STUDIO NOTES.
NOTES is a collection of reflections on craft and work in progress. Not Announcements. No Promotion. Just Thinking behind the Work.
Introducing the Penalty Collection
Films begin long before a camera rolls. They begin in stillness — in notebooks, in margins, in revision. The work is slow, deliberate, and often unseen. The Penalty Collection was born from that same process.
In Conversation with Debbie West.
I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Debbie while I was living in Arizona. We’ve had the opportunity to work together on two projects, Strangers in the Night (feature film) and Michael Bannon (novel and television series). I couldn’t speak more highly of Debbie—her talent, work ethic, and kindness throughout the entire process were truly gifts. Her new novel, The Immortalist, is available now on Amazon.
-Logan Mansberger, CEO of Penalty Productions.
A Brief Reflection on Creativity.
Benjamin Franklin once said “Originality is the art of concealing your sources.” I couldn’t agree more, we are the sum total of our predecessors on the subject of creativity and innovation. The first time I saw Unforgiven (1992), it left me with an indelible mark and profound realization of the power of cinema. There are countless sequences to be discussed and remembered from the end shoot out, to Gene Hackman’s Oscar® winning performance, to Clint Eastwood’s final ride off into the darkness at the very end of the film. Arguably one of the most important westerns ever made; it’s easy to look at the mechanics of the film as the viewer, but it’s hard to describe why it’s so profound to this very day.
Michael Bannon: The Novel
Upon the release of my new book, Michael Bannon, a good friend stopped me and asked a simple question: “Why should I buy this book?” I paused for a moment and replied: “Not only is it a compelling story, but it represents something bigger — a path forward for creatives in a time when the Los Angeles film industry is in limbo.”
Wrapped: The Alibi
With production officially wrapped on the The Alibi, director David Chrzanowski’s autobiographical tale about his father’s unconventional family business smuggling cocaine possesses an all star cast. The film stars Brendan Fehr, Piper De Palma, and acting newcomer Jacob Childress who plays Alex as the lead in the film.
What is Penalty?
I founded Penalty in 2018. We are a studio committed to bold, innovative, and meaningful stories that honor the spirit of independent cinema. The company’s masthead is a representation of our take in film as well as the industry: independence and solidarity.
Welcome to Penalty.
I distinctly remember the first time I ever made a film. The exhilaration and process of relaying a screenplay into moving images is one that left a profound mark on me. In 2014, I wrote a script called “The Penalty,” which was 10 pages long and I had the ambition to make it into a film with my friends. I cut the film together myself, screening it to my friends and family, which left me with a budding desire and hunger for more.