KGB Productions

I caught this little documentary Thursday, and I still haven't forgotten about it. It is on HBO this week, so if your interested check HBO's programming. I believe it is on at 3 PM Saturday the 30th on HBO family. That's EST. Why am I writing about this. In some way the documentary caught my interest. I had my oldest boy Kris with me, and we started to watch the film. He grew impatient, and at times lost interest in the program, but for me I was very interested in it. The film is about filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt's attempt to interest his young daughter in filmmaking. He starts when she is four, and it ends when she turns five. It was interesting to see how a small child plays with a video camera. I myself have tried to instill my love for movies in my boys, but it has been a futile attempt. I learned that one cannot dictate what a child likes or dislikes. They are their own masters. I tried to do that with trying to do a small little film called " the last Barbecue ...

I saw this on in an article by Jane Ridley in the NY Daily News about Tarantino's next film "'Inglourious Basterds", which premiered at Cannes : "However Jones attacks its length, adding: "its director should certainly have trimmed more of its flab". Mike Goodridge of Screen International agrees. He says it "offers considerable challenges to the attention span of mainstream audiences" and "devotes much of the running time to dialogue" I'm tired of people thinking dialogue is a waste, or boring. For those with short attention spans please leave, and keep playing your video games. I guess I can go on, and on about this, but if you take a look at a lot of the films of the 40's and 50's there was nothing but dialogue, and it was GOOD dialogue at that. Maybe I'm an old fart, but damn just watch the movie for the story. If the dialogue is too pretentous you'll know. If you liked the movie good, but if you were bored b...

I've been a fan of the series for a long time, and hearing that they wanted to re-boot the series and show the original crew only younger I was a bit skeptical about the results. Well rest assured my doubts as well as millions of others have been put to rest. J.J. Abrams has rebooted the series and as I've said before this Trek is not your fathers Trek, and that's a good thing. Origin movies are hard to do, but here Abrams does it well by casting some top notch actors in the roles that will clearly define their careers. Giving it an alternate reality is an interesting plot device, and having Lenord Nimoy in it kind of ties a nice bow on the trajectory of the Trek storyline. I'm not sure about some plot holes in the movie that made me think WTF. It's only after I had viewed the film that I began thinking about the holes in the story, but then again Trek is meant to be a ride you don't forget or should I say an experience you bond not to forget. The core of the Tr...

Last night I was watching " Frozen River " the indie film starring Melissa Chessington Leo in a breath taking performance of a single women raising two boys. I was a bit saddened to see that she did not get the academy award for her performance in the film. I hope to see her someday again real soon in another film. But this is not really about the film "frozen River" or Melissa Chessington Leo performance. Instead it's about indie film in general. There are so many other people out there who have more experience in this train of thought then I do, but since I did make a film, and have tried to get it shown I figured I could add my voice to all those other voices. As many of you who know I'm not a fan of the " mumblecore " films. In fact I just don't see how these films make any money at all. I see films like Susan Buice's and Arin Crumley's film " Four Eyed Monsters " and admire the work they put into that particular film. I e...

I hate writing these. I enjoyed Mr. Deluise's performances, and I even watching him on the Dean Martin Variety show way back in my youth. So it's with a heavy heart that I write about his death. I could go on and on about his credits, and his biography, but I'll leave that to the pros. I just loved him as an entertainer. Mr. Deluise made me and my family laugh. In good times and in bad times. In a way that's what a true star does. He or she makes us forget our dismal little problems for a moment, and makes us laugh. Mr. Deluise had done so much that he brought joy and laughter to so many of us. It saddens me to hear about a loss of such talent, but the best thing is that he left a lifetime of work for us to watch, and laugh all over again. Good night sweet prince. You made us laugh with you, and you will be missed by many. God speed.

I've finished my script, and became a winner in the 2009 script Frenzy . I used new screenwriting software called Celtx , and it worked for me pretty good. I would thoroughly suggest using the software if you're starting out. It's free, and really it has some great features. The script turned out to be 107 pages, and though I know it's all in the re-write I think I can be proud of the script. It's from the heart, and I wrote on what I knew about. I'm sure I can write a better script, but right now I love this one, and I guess that happens with every writer. I have heard about doing a feature in two weeks on Twitter . I have to say I'm intrigued, but there is so much to think about, and there are a lot of limitations, but I do like a challenge. It reminds me about the time I read about Roger Corman's film " Little Shop of Horrors" . It was made on a bet that Corman could make a movie in 2 days using sets that were standing form other movies. I h...

I just found out that Jack Cardiff died today. Wikipedia describes Cardiff's career as: "spanning the development of cinema, from silent film, through early experiments in Technicolor (and, less successfully, Smell-o-vision), to film making in the 21st century. He was best known for his influential cinematography for directors such as Powell, Huston and Hitchcock." I knew him as an innovator of Technicolor film, and for his film " Black Narcissus " (1947). A lot of his early work was shot in the studio, yet it didn't look it. It is a testimonial to his skill as a director of photography that his films still are admired and loved. Cardiff won his cinematography Oscar for the 1947 film "Black Narcissus", which was directed by the legendary duo of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Cardiff received two more nominations in the same category for "War and Peace " in 1956 and "Fanny " in 1961.* Jack Cardiff was a legend," sai...

Dear Dad from Karl Bauer on Vimeo . It's been crazy, and exhilarating all at the same time. When I do something I seem to tax all my resources, and push everything too the limit. I'm on page 59 on my script about my dad. It's gotten a bit difficult as I get up there on pages, but I'm getting there. Since I'm basing some of this on things that have happened it sometimes gets a bit painful to write. But it's amazing how much I forgot too. In these past few days I've been talking to people, and letting them tell me about how they saw things. Sometimes it's like Rashômon and at other times it's amazing how certain memories trigger others. The above clip is part of the documentary about my dad. It has no music to it, and it's my voice that's narrating it, and I'm a bit uncomfortable hearing my voice, but it is a start. There is so much more to do, and I'd like to hear less of me and more of others, but that may be difficult since there ...

So I've been writing. Twenty pages in, and closing in on finishing the first act. I have to say I'm exceeding my goals here, but I have a feeling as I get more into it I'll have a bit more of a problem. I do know how I want to end the script, and I do have some ideas for the middle, but the hardest thing for me to write is the son's part. Funny isn't that. Now I'm not basing it the son's character on me, but I would be lying to you if I said the character wasn't a bit of me. They say write what you know. Isn't that the key? Well I am and it seems to be flowing. What frustrates me is that I'm not writing it to a particular budget. Right now it's pie in the sky for me. If I didn't do that I would have limited myself even more, and that would have hurt the story. So I'm writing for story sake. Not for budget. I doubt I could even put this into production, but the script is getting the creative juices flowing again, and I think I can do s...

Okay in for a penny, in for a pound. I've decided to go all in. Why not? Script Frenzy is happening in April. It's where you need to write a 100 page screenplay by the end of April. No prizes, no competition, just writing for writings sake. I was a bit dubious at first, but I like what these mad men & women propose. My screenwriting teacher back in the day told me it all happens in "your head". She was SO right there. We can be are worst enemies sometimes. This wouldn't be my first script, but it would be one for fun. For the sheer whim. I have two or three ideas, but I'm not sure of what I really want. So between my fathers little documentary, script frenzy , and real life my plate is full. Hope I haven't bitten off more then I can chew. But sometimes you just got to shut-up, and do. Let's see how it works out shall we.

Shadow Word: year 2 - 02. He's the Bad One from David S Kessler on Vimeo . I like to call attention to people I think are talented and doing great work. One of them is David Kessler . He's an artist here in Philly who is doing some great video work on the streets of Philly. Head on over to his sight. He's doing episodes now in HD, and their interesting. I like his stuff, and he has a very keen eye. If I had some extra money I'd throw some his way, so if you do have some extra cash he has a donation button on his site. It's called Shadow World 2, and he puts together great pieces of art and social commentary without hitting us over the head with commentary. Instead he lets his subjects do the talking. Above is one of his newest videos which I liked. Take a look you won't regret it.

Wow it seems like I've been lax and not done much here, but instead review movies I've seen. I have seen some interesting and inspiring films of late, but that's for another time. I wanted this to be about my film making exploits, and of late it hasn't. Maybe that's because of the day job and the grind, but I have to say that it's me too. It's my fault for not being inspired, and not taking the time to do what I truly love to do. The thing is I just don't want to waste MY time. Finite resources, and finite budget, or should I say no-budget can only mean that I need to be creative in what I do. They say when you do a documentary you start off with an idea on what you want to do. Eventually it is what you shoot that dictates what you create. Ken Burns does a lot with archival footage and mixes it with interviews, and readings of letters and excerpts of books. I like what he does with that, but it does feel a bit anylitical. Movies like "Grey ...

HBO premiered a film last week called "Taking Chance". It stars Kevin Bacon as a soldier who escorts a fallen comrade back home to be buried. The film is short, and long in emotion. The film is directed by Ross Katz who was a producer on "lost in Translation" & "In the Bedroom". The film is written by Katz, and Michael Strobl, and it is a credit to them on how well they get it. PFC Chance Phelps was a real soldier who died in Iraq. Lt. Col. Michael Strobl was the soldier who escorted him back home, and he wrote the story about his experience taking PFC Phelps back home. It is due to this that it feels so real. There is no statements about the war, or agenda in the film. All it shows is how we honor the men that have fallen, and how they touch our lives. Gone are the days where people spat on our soldiers and called them monsters, yet it still remains in our collective consciousness. After all it wasn't too long ago that this happened. Maybe and pos...

I really didn't want to start my 300th post here with another review, but after seeing the movie "Watchmen" today I had to. Seems that there is interest, so let the debate begin. First of all is this one that I recommend. I'd have to say that with an "enthusiastic" YES! Watchmen is yesterdays " Blade Runner ". What do I mean by that? Well I remember seeing Ridley Scott's masterpiece way back when it came out in 1982. Even back then I knew I was seeing something special. I think even when the studio saw it they didn't understand it, and they screwed up the directors vision. Luckily with DVD we can now see Scott's film the way he wanted it. They even re-released the film in some theaters, which was great to see. Watchmen on the other hand doesn't suffer from what "Blade Runner" did. Here the creators and the studios involved got it. Watchmen was something different. It was revolutionary when it came out in comic book form, w...

John Paul Kinhart's documentary "Blood, Boobs, and Beast" is a loving tribute to the filmmaker Don Dohler . Don who you say? Well Dohler was a filmmaker who gained some prominence back in the early 70's and 80's for his B-films. He is most known for such films as "The Alien Factor", "Fiend", and "Night Beast". All productions that were lovingly created in Dohler's backyard of Baltimore. For the record I have to say that I was exposed to Dohler with his publication Cinemagic which I read voraciously in my youth. I am such a fan that I pre-ordered my DVD back in November of last year. I was one of Dohler's kids I guess. I carried my cinemagic's around with me and learned from the articles on how to create some cool special effects with my Super-8 camera. From scratching laser blasts into the celluloid, to creating forced perspective shots I did it all. Getting the magazine in the mail was exciting, and it revealed a world of...

I've always thought that regional filmmaking was the future. This tells us abuot "Nollywood." The filmmaking community in Nigeria. We sort of have this in the United States. Take a look at some studios and distributors such as "Tempe Video" . Nothing new, and I'm sure as time goes by there will be more "Nollywoods".

I held auditions 4 months before we started shooting Deadly Obsessions. I had originally wanted to shoot sometime in July, but August wound up as a better month for all of us. Before that I looked through hundreds of head shots that were mailed to me after putting a casting notice in Backstage. I found a rehearsal hall in Manhattan near 23rd street, and that's where I held it. My wife, and my father-in-law Sal went with me, and that day we saw a couple of actors. Phyllis set-up a small spread of bagels, and coffee and we began casting early after 9 AM. I had emailed, and/or sent the actors sides of the script. The sides were of two scenes and I was casting for the four main characters. This scene is of Karen Stanion , and Irene Glezos reading. Karen is playing the part of Rebecca, but in the film she plays Lisa. Michelle Verhoeven eventually played Rebecca, and I'll put that audition up next. Since the scene is long I figured I break it up here. I think through this clip you...

What is he talking about? I guess that's what your saying about now. Actually it was a line from " Independence Day " that Harry Connick Jr . says to Will Smith . Hey since I'm such a cinephile you know a movie quote was the only way I could express myself. Okay buddy I got the line, but what do you mean by it? Simple. I need to make a film. What film?, and what type of film I can only surmise would be a documentary of sorts. Who of you ask? Well I figured I start with my dad. I've been obsessed about his life since he became sick, and then passed away. Dad wasn't the most talkative person around, and he was pretty obstinate, but he was dad and we loved him. So what has this got to do about film making? Dad would say if you're a filmmaker "make me a film". It's that simple, and since my resources are stretched at the moment I figured I better do something that was a bit personal. I have been writing on and off about a man who suffers from Alz...

Okay where do I begin? " The Wrestler" is a movie filled with heart & brutality, and it is Mickey Rourke 's portrayal of Randy 'The Ram' Robinson that makes this film what it is. There are also great performances by Marisa Tomei as Cassidy, and Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie Robinson. Darren Aronofsky is the director of this film and again like with Pi and Requiem for a Dream Aronofsky creates a world that you cannot take your eyes off of. When you think the film is going one way Aronofsky takes you in a different direction. There is so much that could have gone wrong with this film that doesn't. Robert D. Siegel wrote the "Wrestler", and in it their is a lot of truth in it. The film is about Randy 'The Ram' Robinson who after twenty years is still wrestling. Only this time it's to smaller crowds, and less money. Robinson works in a supermarket, and lives in a trailer park. He frequents a strip club where Marisa Tomei 's c...

Over the week-end I happen to see "Right at Your Door" and since all eyes are on Washington DC for the inauguration of our next president I thought why not try some real horror. When I mean "real" horror I mean horror that can occur in our lifetime. While growing up it was all about the bomb. Movies like "The Day after", and "On the Beach" were films that showed us alternate futures for mankind. Now in the 21st century it's all about terrorism, and the so-called threat from "dirty" bombs, and biological weapons. The movie " Right at your Door " brings that horror to the screen, and shows us a horrible "what if" scenario. The movie " Right at Your Door " was written and directed by Chris Gorak . Gorak does some interesting things here in the film, and the performances by both Mary McCormack , and Rory Cochrane are very convincing. The jest of the story is this: "A dirty bomb goes off in Los Angeles...