Beauty Day Trailer
As some of you may or may not know, for the past two years I’ve been working on my first feature documentary film. After two years of resisting the urge to post footage of the film online, I can FINALLY show some of this stuff to our Film Junk readers! The project is titled Beauty Day and it chronicles the life and times of Ralph Zavadil, aka Cap’n Video. His cable access show (The Cap’n Video Show) was filmed in my home town (St.Catharines, Ontario) and spawned a small but loyal cult following. His show consisted of a series of gross-out skits (snorting eggs, eating cat food) and dangerous stunts (sliding off his roof, jumping off of telephone poles) that challenged the sensibilities of its conservative community cable audience. It’s only upon reflection (and the advent of the internet) that you realize this goofy show was truly ahead of its time. Ralph was doing his wild stunts years before Tom Green or Jackass hit MTV.
After a serious on-camera accident and a controversial Easter episode, the Cap’n was pulled from the airwaves and eventually faded away into community cable obscurity. Now, fifteen years later, Ralph has decided to revisit the Cap’n in celebration of the 20th birthday of the creation of the character. With the help of his best friend Robert, he’ll attempt to get back on the air one last time and give the Cap’n the send off he deserves. In the process, we revisit all of the ups and downs in Ralph’s life and learn that those who are truly passionate about their art always manage to find an outlet and surround themselves with like minded, creative people.
I cut this trailer together to give you all an idea of what the film is and hopefully convince a bunch of you to help support us along the way. If you like what you see and happen to live in the New York City area, you’re in luck! Beauty Day will have its world premiere on Sunday, March 20th at the Museum of Modern Art as part of their Canadian Front screening series. Here are the details:
Sunday, March 20, 2011, 5:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1
Monday, March 21, 2011, 4:00 p.m., Theater 3, mezzanine, Education and Research Building
For our Canadian readers, Beauty Day will have a limited theatrical release this spring via Ron Mann’s filmswelike and will broadcast on The Movie Network and Movie Central later this year, so stay tuned for more details on that. You can also visit the Beauty Day website for more news and info on more screenings to come. Until then, check out the trailer above and be sure to spread the magic of Cap’n Video around the inter-webs!
Comments (79)
Looks pretty fucking good Jay. Can’t wait to see it. I live in California. When can I see it?
Posted by Dane on February 22nd, 2011Fucking awesome… when will it be available for me to pirate?
Er, when will it be available for me to purchase?
Posted by Colin on February 22nd, 2011Wow! Well done Jay. Some beautiful imagery in there and a nice zing to the trailer… it makes me want to see it so you can’t really ask for more. When I’ll ever get my hands on it in the England is another question.
Posted by Jonathan on February 22nd, 2011Excellent job Jay.
I just realised I seen that guy on an outtake show on TV over here in the UK, the one where he breaks his neck I think.
I am also very impressed by his mothers ears
Posted by PaulKuK on February 22nd, 2011Awesome.
What’s the name of the song in the second half of the trailer? I think you guys have used it as an outro song on Cantankerous as well.
Posted by Kent on February 22nd, 2011I live in Maine can you sneak a copy over the border!? Looks pretty fucking good. Maine does have is share of movie theaters that might be interested in this movie. Good luck.
http://www.railroadsquarecinema.com/
Posted by Space Bandito on February 22nd, 2011@Kent, Dan Deacon – Crystal Cat
Posted by Colin on February 22nd, 2011I was going to go regardless of what the movie was about, but now that I’ve seen the trailer I can honestly say that I am very impressed, I am definitely looking forward to seeing this. I hope the whole film junk crew can attend that first screening.
Posted by Joel on February 22nd, 2011You guys should review it and then you can put a 4 star rating on the poster.
Posted by patrik on February 22nd, 2011Wow, I really can’t wait for this! Awesome, awesome, awesome!
Posted by Kim on February 22nd, 2011that looks so good jay, quite impressed with the visual quality you were able to get out of the hvx, are those standard lenses?
Posted by STeve on February 22nd, 2011@Jay C Congrats, I can’t wait. Thanks for posting the New York premiere information. I’ll certainly be there!
I guess I’ll have to follow you on Twitter to make sure that I don’t miss the date, since I’m sure you’ll tweet a reminder.
Posted by Marc on February 22nd, 2011It would be kickass if you could get this on Netflix Instant Watch.
Posted by tjg92 on February 22nd, 2011I love it!
@space bandito where is Maine do you live. Use to live there, but just recently moved to NH.
Posted by Matt on February 22nd, 2011Right on, man! I’m glad you decided to make it a feature after all. Cap’n Video deserves no less! My brothers are going to be wicked fuckin’ excited when I send them the link to the trailer.
Posted by Wintle on February 22nd, 2011Wintle: A big thanks to you Sean for that! You guys always said it should be a feature.
Posted by Jay C. on February 22nd, 2011I don’t think I realized just how beautifully shot it would be. I can’t wait.
Posted by Jonny Ashley on February 22nd, 2011So. Damn. Good.
Posted by Nate on February 22nd, 2011Congratulations Jay. This looks extremely professional and I look forward to following the films adventure.
Posted by Juan Costrada on February 22nd, 20119.7!
It would mean the world to me if I could own a hard copy of this.
Posted by kyri on February 22nd, 2011That looks great! You da man Jay!
Posted by El Ultimo Hombre on February 22nd, 2011looks good, I can put in a good word with
http://www.midwestfilm.com/pages/home/1.php
Posted by rus in chicago on February 22nd, 2011Looks really good, can’t wait for it to be on TMN!
Posted by Niklas on February 22nd, 2011This is some documentary quality, I’d say this is not in the level of Discovery channel nor History channel. This is propper BBC “Horizon”, but better.
Posted by Oskars on February 22nd, 2011Looks (as expected) incredible. I don’t know how many times I have seen the pool cover removal video, and I can’t wait to see even more of Cap’n Video’s stuff. When are the specific Canadian release dates going to be announced?
Posted by Film Ape on February 22nd, 2011Wow, simply amazing looking. How long did it take you to do this? Why is it called Beauty Day? Will it get a BD release? Oh and Will you do a special podcast like you did for your student film?
Posted by theman on February 22nd, 2011^Beauty Day is part of Cap’n Videos catchphrase: “Its gonna beeeeee a beauty beauty day”
Posted by Goon on February 22nd, 2011Beauty Day looks awesome! Can’t wait to see it! Hope it comes to L.A. in the future.
Posted by Primal on February 22nd, 2011looking great!
Posted by Hannes on February 22nd, 2011Beautiful job Jay.
Are you shooting this with the HVX? if not, what are you using?
Posted by Bob The Slob on February 22nd, 2011Looks badass, can’t wait for a FL release or DVD sale.
Also, +1 for the Dan Deacon.
Posted by James on February 22nd, 2011Looks great! I can’t wait to see it.
Posted by Aaron on February 22nd, 2011VERY excited about this!
Posted by Mike on February 22nd, 2011I’ve put this at the top of my most-anticipated films of 2011 now. Great work, Jay. Seriously, I wish you the best with this.
Posted by Jim The Movie Freak on February 22nd, 2011Looks great! Can’t wait to see it. Do you already know if or how it will be available in Europe?
Posted by markusmaria on February 22nd, 2011Looks great, and from everything Jay has said about cinematography, his bark matches his bite.
Posted by Todd S. Gallows on February 22nd, 2011This is huge!!!! Beauty Day will rock the world.
Congrats Jay! I hope you continue doing the podcast(s) even after getting all those awards (?)
Posted by Werner on February 22nd, 2011Well, Jay, now that you finished it, you can finally look back and say, “What a colossal waste of time. I wasted my life on this shit? Oh, God. Oh my God. I could have been doing something that mattered. Now I’m penniless and insane and all I have to show for it is this cinematic AIDS. Here goes the gun in my mouth!”
I’m kidding, of course, just wanted to be contrary to keep you humble. The trailer looks great, and it looks like you got yourself a pretty interesting subject. Looking forward to seeing more!
Posted by Brendan on February 22nd, 2011This looks really really good jay!
Posted by cronenfly on February 22nd, 2011Awesome trailer. Can’t wait for this.
Posted by Andrew on February 22nd, 2011nice Brendan, you know Jay well. It would be great for Jay to do a “director’s commentary” for the “directors commentary on the WEB” that way he could kept his contrarian, “whatever” views while we could also hear all his hopes and dreams for this project!
Godspeed, Jay, godspeed
Posted by rus in chicago on February 22nd, 2011after listening FJ for long time now, I feel that this film is special for me, like someone already mentioned, one of the most anticipated films this year. congratulations jay! it is really great trailer.
Posted by anton on February 22nd, 2011That looks fuckin’ GREAT! It feels weird to be so proud of someone you’ve never even met but I admit, I felt a pretty solid, prideful swell watching that!
It looks extremely goddamned entertaining! Visually impressive, interesting subject matter, great soundtrack and most of all it’s uniquely Canadian without sucking a bag of dicks! There’s not a lot of shit that makes me feel cool being a Canadian but this kinda does.
Great shit, bud! Can’t wait to see it!
Does Movie Central co-producing mean we’ll see it on there at some point? Will you put all of your short films on the DVD?!?!? Oh man, such potential for a kickass collector’s edition!!!!
Posted by Fatbologna on February 22nd, 2011I’m so glad this is finally coming out. Can’t wait to see it and I imagine that it will be the first of many great projects from you Jay.
Posted by Ian on February 22nd, 2011Bah, I still say you should have opened with his mom’s quote first. You never listen to me.
Jerk.
Posted by Matt Gamble on February 23rd, 2011Get ready for the Captain Kids
Posted by doug nagy on February 23rd, 2011oh my blog that looks awseome jay! i’ll be sure to spread this shit like hot butter over the nude body of a amazonian seamstress. kuz im into that shit
Posted by james on February 23rd, 2011Wow, looks great Jay. Congratulations and thank you for all the hard work you put in. Can’t wait to see it.
Posted by Justice on February 23rd, 2011Looks enticing! Like everyone else here, I’m looking forward to checking out the film as soon as it’s available…
Posted by Liney on February 23rd, 2011Jay Congrats brother
Posted by MikeH on February 23rd, 2011Great job, Jay! That looks fantastic, can’t wait to see it.
Posted by Andrew on February 23rd, 2011This must be truly exhilarating Jay! The trailer looks great, speaking for myself and the people I know down in Austin, this would go over huge ’round here. I hope it makes it’s way south soon!
Posted by Pres Mony on February 23rd, 2011Looks fantastic. Can’t wait! Wish I wasn’t on the other side of the country so I could go see the debut at MOMA.
Posted by KeithTalent on February 23rd, 2011Hey man
Awesome trailer for a sure to be awesome film! Hope that folks in Switzerland like myself will have access to it on some way or the other…
Greetings
Posted by SwissMike on February 23rd, 2011SwissMike
Looks beautifully shot. Cannot wait.
Posted by Evan Marnoch on February 23rd, 2011@Pres Money,
I could totally see this playing at Butt-Numb-a-Thon or Fantastic Fest! That’d be pretty awesome.
Posted by Fatbologna on February 23rd, 2011Absolutely brilliant Jay. Can’t wait.
Posted by Billy Boyd Cape on February 23rd, 2011Will you sell this movie on the site? I think all fans of the show will buy it.
Posted by berserker01 on February 23rd, 2011It’s glad it looks so entertaining. With the title I thought it would be about hair or something.
Good Luck Jay
Posted by Buttonman88 on February 23rd, 2011To want to create something, to have the guts to start doing it and to have the fortune to actually complete it must be the most awesome feeling in the world. You should be justly proud. I look forward to catching it when it does the rounds.
Mike
p.s.
Should “Misjudged the pivot point” become the new ‘Jumped the shark’ or ‘Nuked the fridge’? Just saying
Thanks for all of the great comments friends! It’s nice to see such a positive response to something we’ve been working so hard on for the last two years.
There were a few questions throughout this thread so I’ll try and answer them here:
@ Dane: Not sure when it will get to California but if it does, you’ll either hear about it here at Film Junk or at http://www.beautydaydocumentary.com
@ Colin: Pirating/Purchasing should be available this summer I believe.
@ Kent: Crystal Cat by Dan Deacon
@ STeve: I used the stock lens on the HVX
@ FIlm Ape: We should have more info on Canadian release dates soon. Probably end of March/beginning of April.
@theman: It took just over two years to complete. Three years since I originally contacted Ralph about the project. It’s called Beauty Day because that was Cap’n Video’s ‘catch phrase’. I’m sure we’ll do some sort of podcast to compliment the DVD release.
@ Bob the Slob: Yes, I shot this on the now outdated HVX200.
@ markusmaria: Not sure about Europe yet. When I know, you’ll find out via Film Junk, http://www.beautydaydocumentary.com or our various Twitter/Facebook pages.
@ Fatbologna: It will be on Movie Central/The Movie Network at some point in the near future. It will also find its way on to DVD, although I’m not sure if any of my short film work will appear with it.
@ Matt Gamble: Smooches!
@ berserker01: We will certainly make a link to the DVD for sale here on Film Junk and at The Documentary Blog.
Thanks again everyone!! Stay tuned for more info!
Posted by Jay C. on February 23rd, 2011The programmers of Butt-Numb-A-Thon, Fantastic fest, and other Austin fests are all regular readers of Twitchfilm, where the trailer is currently posted, so it certainly is a possibility.
A little late for SxSW though.
Posted by Kurt on February 23rd, 2011This looks amazing. Roll on Summer.
Posted by Paul Andrews on February 23rd, 2011How is the HVX outdated? Don’t sell your camera short, its a great piece of equipment.
Did you get something new?
Posted by Bob The Slob on February 23rd, 2011Well the replacement model, the AF-100, is now on the market. I still think the HVX is a great camera but its low light capabilities are certainly challenged in comparison to many of the new cameras that have come out since.
Posted by Jay C. on February 23rd, 2011Hey Jay, this movie looks great. You should get this into SF DocFest this year in San Francisco so I can see it ASAP!
Have you thought about doing a documentary themed trilogy on people ahead of their time. Part II could be on Jerry
Posted by Adam on February 23rd, 2011Holy shit that’s a well shot film. Jay were you also the DP?
Posted by rjdelight on February 23rd, 2011rjdelight: Thanks! I was the cinematographer/camera operator.
Posted by Jay C. on February 24th, 2011Jay, just bought an AF100 with Zeiss Compact Primes. Never owned a proper video camera. Was slumming it for a while with a Letus Adapter and now the T2i.
My buddy and I talked about how good this movie looks tonight for a good 10 minutes.
Both the substance and the actual quality of the image. Well done sir. I can tell you will most definitely be the best filmmaker I’ve been introduced to via the web!
Posted by Joe C. on February 24th, 2011Hey Joe, let me know how the AF100 works out for you. We’re thinking about it for the next project.
Thanks for the kind words!
Posted by Jay C. on February 24th, 2011Congrats Jay. Awesome music choices. Any plans for international sales? I live in Paris, France and would love to buy the Bluray/DVD and maybe both
Posted by Jay Hayabusa on February 24th, 2011wow AF-100?
You can make some great You-Tube videos with that shit..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4lkpEZocSE&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_251432
Posted by kyri on February 24th, 2011congrats dude srsly…looks amazing cant wait!
Posted by D-Gee on February 24th, 2011Count me in, Jay. I’ll be there. I’ve got your back, man.
Posted by ShenEvil44 on February 24th, 2011This now tops my must see list for 2011! looks Great.
Posted by Cy-Ed on February 25th, 2011Hi Jay, congratulations for the film.
I got know yhat through a Slashfilmcast post. I live in Brasil and would be great to have your film here. In october/november the city hosts The Festival do Rio – International Film Festival, if there´s any chance to see your movie in a big screen sould be there. Please try reach them.
http://www.festivaldorio.com.br/site2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=34&Itemid=4
I post about it in my blog, in portuguese.
http://macacomalandro.blogspot.com/2011/02/jackass-original.html
Good luck
Alexandre Alves, Rio de Janeiro Brazil
Posted by Alexandre Alves on February 25th, 2011Hi Jay, after watching this, the only thing I worry about is you probably will leave FJ podcast some day after……
When the DVD being available on site, pls include China mailing option!!!!!!
Posted by Xu on February 25th, 2011This honestly looks like it could be the best documentary I’ve seen in years.
Posted by Alex on February 26th, 2011great job jay, looks awesome.
Posted by peter on February 27th, 2011Congrats on getting into http://www.phillycinefest.com/ Jay! I can hardly wait to see the film. I would rather be playing than watching though!
Posted by Ralph Zavadil on March 18th, 2011Leave a Reply