USC Students & Wyoma Films Launch 'Bill Murray Appreciation Day'

By: Jan. 29, 2013
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To attract the attention of the elusive actor Bill Murray, USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate students Christopher Guerrero and William Goldstein, along with San Francisco Bay Area Producer Colin Reeves-Fortney, have put out a 'call to action to everyone around the world' to participate in their newly founded holiday, fittingly deemed 'Bill Murray Appreciation Day' or 'BMAD.'

The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate Mr. Murray's transcendental career, and to, hopefully, gain the actor's attention and cast him as a lead in the film, which will shoot in Santa Cruz California in the late Spring. The holiday will be held on February 2nd 'Groundhog Day' - a reference to Bill Murray's classic film. The inaugural event is being held in Los Angeles by the group, starting at 7:30 p.m.

They are asking interested fans to meet up outside the 'Vista Theater' on the Sunset Strip dressed as their favorite Bill Murray character. From there they will be leading the newly annual 'BMAD Bar Crawl,' starting at the 'Good Luck Bar' located next-door to the 'Vista Theater.' All of the information for the event, as well as updates on where the bar crawl will move next, can be found on the event's Facebook page and the official website. If you are not in Los Angeles, don't fret, the team urges everyone to hold an event in their home town.

Talking with the group after a recent LA Times interview, Christopher Guerrero, the director of the upcoming thesis film: "I've written one of the main roles in my thesis film for Bill Murray. It's one of my biggest dreams to work with Mr. Murray on a film project. We've exhausted all options trying to get a hold of him: phone, e-mail, mind control. He's just too powerful and too elusive!"

Mr. Guerrero describes the upcoming project: "The film is a comedy about MIKE, a punk rock student and I.T. specialist at UC Santa Cruz, who finds himself on a mission to reclaim the Chancellor's laptop from a group of anarchists bent on stopping "The Military Industrial Complex." His only help is a rag tag group of weirdos: Susan, his gothic-gamer roommate, Ryan, an overweight hipster ecstasy dealer, and Vanessa, a tough-as-nails Roller Derby Girl."
Check out Mr. Guerrero's exciting 'call to action' video describing the event.
William Goldstein, the film's local producer, thinks they can generate attention utilizing the power of the Internet: "I think we have a really great role for Mr. Murray. We want him to play the Chancellor of the University, a straight laced, masculine man who's been embezzling money to nourish his own, unusual hobby...Murray has an incredible gift. He can play a caricature without histrionics. He generates an authentic, human empathy. I truly think he'd be a perfect fit for the role. The problem is finding him! We've been told he's impossible to get, and, quite frankly, we aim to defy the odds. By utilizing social-networking platforms and media, our goal is to play upon the mythical, enigmatic presence Mr. Murray has become famous for to get the word out to as many people as we can."

Mr. Guerrero say's he's optimistic, "If we can't get him, we will still get to have a fun night out celebrating Mr. Murray, and maybe the buzz of this whole thing will help someone else land Mr. Murray for one of their projects."

Mr. Guerrero was excited to hear about Amy Poehler's interview on Entertainment Weekly expressing her interest in getting Bill Murray to play the Mayor of PARKS AND RECREATION city 'Pawnee.' "I know Amy Poehler is trying to get him to play the Mayor of Pawnee on PARKS AND RECREATION. Amy Poehler, if you're out there, come out to 'Bill Murray Appreciation Day!' We'd love to celebrate with you, and maybe we can help each other out!"

About "Bill Murray Appreciation Day":
Bill Murray Appreciation Day is the brain child of Christopher Guerrero and Will Goldstein with the help of Wyoma Films. To everyone around the world: with your help, this holiday can become an international celebration of enormous proportions.

Christopher Guerrero - Director
Born and raised in Selma, CA 'Raisin Capital of the World'. Mr. Guerrero received his bachelor degree in Film at UC Santa Cruz, and is currently a graduate student at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Mr. Guerrero founded Wyoma Films in 2007 to create feature films. Some of his work can be found here. Mr. Guerrero will be going as Bill Murray from THE LIFE AQUATIC.

William Goldstein - Producer
Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Will grew up listening to The Beatles and watching Indiana Jones. He earned his BFA in Film Production from the University of Arizona, and is currently completing an MFA in the same area of focus at USC's School of Cinematic Arts. He will be going as Bill Murray from WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM.

Colin Reeves-Fortney - Bay Area Producer
Graduating from the University of California in 2008 with a degree in Film and Digital Media, Colin spent several years after graduating advising the campus television station. He left for a brief stint in visual effects, and in the past year edited his first feature, was production manager and field producer for a web-series pilot, and a line producer on a low budget feature filmed around San Francisco. Colin will be going as Bill Murray from GARFIELD.

Wyoma Films
Wyoma Films is a Production Company that is currently in development of two features, their most prominent work has been commercials and comic shorts. Wyoma Films is supporting 'Bill Murray Appreciation Day' and the thesis film. Wyoma Films loves Bill Murray and will be going as Bill Murray from CADDY SHACK.



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