The Nature of Existence » Blog

documentary.org: finding funding

roger — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:05:44 +0000

Here’s an article I wrote for Documentary magazine . . .

The article can also be found on documentary.org

Here’s a fun email I received today

roger — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:25:43 +0000

Dear Roger:

My partner and I go to a lot of movies. We live in LA and Palm Springs.

On Friday we went to “Dinner With Smucks” After the film we talked about it for about two minutes (really pretty horrible). On Saturday we went to “The Nature of Existence” and went out to dinner afterward. We talked about your movie for over two hours.

I have rarely seen anything that caused me to think so much. A doc called “How the Universe Was Made” on History Channel came close – but your film touched so many interesting points. It left the viewer with more questions than answers – a great achievement.

I spent 40 years making travel movies all over the world (google Doug Jones Travel Films) and I know what it is like to shoot in China without permission. I know the trials of just getting a tripod set up in places where you would think it was a snap. I had to hand hold the Taj Mahal years ago because I couldn’t get a permit.

Your film is a brilliant accomplishment. Good luck on the indie circuit. I know it is a lot of work to get the bookings (I have a colleague, Rick Ray who had some success with a film called 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama).

It was a pleasure to see your film and thank you for all the questions you left me with.

Best regards,
Doug Jones

The Laughing Yogi was @ The Palm Springs Opening

roger — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:32:14 +0000

The Laughing Yogi was @ The Palm Springs opening of The Nature of Existence.

I had great time at the showings, meeting people, and I was grilled at the Q&As, but i loved it!

youtube: laughingyogi

Roger Nygard

Sci Fi Convention Screening of TNOE

roger — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:29:09 +0000

I’m in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for a sci-fi convention, where they screened The Nature of Existence. And you can bet I’m enjoying the Cajun food. Had a 2 pound plate of boiled crawfish. Apparently 2 pounds is nothing, s 3 to 5 pound plate is normal. Crawfish is a fresh water seafood. Shrimp is much more expensive, due to the oil spill in the Gulf. They can still get shrimp, so far, but scarcity is driving the prices up. Roger

roger — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:07:57 +0000

Come meet me and my producing partners, Paul Tarantino and Billy Sullivan, in New York for the opening of “The Nature of Existence” Friday, June 18. And bring your toughest questions! We’ll be on hand to do a Q&A at all the evening shows. And as a special event, appearing for a rematch debate will be confrontational evangelist Brother Jed Smock and non-believer Stevie Ray Fromstein, who will go at it again over evolution, homosexuality, the existence of God, and other incendiary topics. Producers Paul Tarantino and Billy Sullivan will be also be present for a Q&A at the Saturday, June 19 evening showings. Roger Nygard

one BIG reason for existing…

roger — Sun, 23 May 2010 22:51:06 +0000

One of the top reasons: FOOD! I went shopping for fresh fish and veggies this morning…

http://marvistamom.com/2010/05/23/mar-vista-farmers-market-wrap-up-5-23-10/

New Webisode – The Gay Song!

roger — Thu, 20 May 2010 03:26:38 +0000

In this clip, which is probably the oddest moment I experienced while making Then Nature of Existence, Confrontational Evangelist Brother Jed Smock performs his controversial “Gay Song.”

Please go to Funny-Or-Die and vote this video as FUNNY!

New Webisode – The Rematch!

nabiscuit — Thu, 20 May 2010 03:20:31 +0000

In this bonus from The Nature of Existence, see a rematch debate between Comedian Stevie Ray Fromstein & Confrontational Evangelist Brother Jed. This time they debate morality, damnation, homosexuality, & divine lying. Who do you think wins this match?

One month and counting!

roger — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:52:43 +0000

Only one month to the NYC theatrical release at the Quad Cinemas! – Here’s today’s review: ”THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE is a documentary that is sort of a “Whitman’s Sampler” of religious, metaphysical, and philosophical beliefs and opinions from all over the world. …[It's] a film that is constantly entertaining and thought provoking. Nygard, who previously directed the entertaining documentary TREKKIES, sets his focus on people’s deeply held and widely disparate metaphysical beliefs and makes a film ironic, sad, and amazing, but most of all funny. … This is the best documentary I have seen this year.”

Mark R. Leeper

Mark Leeper Reviews

Online Film Critics Society

New York
June 18, 2010
The Quad Cinemas
34 West 13th Street
(between 5th and 6th Aves in Greenwich Village)
New York, NY 10011
info: http://www.quadcinema.com/
tickets: (212) 777-3456, #636 -or-www.movietickets.com

New Webisode – Atheist vs. Evangelist

nabiscuit — Fri, 07 May 2010 22:35:20 +0000

In this excerpt from The Nature of Existence, Comedian Stevie Ray Fromstein debates Confrontational Evangelist Brother Jed Smock, on the UCLA campus, about Jesus, faith healing, and evolution. Who do you think is the winner?