I live for movies. I know that sounds dramatic, but they're one of the most important things in the world to me. And besides watching, reading, and studying them... I make them. Since starting Kinky Mule Films with my friend and co-writer/director, Kevin Kölsch, we've made a documentary on best-selling author Chuck Palahniuk entitled 'Postcards From The Future'.
We then turned our aims to directing our first feature film, called 'Our Lady Of Sorrow'. This became a trial by fire in the woes and frustrations of independent financing. Kevin and I spent about three years marketing ourselves and the script for 'Our Lady Of Sorrow'. For all intents and purposes, we were making this film no matter what. So we even spent a year doing auditions. We spent another year building a website, a marketing package, even business cards. We started the LLC. We tried to get an agent. We even went out and shot an investment trailer for the movie. Looking back now, I don't see any of that time spent as a waste. It was sort of our extension of film school. The things they don't teach you about how to market yourself. What you need to get in the right doors. And most importantly, what a project needs to get funding.
And so, three years later, we hit the wall and had our moment of clarity. Rather then trying to raise a specific amount of money that the script for 'Our Lady Of Sorrow' was dictating, we instead looked at the amount of money we already had raised, through online sales of the Chuck Palahniuk documentary. And with that money, we wrote a new script, based around an already existing budget. This was 'Absence'.
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Check Out My Film Projects!
ABSENCE
Production on 'Absence' began in mid July 2005 and wrapped in early August. The movie was shot on 24P digital video, Super 8mm, 35mm film, and various still photos, which were implemented throughout key scenes. So calling this movie a collage of formats is an understatement. Weeks after the shoot wrapped, we dove into editing the movie. This lasted the fall of 2005 and into the winter of 2006. At that point, we walked away with a glorified rough cut of the film, that neither Kevin or I was that happy with.
As things so often go in the world of independent film, it would take two years before Kevin and I would get a chance to get back into a lab and re-edit 'Absence' to our liking. This finally happened in January 2008, and we are now proud and happy to say that 'Absence' is a strong movie. With a shooting budget of $25,000, and a big storyline focusing on three lead characters, we pulled off more than most people could. With this newfound confidence in the project, 'Absence' is now seeking distribution in the home video market.
If you would like to learn more about the movie, as well as check out a gallery, interviews, a synopsis, trailer, and investment info, be sure to visit AbsenceMovie.com.
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OUR LADY OF SORROW
With 'Absence' completed, Kevin and I are still raising awareness for 'Our Lady Of Sorrow' as possibly our next feature film. This is a project I've been developing for a long time. Even bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk has been a part of the process, once commenting that the script was: "A magnificent first. It will send people out into the world very frightened". Most recently, Jerry Chandler from Synapse Films called 'Our Lady of Sorrow' one of the top ten scripts he's ever read.
Seeking funding for this project has been a longterm process. We started off by going strictly with the independent investor route. Lately though, we are focusing on building up our resume and working on more shorts, with the goal of winning and placing in some key film festivals, in which to attract a representation and attach a producer to some of our projects.
We have an investment trailer we shot for 'Our Lady of Sorrow' above, but you can also check out OurLadyOfSorrow.com for a synopsis, bio, marketing book and a higher quality trailer.
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SHED
'Shed' is the newest screenplay written by Kevin and I. The script was the first time we co-wrote something long-distance. Meaning I was in California and Kevin was in NY. Up until then, we had always written our scripts in the same room. And being that 'Shed' has already won two screenplay competitions (2007 Eerie Horror Film Festival & 2007 Great Lakes Film Festival) and has gotten us the most phonecalls and interest among producers and agents... I'd say the formula worked.
The story is of a young couple who discover a kidnap victim in the shed of the cabin they’re staying in. As gritty and visceral a horror movie as you can get, 'Shed' goes deeper than most of the standard fare these days, drawing upon elements from the new wave of European horror, as well as the character dynamics we saw in the heyday of the 1970s. If you are an interested investor wanting to know more, or a producer looking for your next project, you can contact us at info@kinkymulefilms.com. 'Shed' can also be downloaded and read on Inktip, Script P.I.M.P. and SoYouWannaSellAScipt.com.
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THROWAWAY
Coming next is 'Throwaway', a short movie I directed with Brian Fitzpatrick. You see, I made a New Years resolution to make 2008 my busiest year as an independent filmmaker yet. That included:
- Finishing the cut of 'Absence' finally. (Check!)
- Writing two new viable feature screenplays. (Getting there)
- Directing four short movies to improve my craft and broaden my resume. (1 down, 3 to go!)
'Throwaway' is the first. And boy does it kick ass. This is going to be one of the toughest horror movies for a person to sit through, without flinching and turning away from the screen to catch their breath. The story is about a Young Woman who is continually awoken by a strange Bum rummaging through the dumpster outside her bedroom window. When the woman decides to confront the Bum about the disturbances, she opens a fateful door into horror.
"If you sleepwalk through your days, you could bump into a nightmare...
'Throwaway' is now complete and we are screening it soon. For now you can join its MySpace page and see a ton of pictures from the production:
That's all, folks! Thanks for visiting!
Music
Black Mountain, Tegan and Sara, Miracle Fortress, LCD Soundsystem, Chin Up Chin Up, Softlightes, The Go! Team, Rogue Wave, The National, !!!, Cliff Martinez, The Sea And Cake, Built To Spill, Feist, Albert Hammond Jr., Armin Van Buuren, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Death Cab For Cutie, Mates of State, Sufjan Stevens, Alexi Murdoch, Acid House Kings, The Delgados, Minus The Bear, Mirah, Frou Frou, Imogen Heap, Shout Out Louds, Nada Surf, Clint Mansell, Robbers On High Street, Say Hi To Your Mom, Stars, Creeper Lagoon, The Shins, Alkaline Trio, Wilco, Trans Am, The Jealous Sound, Blur, M83, Superdrag, Led Zeppelin, Aldente Quakers, The Killers, Explosions In The Sky, Nick Drake, Knapsack, Iron and Wine, The Strokes, Pedro the Lion, Sparta, Sigur Ros, The Beach Boys, Coldplay, Mogwai, Superdrag, Van Morrison, The Appleseed Cast, HUM, Spoon, The Fuzz Haunted, The Postal Service, David Bowie, Bjork, Cursive, Brian Eno, John Lennon, And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Our Dead, James, Urge Overkill, Pulp, Teenage Fanclub, All Time Quarterback, Elliot Smith, The Rentals, Chemical Bros, Do Make Say Think, Beulah, The Beatles, Kent, The Verve, Ben Kweller, Sunny Day Real Estate, Radiohead, Ides of Space, U2
Movies
Some movies (missing a ton here): Aliens, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Mad Max, The Road Warrior, Blade Runner, Last of the Mohicans, Alien, Manhattan, The Outsiders, The 'burbs, Memento, The Prestige, Buffalo '66, Roadhouse, Night Train Murders, Torso, Control, No Country For Old Men, Sheitan, King Of Kong
Some directors: Michael Haneke, Peter Weir, Michael Mann, Takashi Miike, The Coen Brothers, Woody Allen, Alex de la Iglesia, Lars von Triers, David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Quentin Tarantino, Sergio Martino, Sergio Leone, Anthony Mann, J. Lee Thompson, Alfred Hitchcock, Sam Fuller, Nicholas Ray, Akira Kurosawa, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder
Some actors: Charles Bronson, Jimmy Stewart, Edwige Feneche, Clint Eastwood, Franco Nero
General: Foreign Cinema, Spaghetti Westerns, Giallo Movies, Noir Films, James Bond Movies
Television
The Wire, UFC, Mad Men, Dexter, History Channel, Discovery, Lost, The Tudors, Six Feet Under, Battlestar Galactica, Rome, Entourage, 24, The Office (both versions), Family Guy, Arrested Development, Mr. Show with Bob & Dave, The Kids in the Hall, Twin Peaks, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, The Sopranos
Books
The Lord of the Rings, American Tabloid, A Happy Death, The Stranger, The Perfect Day, House of Leaves, The Secret History, Hey Nostradamus, Miss Wyoming, Shampoo Planet, Luna Park, Black Hawk Down, Shella, IT, The Ruins, The Club Dumas, Survivor, Rant, Choke, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive, Virtual Light, All Tomorrow's Parties, Pattern Recognition, The Thin Red Line, LA Confidential, White Jazz, The Big Nowhere, The Black Dahlia, Killshot, Rum Punch, 52 Pickup, Glitz, Unknown Man #89, Pronto, The Hot Kid, Jennifer Government, Syrup, Blackbox, The Beach, Into The Wild, Under The Banner of Heaven, I Am Legend, The Stand, Pet Sematary, Salem's Lot, The Dark Tower, Misery, The Tommyknockers, The Dead Zone, Interview With The Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, 100 Bullets, V For Vendetta, From Hell, Transmetropolitan, Torso, Preacher, Hellblazer, The Simarillion, The Hobbit, old Star Wars books, movie biographies, Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner, Sex Stupidity and Greed, Killer Instinct, Eyes Wide Open
Heroes
Randy Couture, Tim Gunn, Chris Hanson, Chuck Palahniuk, Michael Haneke
I'm aware that a lot of people will sign up for this page just because I am affiliated with Chuck Palahniuk. That's fine, but don't expect anything on this profile but me, me, me. Also, please don't try to sell or pitch me on anything. I don't like getting band, author or basic group invites. Same goes for Events. I'm just on here to meet new people, show some of my interests off, and get in on the MySpace fun with longtime and forgotten friends of mine. Because of this, I may prune my Friends list from time to time if I don't know you well enough. Don't take offense to this. It's just me trying to get a hold of things.
Well, the backup is done and I finally took a quick glance at most of the shots. I must say this is probably my best DP work yet. Throwaway is gonna rule! See you tomorrow night for the wrap...
We then turned our aims to directing our first feature film, called 'Our Lady Of Sorrow'. This became a trial by fire in the woes and frustrations of independent financing. Kevin and I spent about three years marketing ourselves and the script for 'Our Lady Of Sorrow'. For all intents and purposes, we were making this film no matter what. So we even spent a year doing auditions. We spent another year building a website, a marketing package, even business cards. We started the LLC. We tried to get an agent. We even went out and shot an investment trailer for the movie. Looking back now, I don't see any of that time spent as a waste. It was sort of our extension of film school. The things they don't teach you about how to market yourself. What you need to get in the right doors. And most importantly, what a project needs to get funding.
Coming next is 'Throwaway', a short movie I directed with Brian Fitzpatrick. You see, I made a New Years resolution to make 2008 my busiest year as an independent filmmaker yet. That included:
..
