PRESS RELEASE

PROGRAMMING THE NATION? (105 min.)
A film by Jeff Warrick

Acclaimed Local Filmmaker Premiers Documentary in SC following the NYC, LA and SF Theatrical Releases
Jeff Warrick's Directorial debut examines the cultural effects of subliminal messaging

(December, 2011) Santa Cruz, CA – On Friday, December 16th at 7:00 pm, Director Jeff Warrick will launch the Santa Cruz premiere of his new film, Programming the Nation? at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz.

Since the late 1950s subliminal content has been tested and delivered at an ever-increasing rate through all forms of mass media. The first film of its kind, Programming the Nation? takes a broad look at subliminal messaging in the media and examines the social effects this practice seemingly imparts. The advertising, film, music and political industries, even the US military have been accused of resorting to this technology.  All of which provokes the bigger question, why?

Filmmaker Jeff Warrick, an Aptos resident, UCSC graduate, and founder of Ignite Productions, developed this documentary with SC's Digital Media Factory, in response to pressing contemporary social concerns, such as the rising debt to income ratio and growing rate of per capita consumption, issues which compelled this accomplished director to explore an often controversial topic.

According to Warrick, "Many of the crises we're currently facing seem directly related to media manipulation. I'd like to think that understanding the problem will help us to more readily find some solutions. Essentially this film is designed to start that conversation".

With eye-opening footage, revealing interviews, humorous anecdotes, and an array of visual effects, Warrick makes it his personal mission to determine if these manipulative tactics have succeeded in "programming the nation?"—or, if subliminal messaging belongs in the category of what many consider urban legend.

Interviews With:
Noam Chomsky, (MIT Linguistics), Dennis Kucinich, (R-Ohio, 10th Dist.), Amy Goodman, (Democracy Now!), Geoff Tate, (Queensryche), Mark Mothersbaugh, (DEVO), David Fricke, (Rolling Stone Magazine), Chirstopher Coppola, (Filmmaker), Eldon Taylor, (Author), Douglas Rushkoff, (Author), Mark Crispin Miller, (NYU Prof.), Ann Simonton, (Media Watch), and more.

Event Details:
When:  12/16  7:00: Film, 8:30: Director's Talk, 8:45: audience Q&A
Where:  Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz
Cost:  $5 in advance, $7 at the door

Tickets and more Information: www.programmingthenation.eventbrite.org

Santa Cruz Filmmaker Jeff Warrick is available for interviews by appointment. Screener DVDs are available. Please contact Elizabeth Borelli at 831-247-4290 or eborelli@comcast.net to request a screener and schedule an interview.

Stills and info are available for download at www.programmingthenation.com/production.html

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