KGB Productions

I don’t know if my opinion mean squat, but if it does, and you are as passionate about filmmaking as I am then you should be reading Christine Vachon’s new book “ A Killer Life: How an Independent film producer survives deals and disasters in Hollywood and Beyond ”. Vachon has been a producer on several independent films that are outstanding. They include: Boys Don’t Cry , Far from Heaven , I Shot Andy Warhol , Go Fish , Safe , One Hour Photo , Hedwig and the Angry Inch (a favorite of mine) and Infamous just to name a few. Vachon wrote her first book “ Shooting to Kill ” way back in 1998. In that book Vachon gives a new nonsense view on producing independent films. In A Killer Life Vachon tells us all about the nuts and bolts of filmmaking. She takes us on a tour of what a typical day is for her in her production company called aptly enough “Killer Films”. From the arguments with film financiers to Hollywood stars Vachon shows us how things really work behind the scenes of filmmakin...

Short film or feature film? I find myself questioning what I should be doing. I've done a number of shorts, and have written short film screenplays in the hope of putting them in an anthology. This may be a way to go, but I'm not sure. Long ago I was involved in such an endeavor, but it all fell apart, and I never looked back. I ask myself why would I want to do this? Why make a short film? There is no market for a short films. Film festivals, and maybe the Internet are my only option and I'd never make my money back, so what's the point. Filmmaking is a risky business, why would I want to do a short film with no chance of getting some of my investment back. Short films are usually used as a calling card. I'm still on the fence on this, and I don't know what I'll be doing next. I did see a very interesting short recently and thought that it was very good. Maybe a short has its place in this digital era, but it does seem that there are a lot of these sh...

Okay I had to see it. I love Martin Scorsese , and I’m a big fan. I was not disappointed. Scorsese has a knack about telling tales of criminals and cops. It’s a genre I don’t think he can fail at. I’ve grown up watching Scorsese and have enjoyed his tenacity. From “ Mean Streets ” to “ Goodfellas ” Scorsese never disappoints. He’s a true American maverick. Is it his New York roots that make him so unique? Scorsese knows how to tell a story. His dialogue in a lot of his movies seems true, and you seem transported to another world where most of us wouldn’t survive. I had heard about the reviews, and no matter what I wanted to see this film. It’s a hard driven character piece, which has multiple characters. Jack Nicholson plays a crime boss named Frank Costello. He is the head of a gang of Irish Mafioso who does battle with the Boston State police. I have to say that I was interested in the characters & it’s story. By the final reel everything falls apart. It is the inevitable conclus...

So I’m writing something that I can possible produce that won’t break the bank. Writing within a low budget kind of sucks. Plain and simple. So how do I make it interesting while obeying the low budget film rules. Rules you say? What rules are they? Well maybe not rules, but lets say their suggestions rather then rules. They are in no particular order: 1. Limited locations 2. Characters kept to a minimum 3. No costly special effects 4. No animals 5. No children 6. Short shooting schedule 7. Use local talent 8. Small crew 9. Shoot DV 10. Pay people for their time I’m sure there are more rules, I mean suggestions, but I think you get the idea. The following ten things to get your film done is written by me and is the culmination of my experience in making a film & going to dozens of lectures by producers. If these suggestions or rules help great, but remember it’s the story stupid. Above all else the story better be good or all you’re work will be in vain. So why am I writing somethi...

Ideas, thoughts, and visuals. How does one live in a vacuum. I don’t think it’s possible, but then again I can be wrong. How many scientist, artists, and writers have lived in their own worlds? Think about it for a moment. Take all the artists & people who have made a mark in their respective fields and see how they got there. I believe it was never by taking a poll of what people thought. I more see these people like Sherman tanks running over things that got in their way. Sometimes aggressively, and sometimes these individuals were a bit less aggressive. Either way their work eventually caught on, and the result is that their work prevailed among all others. Sometimes these individuals were way beyond their time. Eventually others discovered them, and their work rose to the surface while others didn’t. Is it truth or a connection with other like-minded people that elevate these individuals work? Is it their brilliance that suddenly grabs us, and thrusts them into the forefront of...

** So I find myself missing the grind of filmmaking. It’s unlike anything anyone can experience. The chaos & creativity that swarms around a movie set is both intoxicating, and maddening. I do remember that whenever I was on a movie set I couldn’t wait till the end of the day. Just for the silence, but I be lying to you if I told you that I hated it all together. A film set can be one of the most creative places around. Just putting a scene together takes a lot of energy. To do this day in and day out can be exhausting, and yet exhilarating. But I’m finding myself more and more challenged to try and get motivated enough in telling a really GOOD story. There was a time when I loved horror movies & other low budget films because it was what really got me going. To some extend I still do love these films affectionately called B-movies, but lately I’ve lost interest in what studios are producing and labeling as horror. Maybe it’s my age. Maybe I’ve just lost my fill for horror and...