KGB Productions

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...