KGB Productions

So I’ve been chewing on my comments about editing for some time, and suddenly I find another post at one of my favorite blogs called Self-Reliant Filmmaking about the long take. Paul Harrill who is the blogs owner has some good points about editing and why some of the movies of late have been in a word not up to snuff. I agree that most of the filmmakers who do seem to cut quickly are first-time directors on modest budgets. Having done my own film in the span of 11 days I do know that time is your worst enemy. No matter how much time you have it isn’t enough. I was always pressured to move on and get to the next shot, yet my movie is not one with quick cuts. In fact it’s been labeled slow. If I had MORE time I would have blocked with the camera and the actors at the locations I was shooting at, but time was against me, and so I couldn’t. I was lucky to have a day before shooting started with the actors, so I’ll count my blessings and chalk it up to experience. My actors had a lot of...

Okay so I've been catching a lot of newer movies that have been either coming out in theaters now, or are finally making their way to cable. The one thing that bothers me of late is the editing of some of these movies. I recently read this article written by Jessica Walter about " The lost art of film editing ", and she has a point. Way back in film school when we edited film we were taught film grammar. Like English film had it's own unique grammar. One can manipulate the image and make the audience feel a certain way by presenting it in different ways. Cinematography was part of it, but editing is where you put it all together. A simple example would be cutting from a long shot of a character to a close-up or extreme close-up of that character. It acts like an explanation point. The suddenness of the cut forces the audience's attention. It happens quick, and fast. Put certain music behind the shot and it becomes something like a jolt. Another example would be a ...

Why do I do it? Why do I always find myself wanting to do another film? I mean it’s time consuming, expensive, and frustrating. Yet just like an addict wanting another fix I revert back to filmmaking. I’ve discussed the whys previously, so why go over old ground. The script I have is almost finished, and I concede that it needs more work, yet I have another idea, and something that is a bit more personal, and maybe more poignant. Should I scrape the first and try the second knowing full well that the idea will not fit in a low-budget format? Maybe I should finish the first, and then take a stab at the second, and then come back to the first after I’ve either finished the second story or explored all it’s options. All this and not a single piece of film has yet to be shot. I itch to get back to production. It’s what I’m good at, and once you line up all that needs to be done all one needs to do is follow through. Maybe that’s the problem my enthusiasm for production overtakes me, and I ...

It's always sad news to hear of another passing, but after hearing that Bruno Kirby passed away on Monday due to complications related to leukemia I just had to write about him. Kirby was to say the least a great character actor. When he was on screen you remembered him. In 1974 he played the young "Pete Clemenza" in the " The Godfather II ". He appeared in several movies & television throughout the years. He played 2nd Lt. Steven Hauk in Robin William's " Good Morning Vietnam ", and he co-starred in " When Harry Met Sally " & " City Slickers " with Billy Crys tal. He also was in " The Freshman " with Marlon Brando , and in 1979 he was in" Donnie Brasco " with Johnny Depp . Recently he played a part in HBO's series " Entourage ". He was an unforgettable actor, and he is going to be profoundly missed.

I had just found out that Candice Rialson had passed away earlier this year in March. It seems many did not know this, and so it comes as a shock to her fans. Ms Rialson was 54. I'm always shocked to hear about another artists death. I was and still remain a big B-movie fan, and one of my favorites is " Hollywood Blvd ." Ms Rialson also starred in Roger Corman's film " Candy Stripe Nurses " a favorite among many teenage boys. These films hold a special place in my heart because it was an introduction to filmmaking, and it was a young boys memory of adolescence. You know the time where those hormones kick in, and things go a little upside down for you. Hey! I'll be the first to confess that it was a young boys lust that really drove his interest in these pictures, but seeing these films today confirms my belief that these films had heart. Sure these films were exploitive, and geared to the drive-in circuit, but they were done in taste. Not like the garba...

So at first you don’t succeed try, try again. That’s how the saying goes I believe, but how do you do it again when filmmaking is such a complex and trying endeavor. I mean it was fun when you were young and you picked up the camera and said to everyone “let’s make a movie”. It isn’t that simple anymore or is it? By making your first professional film do you suddenly throw up your hands and give up on creating another one. As a TRUE independent filmmaker not one that Hollywood labels as an “indie”, but one who is completely outside the system how can I make another film? I mean I don’t see any investors lining up outside my door willing to invest in my next flick. How do I move on, and continue to do what I really LOVE to do? So many questions and yet the answer is always in front of you. As an artist you use what you have on hand. If it’s limited locations, and limited equipment you make due with what you have and tell a story you think is worth telling. There will be a lot of peopl...

I know another review? But since I've been reading a lot about this film, and it seems as though everyone has an opinion I figured I throw in my 2 cents worth. I'll make it brief and to the point. After watching Michael Mann's 2 hour plus opus I had one thought. Interesting story, but sloppy. I know, I know can you do any better? I mean really who the hell am I to say that Michael Mann's film was sloppy? It's just an opinion, and I did go to film school, or at least that's what the diploma says so maybe I know something (just a bit, honest). I was interested in seeing the film because it was shot in HD. Yet Mann did use 35mm, and I know dollars to donuts that I can pick out the shots that are HD, and the ones that were 35mm. (I know freak right). Now I don't have a problem with HD. Collateral looked great, and it had an interesting feel to the film. I also have to applaud Mann for experimenting on a $135 million dollar film. The man has balls and I like...

Okay no more reflective crap! Back to business. The nuts & bolts of making a sub basement budget film. The above picture is some of the cast clowning around. I think it should be a still from my next film called “Force Four from Philly”. I had heard that it was a good idea to have a still photographer on the set, and make no mistake it is, but since we had limited amount of people I did the next best thing. I made EVERYONE a photographer. My wife and I gave everybody some disposable cameras so when ever the mood hit them or they had some down time the cast and some of the crew could take some pictures. It worked out okay, and hence some interesting and silly moments were captured on film. I’ve used the pictures for the web site, and newsletters that I’d send out to the cast & crew on the progress of the film. It’s not a bad idea, but if you can get a pro photographer so he or she can take some nice publicity photos of the cast & crew I’d say do it. A word about the budget ...