Draft:Introducing Jodea

Introducing Jodea is a 2021 indie film written by and starring Chloe Traicos and directed by Jon Cohen. <https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1637689/> In the film Traicos plays a terrible actress, whose fate changes when she gets into a car accident with a famous movie director ( played by Jeff Coppage) . After a disastrous audition, he agrees to teach her to act with hilariously funny results.<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1637689/>

Plot: Jodea Maxwell is an unemployed actor who will do anything to succeed even working as an assistant on a film production where she has to tend to the spoiled Isabella Andres ( Yadira Pascault Orozco) After dropping a plate of snacks because she is so wrapped up in following the shoot, she is fired from the production by the director Zac Kawalsky ( Jeff Coppage) Later that evening she finds out her boyfriend Greg ( Miles Faber) is cheating on her. On top of everything else she can't pay the rent to her friend and landlord Harold ( Ryan Pratton). At the end of her rope she decides to risk going into a major theatrical agency to try her luck with top super agent Grant Goldberg ( Kent Hatch) Unfortunately her efforts are in vain and she is escorted out by security. She gets back into her car devastated but no sooner as she done so then she is rear ended by Zac. She is still furious over the fact he fired her and now driving into her car adds insult to injury. Not wanting to deal with insurance problems Zac writes her a check for the damage and runs into the agency where he proceeds to argue with Grant over the casting of his movie. Zac is hell bent on getting A list movie star Ethan Burns ( Kayd Currier) in the film but Burns refuses due to Zac's history with drugs. Grant is backing Burns. Meanwhile Jodea looks at the check only to see Zac has spelled her name wrong. She races into the agency after him, storming into Grant's office and making Zac an offer: Don't worry about the damage to the car. Just put me in your movie. Zac asks her to audition then and there. She is a disaster but Grant is amused. After she leaves Grant makes a bet with Zac: If you can get a performance out of her I'll get you Ethan Burns for your movie. Unexpectedly Zac tells him he's on.

Zac then begins coaching Jodea for the leading female role in his movie. Grant has only given him a week to do it before the bet is off. Zac teaches Jodea to slowly break down her barriers and she does the same to him. They start to trust each other and fall in love.

Then disaster strikes when Zac denies having anything to do with Jodea at the premier of their movie. Hurt Jodea leaves him determined to succeed and forget about love.

Zac in the mean time realizes he's made a terrible mistake and apologizes. Jodea is unrelenting at first but after reading an interview where Zac praises her and speaks highly of her as a person, she realizes that he is the one. The two reunite on the film set where they first met.

Release and Marketing The film had a short theatrical release at Laemmle Theaters in 2021. <https://www.laemmle.com/film/introducing-jodea> before being released online It was later picked up by Gravitas Venturas Distribution <https://gravitasventures.com/introducing-jodea-2021/>

Critical Response The film received positive reviews from critics with film critic Markos Papadatos at Digital Journal calling it " Clever witty and entertaining" <ref><https://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/introducing-jodea-starring-chloe-traicos-is-a-clever-and-witty-comedy-film/article> Film critic Stuart Bannerman at From Stage 2 Screen said " it lights up the screen with one of my favourite movies of the year" <https://frompage2screen.com/2022/05/06/award-winning-new-comedy-from-director-jd-cohen-introducing-jodea-kicks-off-its-theatrical-season-june-4/> While Haute lifestyle called it is "funny, genuine, a feel-good romantic comedy."<http://www.haute-lifestyle.com/168-haute-this-issue/5306-introducing-jodea-review-genuine-funny-a-quirky-romantic-comedy.html#.YLv_TnG-Iho.twitter>