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PRESS RELEASE

Proposition 8 Trial Re-enactment Brings Closed Proceedings to the Viewing Public

January 18, 2010 (Los Angeles) -- Last Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling blocking indefinitely the broadcast of a video feed from the San Francisco Federal Court trial challenging California's Proposition 8. Within a few hours, a film production team in Los Angeles was readying a script from court transcripts, securing a courtroom set and casting actors in an effort to bring the trial to the people by way of re-enactment.

"We both jumped in and started calling all of our contacts and never looked back," says John Ireland, who is co-producing the "made for the web" series with actor and producer, John Ainsworth. "John and I both agreed that time is short but the time is now. We have collected a top-notch group of people to tell this story, so the world can see it." Both men have been in the documentary and entertainment business for years.

"I was glued to the Courage Campaign's Prop 8 Trial Tracker when John and I started talking about producing a re-enactment to put on the web. I wanted to know what was happening in the courtroom and that's when I knew we needed to produce this." Ainsworth noted.

The production is using professional actors and, where possible, they are casting as close to the appearance of the real people the actors portray.

The team is being advised by constitutional law scholar and Professor, David B. Cruz, from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, which has made the replica courtroom available. He is reviewing scripts and advising on courtroom dynamics and flow. "People across the country and around the world were eager to watch this trial unfold, so I was eager to help make it accessible after the Supreme Court took the unusual step of blocking broadcast," Cruz said.

Ireland is confident that a sizable audience is ready to tune in. He says, "There is a huge buzz on the web about this trial. I think a lot of people across our country were poised to watch the opening statements on the first day. When access was blocked, the thirst for information just grew exponentially."

According to Ainsworth, they should have last week's five episodes "in the can" within a few days. They will assemble a script each new trial day, notify the relevant actors and film that day's testimony late into the night. Ainsworth adds, "We are moving swiftly, so that more Americans can see our government in action as it reviews this landmark case."

Learn more at: www.MarriageTrial.com

Contact:
John Ireland John Ainsworth Prof. David Cruz Dr. Linda Hirshman
(213) 840-3593 (323) 401-4342 (213) 740-2551 opinions@LindaHirshman.com

Proposition 8 Trial Re-Enactment Crest

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About

In its January 13, 2010 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the public broadcast of Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a U.S. District Court case challenging the constitutional validity of California's Proposition 8.

Working from court transcripts and first-hand accounts from bloggers who are present at the trial, we are re-enacting the trial and posting it here for public viewing.

John Ireland and John Ainsworth are co-producing this project under JIP, LLC a production company based in Hollywood.

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