NEWS
Pride Jewel Q&A at STXIFF 2022
Pride Jewel was screened at the South Texas International Film Festival on February 17, 2022. An intimate discussion with Co-Producer, Megan Louise Thill, and Sarkis Bakalyan, who played one of the main characters, Andre.
Benicia Magazine
Cooper Mickelson | December 2021
It’s no secret that we are continually impressed by the residents of our small town. The beauty of Benicia seems to attract and inspire the most brilliant of minds. This is undoubtedly true for Armen Dilanchian, writer and producer of 4D Legacy Studios’ feature film, Pride Jewel. Dilanchian was born into an Armenian family, immigrating to the U.S. when he was 12 years old. Now a Benicia resident, Armen has an MFA in theater and an extensive background writing and producing plays in and around San Francisco, CA. Although he has written and produced several short films, Pride Jewel is his first feature, and it was filmed entirely in Benicia during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Filmmaking During a Pandemic - 10 Onsite Safety Tips
Erin Shields | October 2020
The number one priority of 4D Legacy Studios when filming our feature film, Pride Jewel, during a pandemic, was making sure our crew and cast felt as safe as possible while on set. We wanted to do everything in our power to provide our team members with a safe and clean environment so we created an exhaustive list of precautions and guidelines to prove it. We referenced and implemented best practices recommended by both the CDC and "The Safe Way Forward" SAG guidelines.
While this is not a comprehensive list of all measures we took to safely and successfully film, we wanted to share some of the steps we took to encourage others within the film community to believe that filming can be done safely during this time.
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What does Costume Design Look Like During COVID-19?
Erin Shields | October 2020
When looking to hire a wardrobe stylist/costume designer for Pride Jewel, our team had a few challenges to overcome. Working with a tight budget and on a short timeline, we also needed to be mindful of keeping our crew as small as possible due to Covid-19 safety purposes. It was Aya Hoja, one of our main cast members and a wonderful actress and model, stepped up to the task of wardrobing the cast!
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Brand promotions and sponsorships are often traditional and affordable methods of sourcing characters’ outfits. Aya tried this approach initially, but unfortunately, she didn’t have much luck given the financial burden businesses were facing at that time.
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The Creative Mind Behind Pride Jewel - An Interview with Armen Dilanchian
Erin Shields | August 2020
While working closely on set with Armen Dilanchian, Producer and Screenwriter of Pride Jewel, I wondered what his inspiration was to write the movie. I was also curious about his professional background, given Pride Jewel was his first feature film. Now that filming has wrapped, I had the chance to sit down with Armen to pick his brain and ask him some burning questions about the creative process behind the script.
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What inspired you to become a screenwriter?
“When I earned my Master of Fine Arts from San Francisco State University, I never specifically thought of becoming a screenwriter. Originally, I was more inspired to be a playwright. As matter of fact I wrote several plays which I had produced while I was the Artistic Director of Infocus Theatre Company in San Francisco.
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Film Casting During COVID-19
Erin Shields | August 2020
While working closely on set with Armen Dilanchian, Producer and Screenwriter of Pride Jewel, I wondered what his inspiration was to write the movie. I was also curious about his professional background, given Pride Jewel was his first feature film. Now that filming has wrapped, I had the chance to sit down with Armen to pick his brain and ask him some burning questions about the creative process behind the script.
​
What inspired you to become a screenwriter?
“When I earned my Master of Fine Arts from San Francisco State University, I never specifically thought of becoming a screenwriter. Originally, I was more inspired to be a playwright. As matter of fact I wrote several plays which I had produced while I was the Artistic Director of Infocus Theatre Company in San Francisco.
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