a f t e r h o u r s @ Dreaming Ant

Closed Thanksgiving

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:16:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant will be closed on Thursday, November 26, 2009 for Thanksgiving. Movies rented on Sunday (11/22) will be due on Friday (11/27) before midnight. Happy Turkey-day, y'all!

In-store Kiosk Now Available @ Dreaming Ant

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:43:00 GMT

Have you ever arrived at Dreaming Ant, only to forget the movie you wanted to rent? Or, perhaps, you stored movies you wanted to rent on your dreamingant.com WishList but never had a way to access the list once at the store? Maybe you've been watching a television series but forgot what the last disc you rented was?

Now you can login to your dreamingant.com MyAccount area while at Dreaming Ant and check your personal WishList and Rental History!

Additionally, you can access all other features found on dreamingant.com from our kiosk:

! Search or Browse Dreaming Ant's inventory of over 15,000 movies while in the store, including titles that don't have even cases displayed

! Check current availability of movies

! View Member Ratings & Reviews of movies

! View Top Rentals & Staff Picks

Dreaming Ant >> In the News

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:07:00 GMT

August 27, 2009. Al Hoff gives Dreaming Ant DVDs, Paul's CDs & Big Idea bookstore shout outs in Pittsburgh City Paper's recent back-to-school article Field Trips. Scroll down to Bloomfield under Neighborhood Trips.

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:67784

Oakland Drop-Box Coming Down

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:28:00 GMT

We are no longer accepting returns at our old drop-box in Oakland. The actual box will be physically removed in the coming weeks, but please make a note to begin returning all rentals to our Bloomfield store starting immediately. We have an after hours drop-box next to our Taylor Street entrance in Bloomfield if you can't make it during our store hours.

Sorry if this inconveniences you, but circumstances have forced us to take our box down. Thanks for your understanding and continued support!

Dreaming Ant to Sponsor 48 Hour Film Project Pittsburgh

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:02:00 GMT

The 48 Hour Film Project, the worldâs oldest and largest timed film making competition, comes to Pittsburgh for its 3rd annual visit on August 7th, 2009.

Pittsburgh filmmakers of all levels will rely on teamwork, adrenaline, and lots of caffeine as they race against the clock to complete short films in only two sleepless days. Filmmakers begin at 7PM on Friday August 7th, at ArtDimensions Pittsburgh. There, each team receives a genre, a character, prop, and a line of dialogue that they must work into their piece. Then, on August 9th by 7:30pm (only 48 hours later), they must return a 4-7 minute film. Films submitted even one minute late are disqualified.

âWhile the tight deadline may seem like an obstacle, ultimately it places the emphasis on creativity and teamwork, and gooses participants into making their films rather than just talking about them,â said Mark Ruppert, co-executive director of The 48 Hour Film Project. âMore importantly, it breaks down barriers by allowing anyone with a free weekend, a video camera, and boundless creative energy to experience the fun, exhilaration, and satisfaction of producing a fully-realized film.â

The 48 Hour Film Project provides exposure for the filmmakers and their films. Over 20 films will be premiered to the Pittsburgh public on August 12th and 13th at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, just days after the competition. The Pittsburgh Best Film will be announced at the Awards Ceremony held on August 21st, also held at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater. The top 14 films will be shown and the winning team will receive a trophy, Movie Magic Screenwriter software, and will go on to compete for top honors at Filmapalooza, an awards event honoring the 2009 tourâs top film submissions. Filmapalooza will take place for the first time at the NAB Show in 2010. Honors will include Best Director, Best Acting, Best Script, Best Musical Score, and Best Film of 2009. The 2009 Grand Prize winner will receive $3000 cash and a Panasonic AG-HPX170 camera (list price $5695).

Organizers also announced that 14 of the 2009 tourâs best films will be screened at the Cannes International Film Festivalâs Short Film Corner in 2010, as well as appear on a nationally distributed DVD.

The 48 Hours Film Project is proudly sponsored in Pittsburgh by Dreaming Ant DVDs, ArtDimensions Pittsburgh, Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, Squishy Films, ParkNavy Advertising, Pittsburgh Film Office, Rag Trader, Pittsburgh Trophy Company, Deep Fried Trouble, ARK United, In The Blood Tattoo, NWA East, Quiet Storm, Ava, Qdoba and Big Science Music.

For further information and dates for Pittsburgh please visit: www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh/

To see selected 48 Hour Films, go to www.48.tv

Dreaming Ant >> In the News

dean@dreamingant.com — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:00:00 GMT

March 24, 2009. Tom VanBuren helps celebrate Dreaming Ant's 6th anniversary with an amazing write-up in The Pitt News: Celebrating the magic of the lost movie rental store.

Oakland Drop-box Remaining

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:49:00 GMT

Our drop-box in Oakland will remain intact, indefinitely. So although our Oakland store is closing this weekend, you will still be able to rent in Bloomfield and RETURN your movies in Oakland. Hopefully, this will provide some additional convenience for those of you who used to frequent our S. Craig Street location. While you're dropping off your DVDs in Oakland, make sure to support our former neighbors Phantom of the Attic Games & Wicked Discs - two great local retailers!

Closing Early on Superbowl Sunday

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:52:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant will be closing at 5:30PM this Sunday (February 1) in order to allow all of our staff the same opportunity to support the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers...well, and because it's highly unlikely any of yinz are gonna be watching movies that night n@!

Go Stillers!!

and the ants go marching on

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 01:31:00 GMT

After lengthy and painful deliberation, we have come to the conclusion that we can not afford to keep our Oakland Dreaming Ant location open much longer. We plan on closing our Oakland doors at the end of the day on January 31st. Our Oakland drop-box will remain available for returns at least until the end of March, however, and possibly until the end of the year...if I can convince our landlord and the other building tenants to allow us this convenience.

Our plans for Bloomfield are to keep things status quo. We will migrate all of our movies to our Crazy Mocha location. We have yet to determine, however, how to store/display the 5,000+ movie cases currently in Oakland...so any suggestions would be welcome!

It's very sad for me to have to close Oakland seeing as we've all put a lot of time and energy into it, but the reality is that even after two years we have yet to break even. We hope that those whom we did get to know in Oakland will make the short jaunt to Bloomfield.

If you have any questions about this announcement, feel free to either post it in the comments below or email me at dean@dreamingant.com.

Thank you all for you understanding & continued support!
dB

Best place to rent movies...

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:42:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant chosen as Best place to rent movies that isn't the Internet by Pittsburgh City Paper Staff

"Let's face it: You get Netflix thinking you're going to blast through The Wire, but you end up wasting your monthly fee by keeping National Treasure for three weeks. And sure, Redbox can dispense you a movie, but remember human interaction? Tucked away in the back of Crazy Mocha lies Dreaming Ant, where real-live people who actually know what they're talking about can help you browse Ant's small (yet at the same time, expansive) DVD library. Here, you can ponder Hollywood comedies versus independent ones, and a great selection of foreign films, as well as see all of the works of featured directors shelved conveniently in one spot, giving you a valid reason to leave your house."

Pittsburgh City Paper, Staff Picks!, 12/10-12/1708, pg. 28

Thank you to the Pittsburgh City Paper Staff from all of us at Dreaming Ant!

Warhol Film Screenings

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:45:00 GMT

I recently finished watching the documentary Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory (which was pretty interesting btw), so I was already thinking about Andy W. when Greg from the Warhol called to ask me if Dreaming Ant would be interested in sponsoring (translation: promoting) a couple film screenings coming up. Anything to help my friend Greg (who is always doing cool stuff)...so check 'em out. And if you miss Hell's Ground on the big screen, Dreaming Ant has a copy in Bloomfield for rent.

Hellâs Ground (Zibahkhana) (Pakistan/UK, 2007)
Directed by Omar Ali Khan
Zombies return to the Warhol in new horror film from Pakistan
Friday, December 5, 2008 @ 8:00 pm ($7.50)

Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (France, 2006)
Directed by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno
The fine arts of film and soccer meet in this Pittsburgh Premiere
Friday, December 19, 2008 @ 7:00 pm & 9:00 pm ($10.00)

Acclaimed visual artists Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno transform spectacular footage of French soccer star ZinÃdine Zidane. Glorious in its simplicity, Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait traces the movements of international soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane during a complete match between Real Madrid and Villareal. Using 17 synchronized cameras, the film tracks the world-class athlete from the first kick until he leaves the field, resulting in a mesmerizing real-time portrait of a man and the full range of his actions, emotional intensity, and unwavering concentration during the game. The scenario is set to a sound track that combines music by the Scottish band Mogwai, the cheers of 80,000 fans, commentary by Spanish television announcers, and Zidaneâs own internal thoughts as voiced by the legend himself. The result is a rigorous experiment with cinematic form and an arresting study of a sports icon.

Should We Stay or Should We Go?

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:47:00 GMT

Should Dreaming Ant move out of Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. in Bloomfield and into its own space?

Big debate. You've probably experienced the annoyance of DVD cases falling on the floor or juggling our display cases just to see what's behind them. Well, Dreaming Ant has officially run out of display space - not just at one location, but at both. And because we get 50-100 new movies each week, this problem is only going to get worse. So the question is: What should we do?

We NEED your feedback, so PLEASE visit the [Dreaming Ant Facebook Page] and join the discussion. The discussion topic is: Sans Coffee? You might need to sign up for Facebook (very simple - just need email & password) to participate in discussion.

Please let us know if you'd support us moving. Or if you desperately want us to remain in Crazy Mocha, we need your creative solutions to our current space/organizational issues.

Thanks in advance! We appreciate your comments and rely on your guidance for our continued survival.

dB

Dreaming Ant 2008 Holiday Store Hours

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:55:00 GMT

BLOOMFIELD 2008 HOLIDAY HOURS
THANKSGIVING (Thu 11/27) - CLOSED
CHRISTMAS EVE (Wed 12/24) OPEN @ Noon-6PM
CHRISTMAS (Thu 12/25) - CLOSED
NEW YEAR'S EVE (Wed 12/31) OPEN @ Noon-9PM
NEW YEAR'S DAY (Thu 1/1/2009) OPEN @ Noon-Midnight

OAKLAND CLOSED: THANKSGIVING (Thu 11/27) & SUN 12/21 - THU 1/1/2009
Reopen on Friday, January 2, 2009 @ Noon-10PM

Dreaming Ant Rewards Voters!

Sat, 1 Nov 2008 08:02:00 GMT

Bring your Voter Stub to either Dreaming Ant location on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 and receive:

1/2 Off One Rental
or
Rent 3 for the Price of 2 ($8)!

Free DVD Rentals! ****! Free Burritos! Bueno!

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 00:24:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant and Qdoba Mexican Grill (Shadyside) are teaming up in September-October for the taste-good deal of the year!

RENT 3 DVDs at Dreaming Ant &
Receive a FREE ENTRÃE at Qdoba Mexican Grill*

BUY 2 ENTRÃES at Qdoba Mexican Grill* &
Receive a FREE DVD RENTAL at Dreaming Ant

* Valid only at Qdoba Shadyside, 4815 Centre Ave, 412-621-2003, qdoba.com.

Offer expires October 31, 2008. Limit of one free rental per member per visit to Dreaming Ant. Limit of one free entree per visit to Qdoba Shadyside. Not valid with any other offer. Must be a Dreaming Ant member (free) in order to redeem free rental.

Dreaming Ant Sponsoring Greetings from Pittsburgh: Neighborhood Narratives

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 21:40:00 GMT

Greetings from Pittsburgh: Neighborhood Narratives is a collection of short films celebrating the wonderfully diverse communities of our city. Inspired by the film Paris je tâaime, which presents a selection of short films taking place in each of the arrondissements or neighborhoods of Paris, Greetings from Pittsburgh: Neighborhood Narratives engaged nine local filmmakers to create short narrative films (10-15 min. each) that creatively represent some of Pittsburghâs unique neighborhoods (two of which are host to Dreaming Ant locations!). Join brainchildren Andrew Halasz and Kristen Lauth Shaeffer as they celebrate Pittsburgh's 250th Anniversary with their own brand of video Hallmark.

Tickets: $5 for all screenings, available on site only, except Regent Square Premier which will be $10, available in advance at Pittsburgh Filmmakers' box offices

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Bring your Greetings from Pittsburgh: Neighborhood Narratives -
- ticket stub to Dreaming Ant & Receive Â Off Next Rental! -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The 100-minute film, a collection of the 9 shorts, will be screened at the following venues over the course of the next two months. If you miss the public screenings, donât fret, your friends at Dreaming Ant will be carrying the DVD for rental and sale as soon as production is completed (no eta as of yet).

Q&As with the respective directors should happen after each screening. Snacks will be provided by Pittsburgh Popcorn Company and Whole Foods Market at most of the screenings.

Regent Square Premier & Kickoff Party
Nelson Chipman & Jeremy Braverman (directors)
Thursday, September 25, 7:30PM @ Regent Square Theater

Bloomfield
Jason Georgiades (director)
Sunday, September 28, 8:00PM @ Brillobox
A church fair serves as the setting for a story about a woman torn between the world of her old neighborhood, and a new world beyond it in Jason Georgiadesâ submission.

Homestead
Matthew J. Fridg & Jenn Golling (directors)
Friday, October 3, 7:30PM @ The Pumphouse

Hill District
Timothy Hall & Marc Nieson (directors)
Sunday, October 5, 2:00PM @ Hill House Theater

Downtown
Justin Crimone (director)
Sunday, October 12, 2:00PM @ Harris Theater

South Side
John Rice (director)
Tuesday, October 21, 7:30PM @ Rex Theater

Oakland
Justin Francart (director)
Thursday, October 23, 8:00PM @ Melwood Screening Room
A man returns to the neighborhood of his college years, as well as the love of his life. He learns you might not be able to go back home again in Justin Francartâs tale of young love blossoming in Oakland.

Lawrenceville
Sam Turich & Gab Reznek (directors)
Thursday, October 30, 8:00PM @ Your Inner Vagabond

Strip District
Ray Werner (director)
Saturday, November 8, 7:00PM @ Firehouse Lounge

Learn more about Greetings from Pittsburgh: Neighborhood Narratives by visiting their website: http://www.pghneighborhoodnarratives.com/

4th of July Store Hours

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:25:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant Oakland will be closed on Friday, July 4th. Dreaming Ant Bloomfield will be open normal hours (4p-midnight).

Rate + Review Movies @ dreamingant.com!

Wed, 21 May 2008 20:36:00 GMT

Bam! Good Will has done it again. This time, he's developed & implemented a website feature that we've been talking about for at least 3 years. Dreaming Ant members can now rate & review all of the movies in our database! Oh yea!

Once logged in, just click on a Review/Rate button at the bottom of any movie page and you will be taken to a new page where you can input your personal rating (on a scale from 1-10) and review of the movie. Click the Submit button, and return to read your rating and review at the bottom of the movie's page...along with the Average Dreaming Ant Member Rating and other member reviews.

Change your mind or realize you made a mistake? No problem. Just click on the Review/Rate button again and you can adjust either or.

Another minor feature recently added is the option to adjust your dreamingant.com username (your default username will be your Dreaming Ant Member Number). Your username will be associated with all of your ratings and reviews. So if Sally Sue likes one of your reviews, for example, she'll be able to click on a link to see a list of all of your ratings/reviews.

Be a part of Dreaming Ant's online community and have your opinion heard...check it out today!

Blu-ray Now Available @ D'Ant | Oldboy is 1st !

Wed, 21 May 2008 20:24:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant made the leap, well a small step anyway, toward the "next generation" of packaged media. And what better movie to introduce Blu-ray to Dreaming Ant members then our #2 all-time top rental - Oldboy?

Before renting Oldboy (or any Blu-ray Disc) from Dreaming Ant, please be sure you have a Blu-ray Player because we will not give refunds for this mistake. And honestly, in order to fully appreciate Blu-ray's quality (1080p), you should have an HDTV as well. Visit the Blu-ray FAQ for answers to all of your Blu-ray questions.

View a list of all existing and upcoming Blu-ray players or a list of all Blu-ray computer drives.

Please respond to this post and let us know what movies you'd like Dreaming Ant to add to its inventory, or if you'd like to add any insight or comments regarding Blu-ray Discs.

Browse movies currently available on Blu-ray Disc.

Genre Search Filter Added

Fri, 16 May 2008 21:08:00 GMT

Ever wished there was a way to filter your search results on dreamingant.com? Well, thanks to Will Simmons, dreamingant.com now allows you to do just that...utilizing a genre subset search filter.

For example, click on the link for New Arrivals. This searches our inventory and outputs all titles that Dreaming Ant has added in the past four months. As you'll notice, this list tends to be a bit tedious to sift through. However, now...now, you can filter our New Arrivals list by genre such as New Arrivals > Documentary titles or New Arrivals > BBC releases.

The genre subset search filter can also be utilized when searching by Countr y e.g. all Spanish > Horror films, by Director e.g. Fassbinder > Melodramas, or by Cast Member e.g. Vincent D'Onofrio > Comedies.

Coming Soon: We're very, very close to launching new functionality that will enable Dreaming Ant members to rate and review all of the titles in our database. We're also working on an overhaul of the website design. Please let us know if you have any other suggestions; just leave a comment to this entry.

Oakland Closed on Memorial Day

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:50:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant Oakland will be closed Monday, May 26th (Memorial Day). We're expecting our exterior steps to finally be repaired that day, so we'll see ya on Tuesday.

Dreaming Ant Hosts Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, March 30th

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:49:00 GMT

Local DVD rentailer thanks its members for 5 years of business

On Sunday, March 30, Dreaming Ant, one of Pittsburghâs surviving independent DVD rental shops, will commemorate its first five years of business by throwing a party â a high-five to its members. Customers can ease into the eveningâs activities beginning at 8:00PM with movie soundtrack music & trivia games, cake, a raffle and member awards (Dreamies). At 10:00PM, when Crazy Mocha Coffee Company closes, the store will be transformed into a mini-screening room and an exhibition of local short films and âAntâecdotes - video clips from members sharing brief accounts of Dreaming Ant-related experiences - will commence. Short films from local filmmakers Christopher Smalley, Keith Tassick, Eric Swisher, Tara Merenda and Gordon Nelson along with art collective Paper Rad have been confirmed.

WHAT: Dreaming Ant 5-Year Anniversary Celebration
WHEN: Sunday, March 30 | 8-10pm: PARTY: music, cake, games & Dreamies | 10pm-12am: SCREENING: short films & âAntâecdotes
WHERE: Dreaming Ant, 4525 Liberty Ave, Bloomfield (inside Crazy Mocha)

Dreaming Ant opened its weather-worn, green wooden doors to the public for the first time on March 23, 2003. Initially, just a single, sparsely-filled wall with slightly more than 800 DVDs tucked in the back of Bloomfieldâs Crazy Mocha Coffee Company, this one-man operation opened during a time when brick & mortar rentailers, chains and independents alike, were thriving due to the skyrocketing success of the DVD.

Then, web-based services, video-on-demand, and digital downloading began luring customers with promises of convenience, selection and low prices, a triumvirate that many brick & mortars couldnât compete with. âWeâre celebrating because, despite the current economic and industry conditions, weâre still here.â? Dreaming Ant owner Dean Brandt offers. âSince opening in 2003, Iâve watched most of Pittsburghâs video stores close: 3 West Coasts, 9 Blockbusters, 3 Hollywoods, and at least 5 independents â Classic Video and Incredibly Strange being the most recent casualties. So weâre grateful. We have amazingly loyal and supportive members, people we care about. So we want to publicly thank them for their support over the past five years.â

Dreaming Ant continues to survive in this Internet age in part due to the standard appeal of independent retailers â an eclectic inventory built by listening to customer requests, personal service, immediacy that only a physical store can offer, and a sense of community. But Dreaming Ant has also thrived by building a reputation for being fair, for supporting local filmmakers, and for innovating â implementing services like an interactive website that enables members to check real-time availability of movies and maintain a record of past rentals and wishlists, return-by-mail envelopes enabling distant members to return rentals when not in the area, partnerships with local universities, DVD delivery (since cancelled, Dreaming Ant partnered with Wheel Deliver for this service), and unique, high-traffic locations with small physical imprints and low overhead.

Now, five years later, although Dreaming Antâs wooden entranceway has been replaced by glass & aluminum, the warm independent atmosphere remains. And the burgeoning DVD collection has actually outgrown Crazy Mochaâs walls, motivating a second store to be opened in Oakland in 2007. Deanâs vision quest has also been blessed with seven affable employees â Andrew, Jenn, Rob, Ben, Ashley, Bill and Colleen. As suburban landscapes grow more homogenous, Dreaming Ant hopes to remain competitive for years to come, offering personal attention and a selection of movies aligned with its philosophy of independence and diversity. As Giovanni Ribisi exclaimed while on break from shooting 10th & Wolf in September 2004, "This place is f*#kin' great!"

Voted best local video/DVD rental store in Pittsburgh City Paperâs 2004 Best of Pittsburgh Readerâs Poll, Dreaming Ant boasts an eclectic collection of DVDs for rent, brimming with international, documentary, independent, gay-lesbian-transgender, television, music and Hollywood movies. Dreaming Ant Bloomfield is located inside Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. at 4525 Liberty Avenue. Dreaming Ant Oakland shares 426 South Craig Street with fellow independent retailers Phantom of the Attic Comics, Wicked Discs and History Beads.

For further information about Dreaming Antâs 5-Year Anniversary celebration, visit www.dreamingant.com or contact Dean Brandt at (412) 683-2200 or via email at dean@dreamingant.com.

Request For Short Films/Videos

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:20:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant's 5-year anniversary is rapidly approaching. As part of our celebration on Sunday, March 23, we'd like to show as many local short films and/or videos as we can (within a 2 hour window). If you have something under 10 minutes long that you'd like to submit, we'd love to consider it for inclusion in our celebration exhibition.

------------------------------------------------------
WHO: Local Filmmakers / Videographers
WHAT: Request for Short Film / Video
WHY: Dreaming Ant 5-Year Anniversary Celebration
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Sunday, March 16
------------------------------------------------------

We have but one requirement: all shorts must have some connection to Pittsburgh e.g. director or actor from Pittsburgh, shot in Pittsburgh, about Pittsburgh, etc. And the more connections, the better.

Ideally, we'd like new works, films/videos that have not been shown anywhere else and are not available on any compilations or releases. However, we're aware that this might be difficult on such short notice.

In addition to showing it at our Anniversary Party, we intend to compile the submissions on DVD and make it available to rent for free at both of our stores. By submitting your short, you are giving us permission to do both.

If interested, please submit your short(s) on DVD (or MiniDV tape if necessary) no later than Sunday, March 16th. You can drop it off at either of our stores or mail it to:

Dreaming Ant DVDs
4525 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Attn: Shorts

We'd like to include the names of as many confirmed filmmakers as possible in our press release, so please email Dean ASAP if you intend to submit something.

Dreaming Ant Apparel & Gifts Now Available on Cafe Press

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 11:41:00 GMT

Still need a (very) last minute holiday gift? Now you can purchase a wide variety of Dreaming Ant-branded merchandise online at:

http://www.cafepress.com/dreamingant

Dreaming Ant 2007 Holiday Store Hours

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:00:00 GMT

BLOOMFIELD HOLIDAY HOURS:
CHRISTMAS EVE (Mon 12/24) @ Noon-6:00PM
CHRISTMAS (Tue 12/25) - CLOSED
NEW YEAR'S EVE (Mon 12/31) @ Noon-9:00PM
NEW YEAR'S DAY (Tue 1/1/2008) @ Noon-Midnight

OAKLAND CLOSED:
SUN 12/23 - THU 12/27
NEW YEAR'S EVE (Mon 12/31)
NEW YEAR'S DAY (Tue 1/1/2008)

revised: 12/12/07

John Steigerwald Shoots Pilot @ Oakland Ant

Fri, 9 Nov 2007 22:49:00 GMT

What's cooler than an independent DVD rental store hosting a television segment dedicated to movie critique and commentary? And which Pittsburgh store is possibly better suited for this role than Dreaming Ant? I mean, c'mon folks, we produce our own video podcast, feature a wide variety of local films and videos for rent, have a knowledgeable (& awesome) staff, and pride ourselves on offering the best selection of DVDs for rent in the city...and well, the fact that just about every other video store in Pittsburgh has gone out of business helps. No matter. We'll take the gig. And with pride!

The part of the story that's...well, a little off center is the host. We all know that being "a little off center" can be a good thing, right? So when former television sports anchor John Steigerwald inquired if we'd be interested in hosting his newest project, of course, we leapt at the opportunity. Steigerwald, a local media personality and household name in Pittsburgh since 1978, finished out his contract with KDKA-TV in October and was quickly approached by the top brass at Reelz Channel to write and host a pilot for a video commentary segment. And if all goes well, his segment will be picked up and featured as part of Reelz Channel's signature show Dailies, a daily news and information program focused entirely on movies.

Steigerwald and his 2-man crew spent a little over an hour at Dreaming Ant's Oakland location this past Wednesday, shooting the live components necessary for his 2-minute pilot. His target today - Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. It was like watching Steigy's sports commentary, sans the sports. Mustache lovers and fans of Steigy's rascally irreverent shtick will undoubtedly enjoy his politically-bent, albeit conservative, movie commentary, replete with colorful anecdotes, local references and even a comparison to Young Frankenstein.

As an old high school classmate of Batman Returns star Michael Keaton, one of Pittsburgh's most famous natives, Steigerwald should have no problem moving from astro-turf to the red carpet.

Because Reelz currently has limited penetration in Pittsburgh, I've asked John to get us a copy of the finished segment so we can share it with y'all. Stay tuned. And thanks again John, for thinking of Dreaming Ant when this opportunity presented itself. We hope Reelz picks up your segment and finds you a regular at D'Ant!

dB

1/2 Off Coupon for 2007 3RFF Attendees

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:13:00 GMT

Look for Dreaming Ant's 1/2 Off Rental Coupon at the upcoming 2007 Three Rivers Film Festival. We provided 5,000 Dreaming Ant how many have you seen? bookmark-coupons for the Festival's attendee 'goodie bags' that will be available at all of the various film festival events.

The bookmarks feature a checklist of Dreaming Ant's Top 2007 DVD Rentals, and a coupon for 1/2 off your next DVD rental at Dreaming Ant. The coupons are valid at both Dreaming Ant locations until December 31, 2007, with your 3RFF ticket stub.

2007 Three Rivers Film Festival
November 2-15, 2007

2 Special Evenings with 2 Special Peepers

Saturday 11/3 @ 9:00PM (Melwood Screening Room) - Jacob Ciocci, current artist-in-residence at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, member of the artist collective Paper Rad, and Dreaming Ant stalwart, will be presenting a 90-minute program combining original animation with found footage collected from old VHS tapes, video games and the Internet. Ciocci rocks it like Atari, so eliminate the centipede and join him on the next level.

Monday 11/12 @ 7:00PM (Melwood Screening Room) - Guest curator Adam Abrams, co-founder of the 8-year old monthly experimental film series Jefferson Presents and Dreaming Ant Sooper Special Peeper, will be presenting work that has been influential to him as an artist, instructor and programmer. Visit The Underground with Adam, the original Goblin King, and see just where he gets that A-G bling.

Drop Box In Oakland

info@dreamingant.com — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:39:00 GMT

We finally have a Drop Box for after-hours returns in Oakland. It's a 4' tall black box outside the main building entrance (at the top of the stairs, next to the mailboxes). You're welcome to drop off returns for either store here.

Extended Hours

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:21:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant Oakland will be open daily from 12:00PM - 10:00PM beginning Friday, August 24th, 2007!

Dreaming Ant >> In the News

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:05:00 GMT

May 22, 2007. Jacob Spears alerts Pitt students of Dreaming Ant's Oakland location with an optimistic article, Ants dream of DVDs, in The Pitt News 2007 New Student Guide A & E.

Ladies Only

Wed, 9 May 2007 02:54:00 GMT

Like to ride? Think you got the licks? Pittsburgh's All Ladies Alleycat is on...
THE PUSSYCAT
Sunday, May 13 @ 2:00PM - Frick Fine Arts building
Choose from 2 Categories: Race or Fun
$5 Entry Fee
Ladies Only - please show up a little early to pick up your list of checkpoints

1st & 2nd Place Race Winners will receive a prize package...including Free DVD rentals at Dreaming Ant! (a little secret too: Dreaming Ant Oakland is gonna be one of the stops...can't tell you what your "task" involves tho...)

!! Barbecue Party afterward (~5PM) in Highland Park (on the north side of the loop around the reservoir). Everyone is welcome.

Contact jessie.buckner@gmail.com for more details and/or to help out

Dreaming Ant + Silk Screen

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:27:00 GMT

Please join Dreaming Ant in supporting the return of Pittsburgh's Silk Screen: Asian American Film Festival. Harish Saluja's second annual event will unfold May 11-20, 2007, fortifying our city with renewed exposure to Asian and Asian American culture. Plan to be a part of this celebration featuring a rich tapestry of film, music and dance.

Saluja, a native of India, envisions a day when Silk Screen is considered one of the top Asian film festivals in our country. In the meantime, Dreaming Ant is grateful that Saluja has been afforded the opportunity to share his passion for world cinema with Pittsburgh audiences another year. A filmmaker, engineer and Pittsburgh resident since the 1970s, Saluja has compiled a collection of films for this year's Silk Screen from the expected Asian nations of India (Blue Umbrella, Vanaja, Barbed Wire & The Companion), Japan (Train Man & Linda Linda Linda), China (Summer Palace) and South Korea (Inner Circle Line), as well as movies from smaller cinema exporters such as Malaysia (Goodbye Boys & Monday Morning Glory), Iran (Gradually) and Philippines (Tuli). He's even made room for a couple Asian American directed films (Undoing & Shanghai Kiss).

Silk Screen's films will be shown at the theaters of Pittsburgh Filmmakers. A full listing of the festival's schedule can be viewed at pghfilmmakers.org.

Join Dreaming Ant in helping Saluja realize his vision by attending, volunteering and/or contributing to the 2007 Silk Screen: Asian American Film Festival! See ya there...

Big Ben is Back

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:38:00 GMT

Spidey's uncle may not be returning from the long sleep, but our Ben was just dreaming on Friday the 13th! No terror can compete with Dana's powerful persuasion, so join Oral B. Roid. And join Dreaming Ant! Both at Crazy Mocha Coffee Oakland - twice this week!

Wednesday, April 18th from 4:00-5:30PM
Thursday, April 19th from 4:00-5:30PM

SIGN UP for Dreaming Ant's FREE DVD Rental Membership...
& RECEIVE FREE STUFF!

! Free coffee @ Crazy Mocha Coffee Co.
! Free Tartan Asia Extreme Vol. 1 sampler DVD
! Free Dreaming Ant microfiber DVD cleaning cloth

Dreaming Ant's free membership requires a state ID or passport and a valid Visa or MasterCard at time of sign up. If you're already a Dreaming Ant member & you bring a friend to sign up, we'll hook you up with a free Tartan sampler!

Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. Oakland [207 Oakland Ave | 412.621.7440]

New Snacks Available @ Oakland Ant

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:36:00 GMT

In addition to our standard snacks - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Sqwish Candy Fish, Act II Popcorn & Gourmet Caramel Corn - Dreaming Ant Oakland is now offering the following tasty treats, imported from England:

Cadbury's Crunchie (1.4oz) - milk chocolate bar with golden honeycomb centre

Cadbury's Flake (1.1oz) - an Old Favourite - flaked & rolled milk chocolate bar

McVities Classic Rich Tea Biscuits (200g) - most popular biscuits in the UK - only 1.3g fat per biscuit & no artificial flavours or colours!

Walker's Sensations Thai Sweet Chili Potato Crisps (40g) - real chili creates a gentle heat, while a dash of soy sauce, onion, tomato and garlic add a delicate sweetness for a sublime taste contrast

Walker's Salt & Vinegar Potato Crisps (34.5g) - salt & vinegar flavor crisps made with sunseed oil and now with 70% less saturated fat!

Walker's Cheese & Onion Potato Crisps (34.5g) - cheese & onion flavor crisps made with sunseed oil and now with 70% less saturated fat!

We're also open to new suggestions, so let us know what kind of snacks you like (imported or not)!

Real-Time Is Back & Better Than Ever

info@dreamingant.com — Mon, 9 Apr 2007 23:40:00 GMT

...well, sort of. dreamingant.com's real-time availability status is functioning again...and now, it enables you to see how many copies are available at each location!

When reviewing search results on dreamingant.com, the Status indicator (IN/OUT) will quickly tell you if a movie is currently available at one of Dreaming Ant's two locations.

Click 'IN' to determine availability at the individual stores. A pop-up window will display the number of copies currently available at each location as well as the total number each store has. In order to see this, you'll need to make sure your browser is set to permit pop-up windows.

Disclaimer: We can not guarantee that the movie you're looking for will still be available when you get to the store, so we strongly recommend you call and request we hold it for you after you've determined it's available online. We will hold it for up to 4 hours.

To Reserve a movie for pickup at our:

Oakland location, Call 412-683-2200

Oakland is open daily from noon until 8PM

Bloomfield location, Call 412-683-7326

Bloomfield is open weekdays 4PM-12AM & weekends 12PM-12AM

Wanna rent a movie that we have in Bloomfield, but need to pick it up in Oakland (or vice versa)? No problem. Just let us know and we'll have it delivered to the requested store the next day.

Thanks to Will & Erk for making this shizzlefest possible! And thanks to yinz for continuing to support Dreaming Ant!

Rent on.
dB

Dreaming Ant Scaring Up New Members

info@dreamingant.com — Mon, 9 Apr 2007 21:10:00 GMT

WHAT: Dreaming Ant Membership Blood Drive

& RECEIVE FREE STUFF!

! Free coffee @ Crazy Mocha Coffee Co.

! Free Tartan Asia Extreme Vol. 1 sampler DVD

! Free Dreaming Ant microfiber DVD cleaning cloth

Dreaming Ant's free membership requires a state ID or passport and a valid Visa or MasterCard at time of sign up. If you're already a Dreaming Ant member & you bring a friend to sign up, we'll hook you up with a free Tartan sampler!

We're trying to scare up some new members and let people know about our new Oakland store, so please spread the word...plus experience the debut guest performance of: the matrix trio [oral b , d.rae & hille d'killa]

WHEN: Friday the 13th @ 4-6pm

WHERE: Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. Oakland [207 Oakland Ave | 412.621.7440]

Vote for Dreaming Ant in Pittsburgh Magazine's Best of 2007

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 07:54:00 GMT

PITTSBURGH magazine wants to know what's hot in 25 online categories, so here's your chance to vote for your favorite people, places and things. Submit their online entry form by May 31, 2007.

Please vote for Dreaming Ant by entering the following data in one of the "Other" categories at the bottom of the ballot:

Other (List Both Category and Choice): BEST DVD STORE - DREAMING ANT

Thanks!

Like to Watch?

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:35:00 GMT

Look for Dreaming Ant's new print ad in The Pitt News - our first real advertising ever! The ad, designed by our very own style-king Bill Bittner, features our regular muse/mascot (Big Vic) flanked by two beautiful young companions (Chantelle & Anna) and his personal bodyguard/son (Chris J).

The photo shoot spawning this ad, in addition to our most recent flier & the 20"x30" photo on display at our Oakland store, was only possible thanks to a massive team effort. Born from the minds of the inimitable Jae Ruberto and yours truly, this fantastical dreamscape culminated only after numerous brainstorming sessions, endless hours of planning and the gracious participation of 18 humans, 1 dog-boy and 1 Pit bull. The shoot itself took place on a rather brisk evening (12/20/06) in Bloomfield's Darsie Street parking lot.

Domo arigato, Mr. Ruberto. As many of you already know, Jae is one of my favorite collaborators and Dreaming Ant's de facto photo-biographer. Distinct characters, sublime illumination and provocative imagery color his work, and not so coincidentally, mirror Dreaming Ant's spirit. Combined with Bittner's graphic design, Jae's photographs have come to define Dreaming Ant's visual identity. His Victor Mohawk photograph was the inspiration behind Dreaming Ant's Employee-of-the-Month photo series - a collection of portraits I commissioned from him for permanent display at Dreaming Ant Bloomfield. His work is regularly featured in Dreaming Ant's promotional materials & merchandise (including our Bums are People Too t-shirt) and is occasionally published alongside articles about Dreaming Ant in local magazines such as Pittsburgh Magazine & Metropolitan. I guess what I'm getting at is that we're eternally grateful to Jae for his prolific generosity & mind bending artistry. Please do yourselves a favor, and check out more of Jae's work on his flickr.com page....and BUY his art if you like it!

The Models (all of whom either work for or patronize D'Ant): David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer's hubbie), Candice Pulkowski (Crazy Mocha Bloomfield barista & makeup/hair/costume), Lindsey Hawkins (CM Shadyside barista), Che Elias (author/publisher), Will Simmons (D'Ant web stud), Merissa Lombardo (assistant art director on upcoming film Smart People), Andrew McKeon aka "Fan Favorite" (Ant Staff & writer-extraordinaire), Ashley Brickman (Ant Staff & legendary video artiste), Chris Johns (BFF), Chantelle Simpson (one of Studio Ant's Beautiful People), Victor E. Navarro, Jr. (D'Great White Ant...the real King of All Media & host of Dreaming Ant afterhours), Anna Ngo (one of Studio Ant's Beautiful People), Ben Rod aka "Oral B" aka "B. Roid" (Ant Staff & resident superhero-cum-artist), Jennifer Bechak (Ant Staff, sculptor & art professor), dB (Antman), Hilary Buttenfield (CM Bloomfield barista & all-around badass), Wynne Lanros (CM Bloomfield barista & coffee shop philosopher), Pat McFalls aka "Slop" (anarcho attorney-cum-financial adviser), Nathan Kukulski (occasional Ant Staff & future designer of the Isolation Chamber 2021), Tom Savini ("The Godfather of Gore" & Deputy Tolo in upcoming Tarantino/Rodriguez joint Grindhouse)...and Eric Buttenfield's pup, Cassius. Thanks, all!!

The ad will run on the following dates, so check it out.
Friday, March 30th
Thursday, April 5th
Friday, April 6th
Thursday, April 12th

Editor's Note: This announcement comes shortly after Dreaming Ant's 4-Year Anniversary, which quietly passed on March 24th! Thanks to all of our staff and members for allowing us to continue providing cool movies to the Pittsburgh area! And I promise, next year, I will not let our anniversary sneak past us again...we will definitely do something special for our 5-Year Anniversary!

Dreaming Ant >> In the News

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 19:37:00 GMT

March 2007. Bill O'Driscoll offers an overview of Pittsburgh's independent video stores in his recent Pittsburgh City Paper article: Video Futures.

Dreaming Ant Oakland Is Open For Business!

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:09:00 GMT

It's true! Pittsburgh City Paper's Bill O'Driscoll summed it up well in his recent article - Video Futures - when he wrote: "In January, Dreaming Ant quietly added a South Craig Street location to its Bloomfield flagship." Quiet we were. But, now it's time to make some noise!

We're in the same building as Phantom of the Attic Comics, Brave New World Music & History Bead Trading Company. Our building is sandwiched between Caliban Book Shop & Ali Baba Restaurant.

Dreaming Ant Oakland
412-683-2200
406 South Craig Street, 2nd Floor
Open Daily 12PM-8PM

In addition to an ever-growing selection of movies for rent, Dreaming Ant Oakland also sells a few select snacky cakes, blank media (CD-R / DVD-R), DVD cases, Dreaming Ant micro-fiber cleaning cloths & T-shirts and a limited selection of new and previously-viewed DVD titles such as Loose Change. We're also thinking of adding cold beverages and additional movie titles for sale...and as always, we welcome your suggestions!

FAQs
Q1. If I signed up in Bloomfield, can I rent at the Oakland store too?
A1. Yes. All Dreaming Ant members can rent at both locations. You only need to complete one membership application. If you're a new member, however, it might take up to a week before your account is active at both locations.

Q2. If I rented a DVD from one location, can I return it to the other location?
A2. Yes. Rentals may be returned to either store.

Q3. How will my Frequent Renter Points (FRP) accumulate if I rent from both locations?
A3. Your FRPs will accumulate separately at each store and are not transferable between stores.

Q4. If I purchase Prepaid Rentals, can I use them at both stores?
A4. Prepaid Rentals must be redeemed at the store where they're purchased (at least for the time being). If you're a Prepaid Plan member and anticipate frequenting both stores, email me. We'll work something out to accommodate you.

Q5. I want to rent a movie but Dreaming Ant's only copy is at the other location. Is it possible to rent it without going to the other store?
A5. Yes. Dreaming Ant members can access our entire inventory from either location. Provide the name of the movie you're interested in renting - either in person or via phone - and assuming it's available, we'll have it transferred by the next day so you can rent it from your regular location.

I have numerous people to thank, and a few new Ants - Ashley, Bill & Amy - to introduce, so you'll be hearing from me again soon...

Live the Dream! And thanks for your continued support of Dreaming Ant!
dB

Real-Time Functionality Currently Down

info@dreamingant.com — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:48:00 GMT

The real-time component on dreamingant.com is currently not functioning.

One of the reasons we decided to postpone the Oakland store's opening, as a matter of fact, is because we're still testing a recent IT implementation that will enable our members to freely rent and return DVDs from either of our two stores. As intuitive as this may seem, you'd be surprised at just how few video stores offer this convenience. We're finding out why...it's a pretty massive undertaking. Our website's upgraded functionality will also allow anyone to view the availability of our entire catalog across both stores online. In other words, you'll be able to determine which of our two stores has a specific title in stock at any given time.

Soo...as soon as we feel comfortable that everything is functioning properly in the test arena, we will restore the upgraded real-time functionality as well as some additional lil tweaks. Thanks for bearing with us during this transition as Will and Eric are bustin' their rumps to get this pup working for y'all!

Rent on.
dB

Not-So-Grand Opening

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:14:00 GMT

ATTENTION: Dreaming Ant's Not-So-Grand Opening has been postponed!!

Everyone tried their best, but there just wasn't enough time in each day to accomplish everything...despite me pulling two double all-nighters this past week.

Plus, it just didn't seem like the stars were aligned: Jae - the mastermind behind the Big Vic photo shoot - is locked up in Novum so our unveiling of his photo wouldn't be as rewarding. Eric - half of our database-web design team - is vacationing in the tropical paradise of Beloit, Wisconsin this week. And Ashley - one of our newest Ants - will be in New York which would force her to miss her 1st day of work!

But if you must know the real reason we ain't openin'...it's 'cause we gots no inventory over der! We could serve up some of Amy's tasty cookies & hot chocolate, Ben's famous Sugar Fantasy, Candice's chocolate-covered Ants, or Vic's infamous Curmudgeon Tea...but we felt that, as tempting as these might be, yinz would probably want at least a few movies to browse, eh?

Okay. So, excuses out of the way. We DO plan to open this week, but unfortunately I can not offer, or I prefer not to commit to, a specific day. Let's just say it will be a bit of a game of touch 'n go...

Thanks for bearing with us! See ya in Oakland...soon!!
dB

Live the Dream!

info@dreamingant.com — Sat, 6 Jan 2007 02:14:00 GMT

We're finally doin' it...Dreaming Ant Oakland is gonna open on January 20th whether we have movies on the shelves or not, damn it! So please join us for the Most Modest of Grand Openings to celebrate our new Oakland store.

Live the Dream!
Saturday, January 20th
12:00PM - 8:00PM

Witness the unveiling of Jae Ruberto's masterpiece culled from the infamous Big-Vic photoshoot. Rent movies. Hear tracks from corn-pone - victor navarro jr.'s controversial album banned...well, banned somewhere, I'm sure! Rent movies. Watch episodes from Dreaming Ant's afterhours video podcast featuring interviews with David Conrad (Ghost Whisperer, Men of Honor), Lloyd Kaufman (Troma Entertainment), Cameron Romero (The Screening), Patrick Jordan (The Screening)...and more! Rent movies. Experience the sensation of browsing Dreaming Ant's choice DVD collection for the first time ever in a smoke-free environment! Rent movies. Participate in the Paint-an-Ant-on-the-Banister interactive sports event. Rent movies.

Dreaming Ant Oakland
406 South Craig Street, 2nd Floor
412-683-2200
We're in the same building as Phantom of the Attic Comics, Brave New World Music & History Bead Trading Company. Halfway between LuLu's Noodles and Kiva Han Coffee.

It has been rumored that there'll be beverages, snacky-cakes, door prizes...and who knows? Perhaps a celebrity or two might even show up. Find out by visiting us on Saturday, January 20th...and Live the Dream!

Thanks to all yinz guys for continuing to support Dreaming Ant n@!
dB

Dreaming Ant Is Pregnant...

info@dreamingant.com — Thu, 7 Dec 2006 10:00:00 GMT

...and it clearly isn't due to too much sex! Quite the opposite, sadly.

Seriously tho, folks. We're excited to officially announce our second Dreaming Ant location opening veddy soon in Oakland! Our new space will be located on the 2nd (or 3rd, depending who you ask) floor of 406 South Craig Street in the same building as two of the coolest neighbors we could dream of: Phantom of the Attic Comics and Brave New World Music.

Our goal is to have the new store operational before the end of the year so we can work out the kinks. But we're gonna host our official Grand Opening in mid-January when students return from break. We will most definitely inform y'all about it as soon as we firm up the details. In the meantime, please start spreadin' the word that there's gonna be a new Ant in town!

Thanks for supporting Dreaming Ant!! See ya in Oakland!
dB

PS - We're gonna be ordering a whole heck of a lot of DVDs in the very near future, so I would invite you to put in your requests now. It's by far your best opportunity to influence our purchasing. Please leave your movie requests in the Comments section below.

And if you're a Professor or Teacher's Assistant who teaches film or utilizes film/video in class, Dreaming Ant is very interested in fulfilling your needs, so please email me your syllabus ASAP so I can order and hopefully stock your requests before next semester begins!

New Ant In Town

info@dreamingant.com — Sun, 5 Nov 2006 00:30:00 GMT

There's a new Ant in town, folks. And her name is Colleen Jankovic.

Colleen recently joined us from Bloomington, Indiana to attend the University of Pittsburgh as a Predoctoral Fellow in the School of Arts & Sciences. I believe she's officially in the Cultural Studies program, but I'm bettin' that Pitt's renowned Film Studies program had a role in attracting her.

Colleen has the unusual distinction of being the first Dreaming Ant employee to be headhunted from afar. We have John Trenz, a loyal Dreaming Ant member and former Crazy Mocha Coffee employee, to thank for this fortunate matchmaking. John, a Pitt Film Studies doctoral student, boasted of Colleen after playing host to her during her exploratory visit to the university. His enthusiasm was so infectious that I decided to do a little Google-search on Miss J. Lo and behold! This young woman had amassed an impressive track record in her short life, and was clearly a film enthusiast.

In addition to earning her undergraduate degree in Communications & Culture from Indiana University Bloomington, Colleen managed The Cinemat - Bloomington's independent video-rental store with "a movie complex" (a 49-seat screening room, that is). She also co-founded Cinephile, a non-profit organization whose mission is to demystify filmmaking and thus make it more accessible. Three valuable resources that Colleen helped establish while with the organization are the Cinephile Filmmakers' Forum (connecting filmmakers with one another), the Film Grant Project (awarding grants to help finance local films) and the Cinephile Festival of Independent Film and Video (providing a venue to give local filmmakers exposure within the community). Working toward a self-sustaining existence, the group also created the weekly Atomic Age Cinema event held at The Cinemat where they feature vintage and obscure horror and sci-fi films.

Impressed yet? I was.

So much so, that even though I had never met Colleen, and despite the fact that we didn't have any jobs available at the time, I offered her a future position.

Colleen is going to be your new Saturday afternoon (12:00-6:00PM) Guide at Dreaming Ant, so please welcome her and demonstrate just how wrong Sienna Miller was about our beautiful city! Very knowledgeable about film, I'm guessing Colleen would fancy a good discussion about world cinema's representation of Israeli-Palestinian relations, how culture-jamming and experimental cinema might be used to criticize the likes of Netflix and Blockbuster, or simply to chat about her favorite recent movies. I know she's also eager to immerse herself in Pittsburgh's talented pool of film, video and media aficionados as soon as she's settled at school, so do yourself a favor and introduce yourself.

Welcome, Colleen!

DreamingAnt.com Update

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 3 Nov 2006 02:22:00 GMT

It's a very exciting time for Dreaming Ant. In addition to the very real prospect of physical expansion, our website (dreamingant.com) has been developing at a remarkable pace lately. This, of course, is thanks to two of Dreaming Ant's most valuable human friends, the dynamic duo of computer programming: Will Simmons (a 'Perl' amongst bits) and the original 'Wizard' himself Eric Kaun (aka 'Erk') who is back in d'game after a bit of a hiatus.

Erk's first coup (happy Charlotte? ;-)) upon returning to the underground of Bloomfield's most visible ant farm was his effortless implementation of Dreaming Ant's new staff blog (powered by WordPress) - Virtual Pheromone. This ant communique is already home to a couple insightful examinations of French director Jacques Tati and his film oeuvre by Dreaming Ant's incomparable wordsmith Andrew. I suspect the best is yet to come, so I'd definitely recommend everyone check it out. And please, if you have a few minutes, it would be totally tubular if you were to offer Andrew your feedback...even the effervescent ant needs love too, ya know?

Most of you, at this point, are probably familiar with Dreaming Ant's MyAccount member area that Will developed, enabling you to access your Rental History and to maintain a WishList of movies that you want to check out. And I'll bet at least a few of you have monitored the semi real-time Top Rentals Lists that he created. If you haven't, you can now see what was 'popular' at D'Ant...the past coupla weeks, annually or since we opened! We plan to add even more functionality in the future - such as member-contributed movie reviews & ratings, staff recommendations, improved community film/video related news & links, and more extensive browsing options - features that we hope will compliment the living community we've nurtured at the store. But first, we need to focus on backend improvements to enable dreamingant.com to accommodate a second store, among other things. After a recent Vulcan mind-meld with Will 'n Erk, development is underway. We'll keep you posted as it progresses...

As always, thanks for supporting Dreaming Ant, and for visiting dreamingant.com!

Dreaming Ant Afterhours: Ep05 - Troma Pittsburgh

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:49:00 GMT

Episode 05 of Dreaming Ant afterhours with Viktor Najanski, M.D. captures the Great Najanski in rare form, immediately prior to a paranoid attack, interviewing a few local filmmakers who've been fortunate enough to hook up with Troma Entertainment. First up is Crystal Ann Jones, star of Meat For Satan's Icebox. She's followed by Jason Martinko & Jordan McMillen, co-directors of Gone The Way Of Flesh. Strap in your seatbelts & prepare for the ride...

Originally shot: 06.24.06 in South Hills, PA
Shot, edited & directed by: dean Brandt

Special thanks to Crystal Ann Jones, Jason Martinko, Jordan McMillen, Lloyd Kaufman & Kiel Walker for making this happen...and to Troma Entertainment, Kiss of Death Productions, Cut 'N' Run Productions for the excellent movie trailers!

Holiday Hours

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:17:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant 2006 Holiday Hours

Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 23rd)     Closed

Christmas Eve (Sunday, December 24th)      Noon-8:00PM

Christmas Day (Monday, December 25th)     Closed

New Year's Eve (Sunday, December 31st)     Noon -8:00PM

New Year's Day (Monday, December 1st)      Noon-Midnight

Oddball Stephen Parr Visits D'Ant

info@dreamingant.com — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 22:16:00 GMT

Stephen Parr, Director of Oddball Film+Video in San Francisco, CA, was in Pittsburgh on Friday, September 26, 2006 to exhibit The Subject is Sex 2 - "the second volume in his extraordinary personal romp through the seamy side of Sex in Cinema" as laughingsquid.com put it. He screened his compilation of "bizarre medical films, burlesque bits, sexy cigarette ads, peepshow loops, unintentionally erotic & hilarious commercials and campy movie trailers" at Jefferson Presents, the monthly experimental film series run by Dreaming Ant members Adam Abrams and Gordon Nelson. If you've never been to a Jefferson Presents screening, shame on you.

The following evening, Parr exhibited another new show Oddities Beyond Belief - "a surreal and sublime look at a world gone wrong" (anthologyfilmarchives.org) - at a friend's house in uptown. But before Parr could escape da 'Burgh, his friend, fellow archivist-filmmaker, Warhol Museum's projectionist, Dreaming Ant member, and all-around badass Greg Pierce brought him by the store on Sunday to check out our humble little antfarm. Thanks Greg!

Please check out some of Stephen's work; it's quite amusing! We have the following Oddball Film+Video DVDs available to rent at Dreaming Ant: The Subject is Sex, The Subject is Sex 2, Psychoactive, and Oddities Beyond Belief.

Vote for Dreaming Ant!

info@dreamingant.com — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:35:00 GMT

Please vote for Dreaming Ant in Pittsburgh City Paper's 13^th Annual Best of Pittsburgh Readers' Poll 2006!

You can either submit a ballot found in a recent issue of CP, or you can submit electronically by completing their online form.

Now, unfortunately, CP curiously eliminated our category - Best Video/DVD Rental Store - two years ago. And while I feel conflicted in asking each of you to support what is little more than a glorified advertising lead generator, the reality is that we could use the free promotion. And graciously, one of our stalwart members (Thanks, Megan!) suggested we coordinate our efforts by asking people to enter Dreaming Ant in both of the following two categories, giving us two opportunities to beat the odds.

"Best retail customer service"
GOODS & SERVICES

"Best Name Your Own Category"
found at the bottom of the survey, should be filled in with "Best DVD/Video Rental Store" along with "Dreaming Ant" as the Winner

And please hurry. The survey deadline for all ballots entries is Friday, September 29, 2006 at 5 p.m.

As always, thanks for supporting Dreaming Ant!
dB

Rental History & Top Rental Lists Launched @ dreamingant.com!

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 10:03:00 GMT

Thanks once again to the Magnificent Willard (aka Will Simmons - no relation to Gene), two new features have been launched on dreamingant.com:

The first of which is the highly anticipated, heavily requested... Rental History option. Members now have the ability to review, sort (by title or date rented), and print their personal Dreaming Ant Rental History at dreamingant.com!

If you've already signed up for online access to Dreaming Ant's Member Area, it's as simple as logging in and clicking on the link to "View your Rental History."

If you haven't signed up yet, it's also rather simple...

1. Click on the "Create New Account" link from the Login page

2. Fill out & Submit the simple 5-line form
In order to create a new account, you must be a Dreaming Ant member with a current email address listed in our store database. The email address entered on the New Account form must match the one we have on file.

3. You're now ready to check out your Rental History (as well as start using your Wish List). Just Login and click on the link to "View your Rental History."

The second exciting announcement is the launch of Dreaming Ant's [sort of] real-time Top Rental Lists. Members can now browse Dreaming Ant's hits! Our top rentals from the past 30 days are displayed in the sidebar for convenient access, but if this doesn't satiate you, click on All-Time, By Year, or Recent and browse even more Dreaming Ant Top Rentals.

Thanks to [Will]ie Wonka, our chocolate factory continues to get tastier! Dreaming Ant is very fortunate to have awesome dudes like Will in our corner and we want yinz all to know what a stud he is! Just ask Kirsten...

Return-By-Mail - Now Available @ Dreaming Ant

Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:32:00 GMT

Can't make it back in 4 days? Only visit Bloomfield occasionally? Travel a lot?

Try Dreaming Ant's new Return-By-Mail service!

$5 - 5 days | postage-paid, pre-labeled return mailer included

Dreaming Ant Afterhours: Ep04 - Lloyd Kaufman

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 8 Sep 2006 05:05:00 GMT

Episode 04 of Dreaming Ant afterhours with Viktor Najanski, M.D. documents the psychological deterioration of Bloomfield's favorite savant in the midst of a paranoid attack while attempting to interview legendary independent producer-director-entrepreneur Lloyd Kaufman. Fortunately, the loquacious Troma President humored us with details of his upcoming chicken zombie movie Poultrygeist, his numerous guest appearances in forthcoming local films and why Troma deserves respect!

Originally shot: 06.24.06 in South Hills, PA
Shot, edited & directed by: dean Brandt

Special thanks to Lloyd Kaufman and Kiel Walker of Troma Entertainment for making this possible...and to the Toxic Avenger, Chickenboy, Crystal Ann Jones, David Conrad, Angela Diaz, Shannon Lyons, Jennifer Bechak and Hugh McFalls for their guest appearances!

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

info@dreamingant.com — Thu, 3 Aug 2006 09:25:00 GMT

Prepoduction of writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber's (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) adaptation of Michael Chabon's first novel The Mysteries of Pittsburgh is apparently underway. And it appears that shooting will begin sometime this month in Pittsburgh. "Michael Chabon's debut novel is set in Pittsburgh in the mid-1980s and chronicles the joy, sexual awakening, and heartache of growing up for the story's central character, Art Bechstein." (Rebecca Murray) Another Chabon novel - Wonder Boys - was also made into a film and shot in Pittsburgh.

Peter Sarsgaard has been cast as Cleveland and Sienna Miller will be playing the role of Jane. "As for Max Minghella (originally cast as Art Bechstein), unfortunately we've lost him. His school schedule at Columbia has caused him to have to drop out of the film." (Rawson Marshall Thurber)

Donna Belajac Casting is accepting submissions for speaking parts. Experienced actors not represented by agents may send their picture and resume to:
Donna Belajac Casting
109 Market Street, 2nd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE.
We are especially interested in submissions for the character "Lurch" a 7-foot-tall African American thug. No lines, so while acting experience is not necessary, it would be a plus. The character beats up one of the lead characters. Will be hired under a SAG contract as a day player.

I'm going to do my best to set up some interviews for the Dreaming Ant podcast with cast and crew members, so keep your fingers crossed...or even better, help us make it happen! I'll keep you posted with any new developments. dB

Ant Updates: August 2006

info@dreamingant.com — Thu, 3 Aug 2006 08:04:00 GMT

Dean: You can learn a lot from ants. These Brazilian fire ants can teach you a lot about successful societal structure. You see? There's one queen in there. The rest are dedicated worker ants. Everybody pulls their weight; nobody complains; there's harmony and growth. Same here at [Dreaming Ant]...only you are the worker ants...the backbone.

Russ: And...you're the queen?

from D3: The Mighty Ducks

A lot of deliberation goes into the hiring at Dreaming Ant, and I'm proud as a queen of our small, zealous, at times dysfunctional, family. We've reached another crossroads, requiring me to devote more attention to addressing our declining industry and limited space. As such, I decided it was time to finally add another worker ant. His name is Rod. Ben Rod.

Many of you already know Ben, but for those who don't, it's time for yinz to take off your helmets (not motorcycle helmets, Ben! the other Ben, that is), loosen your grip on the ole handlebars, and have faith as Ben's cool breeze guides you (like a Jedi knight) through the expansive virtual terrain of Bloomfield's best, albeit only, DVD store. Oi. Like you've never been a cheese ball before!

How does Rod measure up? Dreaming Ant member since October 2003 and a live, in-store blogger...before blogging went digital. Along with roommate Drew Pavelchak, he built Dreaming Ant's impressive black counter in December 2004, demonstrating his acute attention to detail and sincere commitment to quality. Graduated from CMU with some kinda art degree thingy. He has an insatiable appetite for all things edible and an exotic passion for Asian cinema, especially films with an austere and/or lyrical tone. Andrew and I are both excited to welcome Ben to the fold, as we hope yinz are too.

Ben will be your Sunday afternoon host at Dreaming Ant...this of course, freeing up Andrew to watch the Steelers in the Fall and The Sopranos in the Winter. After a week of training, Rod will fly his first solo shift at Dreaming Ant on Sunday, August 27th from noon to 6:00PM. Please take it easy on the lad during his early days, while learning his way around our Byzantine antfarm. Email Ben

Our number one ant, Andrew (aka tender ant), another CMU grad as well as a freelance writer, recently returned from a cross-country pilgrimage to his hometown Dallas, TX in his a/c-free car. Upon returning from his next excursion - to Maine to visit his parents - later this month, Andrew will be launching a Dreaming Ant blog - an intercourse, or forum mind you, where he'll be able to utilize his prodigious writing talents to express his thoughts relating to film and video. In the meantime, check out his transcendent music reviews in the Pittsburgh CIty Paper. Email Andrew

Some of you may not know her, but the intensely focused and always studious young lady surrounded by stacks of DVDs cluttering the back table is our very own Zen ant of DVD cleansing - the great Jenn! Among other things, Jenn is also a sculptor. Looking for an art professor? Email Jenn

If you were wondering whatever happened to Jess, a longtime Dreaming Ant friend and occasional substitute ant, she's been in San Fran the past three months interning for Apple Computer. When she returns next week, she'll be finishing up her final semester at...you guessed it...CMU, so we might still have a few months left to spend with her. Email Jess

As mentioned earlier, I've been struggling with how to expand in the midst of numerous local closings and increasingly limited space. Please email any suggestions/advice you might have to me at dean@dreamingant.com. One thought, especially considering the recent local Blockbuster closings, is to work more closely with the universities to make Dreaming Ant's eclectic collection readily available to students and professors. Again, your feedback is welcome...

As always, thanks for your continued support of Dreaming Ant!

Dreaming Ant Afterhours: Ep03 - Cameron Romero

info@dreamingant.com — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 03:08:00 GMT

Episode 03 of Dreaming Ant afterhours with Viktor Najanski, M.D. continues the lascivious adventures of Saint Vik at the abandoned Lowe's Theater in North Versailles, PA where he interviewed Cameron Romero, director of the upcoming independent horror film The Screening.

Originally shot: 12.16.05 on the set of The Screening
Shot, edited & directed by: dean Brandt

Special thanks to Cameron Romero and Patrick Jordan for making this possible...and to Angela Diaz, Jessica DiCarlo and Nikki McIntyre for their guest appearances!

Sarah Silverman Indahouse

info@dreamingant.com — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

You heard me right. Comedian Sarah Silverman visited Dreaming Ant this evening (Saturday, July 8, 2006) shortly after 8:30pm. We were pretty busy, so I almost missed her...actually, I saw her come in and thought to myself, "Wow. She's pretty hot. Looks familiar, probably one of Dreaming Ant's finest." But then after we slowed down a bit (and after she had already left, of course), good ole 'Snap' asked me what Sarah Silverman was doing here.

Initially, I thought he was pulling my chain, but it was indeed her...incognito. Turns out Silverman, Jimmy Kimmel and about 14 others rocked the always tasty Tessaro's as well. I later learned that she, along with boyfriend Kimmel, are in Pittsburgh this weekend to participate in the All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday (7/9).

Regretfully, it all went by so quickly that I didn't have a chance to snap any photos or to say hello...maybe next time, eh Big S?

dB

"I don't set out to offend or shock, but I also don't do anything to avoid it." -Sarah Silverman

Dreaming Ant Open July 4th from 2P-9P

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 22:34:00 GMT

Dreaming Ant Will Be Open
Tuesday, July 4th
2:00PM - 9:00PM

Crazy Mocha will be open normal hours (7a-11p)

Dreaming Ant After Hours: Ep02 - Nikki McIntyre + Patrick Jordan

info@dreamingant.com — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 02:44:00 GMT

Episode 02 of Dreaming Ant afterhours with Viktor Najanski, M.D. finds old man Vik trekking out to the abandoned Lowe's Theater in North Versailles, PA to interview Patrick Jordan & Nikki McIntyre about their starring roles in Cameron Romero's upcoming horror film The Screening.

Originally shot: 12.16.05 on the set of The Screening
Shot, edited & directed by: dean Brandt

Special thanks to Patrick Jordan and Cameron Romero for making this possible!

Dreaming Ant 4-to-12: week of 6/7/06

info@dreamingant.com — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:31:00 GMT

Local filmmaker Jim Mueller takes on podcasting with a fervor not seen since Herzog's Fitzcarraldo with his new experimental series: Dreaming Ant 4-to-12 described as "weekly whatnot and info from Pittsburgh's nicest DVD rental shop."

This first episode, shot at Dreaming Ant on 06/01/06, is highlighted by a meaty sketch starring Dreaming Ant fan favorite Andrew McKeon and award-winning local filmmaker Jesse McLean. Catch up on new releases and top rentals at Dreaming Ant, introduced by customers. Standouts from this episode include countdown performances by the lascivious Victor, the peculiar Jon bon Sloppo and the adorable Deanna.

Dreaming Ant would like to thank everyone who participated, especially Jim Mueller for making this creative partnership a reality!

Download / Subscribe to Jim's Dreaming Ant 4-to-12 podcast

DreamingAnt.com Adds Wish Lists!

info@dreamingant.com — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 11:04:00 GMT

05.17.06 Ever come across a cool movie while browsing our site (www.dreamingant.com)...and then forget its bloody name the second you walk in the store? Oi!

Whale. No mo. Thanks to the incredible work of Will Simmons, this week www.dreamingant.com launched its Member Login Area where Dreaming Ant members can now keep track of their movie Wish Lists.

Login. Click an ADD button (to add a movie to your Wish List). And wallah...next time you visit the store, ask us to pull up your Wish List. No more racking your brains trying to remember that movie you wanted to see!

MEMBER AREA ACCOUNT SETUP & LOGIN
We're still tweeking the login process, so please forgive us for any confusion. Follow the instructions below for the time being and feel free to email me with any suggestions.

1. Click on this Create New Account link

2. Fill out small form & Click "Submit"
In order to register, you must be a Dreaming Ant member with a current email address listed on your account. The email address entered on the form above must match the one we have on file.

3. You're now ready to start using your Wish List. Click the Login link again.

4. Enter your email address and password. Once you're logged in, you can...

Add a movie to your Wish List by clicking on the ADD button at the bottom of its page.

Remove a movie from your Wish List by clicking on the REMOVE button next to it.

5. You will automatically be logged out when you close your browser

If you have any questions or feedback, please email me at dean@dreamingant.com

Dreaming Ant To Sponsor 2006 PCCFF

info@dreamingant.com — Tue, 30 May 2006 09:07:00 GMT

Pittsburgh Creative Commons Film Festival
Volume 1: Public Domain, Private Dominion

14 filmmakers in Pittsburgh. 2 public domain films. 14 days to make new film from this footage. You choose the winners.

Sunday, June 11, 2006 @ 8PM
Melwood Screening Room, Oakland
$4 / $3 students

Visit www.ambulantic.libsyn.com for a selection of the films to be shown.

Dreaming Ant After Hours: Ep01 - David Conrad

info@dreamingant.com — Wed, 24 May 2006 07:54:00 GMT

Prepare yourselves. Episode 01 of Dreaming Ant after hours with Viktor Najanski, M.D. is finally live! Check out the ole codger as he interviews Ghost Whisperer co-star and Pittsburgh native David Conrad.

Originally shot on 12.11.05 @ Dreaming Ant
Shooters: Che Elias & Jae Ruberto
Audience: Shannon Lyons & Hilary Buttenfield

Special thanks to Dave Mansueto and the libsyn team for hookin us up with their killer podcasting site!

Dreaming Ant PCCFF 15sec Ad

info@dreamingant.com — Sun, 21 May 2006 04:18:00 GMT

Created for the 2006 Pittsburgh Creative Commons Film Festival: Public Domain, Private Dominion podcast.

Featuring Dreaming Ant Employee-of-the-Month photos by Jae Ruberto.

Models include [in order] Dean Brandt, Angela Diaz, Chris Johns, Chris Belasco, Tom Savini, Shannon Lyons, Al Gill & Victor Navarro. Dreaming Ant jingle by Will Simmons. Edited by dB.

DREAMING ANT TURNS 3 YEARS OLD!!

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:52:00 GMT

Friday, March 24, 2006

Thanks to our fantastic members - all of you who've proven loyal to our li'l independent DVD store despite the numerous choices out there today - we managed to remain another year, and possibly even showed a profit in 2005! Woohoo!

Thank You!!
dB

Dreaming Ant >> In the News

info@dreamingant.com — Wed, 1 Mar 2006 09:57:00 GMT

March 2006. Mike Shanley wrote a most gracious piece on Dreaming Ant in The Pittsburgh Metropolitan entitled DVDs | A Little Off-Center

Dreaming Ant >> In the News

info@dreamingant.com — Wed, 1 Feb 2006 10:02:00 GMT

February 2006. Bridget Colvin wrote a glowing (& generous) story on Dreaming Ant in New People: Business as Usual: Inspiring Political Thought, Fostering Community

JLH @ Dreaming Ant!!

info@dreamingant.com — Fri, 13 May 2005 09:17:00 GMT

05.13.05 Jennifer Love Hewitt visits Dreaming Ant DVD rental store in Bloomfield (Pittsburgh, PA) with Ghost Whisperer co-star and Pittsburgh native David Conrad.

Check out a 6-second vid & some screen captures from her Friday the 13th visit...as well as my rant about haters by [clicking here].

Special thanks to David for making this special visit happen!