly romanticized the state," exclaimed writer-director Steve Burrows when asked about his comedy Chump Change.
"I'm from Milwaukee and I always vowed that if I ever got a chance to make a movie - actually direct a movie - that it would not only be shot in Wisconsin, it would be about Wisconsin."
Burrows assembled a cast that included Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, and Tim Matheson, and shot about half the film in Los Angeles before the production relocated in Milwaukee.
"We had probably 100-150 setups at different locations all over Wisconsin, but mostly in Milwaukee," he said. "Everyone was so cooperative. All the places I had my hopes on all came through."
One location in particular, Russ and Darlene's Dance Club in Milwaukee, became the set piece for the big romantic scene in the movie. "It's like stepping back into the 40s. Whatever the polka scene was in the 40s and 50s, it's still alive." For music, Burrows got Wisconsin polka legend Steve Meisner and his group to perform.
"The film looks unbelievable. You just can't fake it."
Special note: Chump Change has been accepted into one of Hollywood's largest film festivals to be held in October 2000. Since it's said that Hollywood doesn't like comedy's, it's no small accomplishment for this movie's acceptance. We are now looking for a late fall or early winter release.
more CHUMP CHANGE news
