Friend Dog Studios – Funniest Guys I’ve Seen in a Long Time!

Friend Dog Studios are the funniest comedians/actors I’ve seen in a long time.  And trust me, I’m old.  I’ve seen a lot.  I have two children…one of them is a teenager!  We all need to laugh.  It’s a scientifically proven fact.  Something about blood pressure, reduced cortisol levels, dopamine…I don’t know.  All I know is that I feel better after watching their videos, and who doesn’t want to feel better?  Perhaps even good?

 

Okay, three guys walk into a bar…(I had to do it!).  Yes, it’s one of the oldest and most cherished opening lines of a joke, but in Friend Dogs’ case, it happens to be true.  Well, I don’t know about the bar part but there are three of them and they’re young and carefree; they could’ve met in a bar.  Regardless, Brian Huther, Seth Macchi and Ben Auxier are partners in this wildly funny group, and their chemistry and talent come together in ways that make me hold my sides and guffaw.

 

My Favorite Webisode So Far

So far….it’s hard to choose, but I think I have to go with, Art Work.  It’s one of their earliest pieces, #4 in their Webisode.  I love it because I remember being young and wanting to change the world with my art.  I also remember having jobs that closely resembled the “hitting thumb with hammer” job.  I too was a “why guy” or gal.  So, I’m starting off my love fest with Friend Dog Studios with Art Work.  The only “why question” you’ll be asking yourself is, “Why can’t I see more?”.  Don’t worry, you can.

 

My Favorite Sketch So Far

This may be slightly annoying to them, I don’t know, but while all of them are great, my favorite is the Drunk Trump series.  Come on, in this crazy political climate where reality plays more like comedy, we need this.  I need this!  Brian Huther’s frighteningly realistic portrayal of Donald Trump as a drunk frat boy is not only dead on, but funny enough to keep me (and others, I suspect) from running out into traffic and setting our hair on fire.  Thank you Brian!

Okay, One More.  Just because I love it.

Siri Beatbox Rap  If you don’t love this, you don’t love music, romance, strange internet relationships, and a whole bunch of other stuff that Siri can probably tell you about.  Ben Auxier, if Siri can’t see what a great guy you are, there are plenty of other platforms that will!

 

 

An Interview With Actor Dhruv Bali

Dhruv Bali is an actor who appeared in the one man show, Pain is Temporary, Quitting Lasts Forever; here is a link to his website: Q: What made you decide to pursue acting? A: While working …

Source: An Interview With Actor Dhruv Bali

KickStarter – Love It Or…No, Just Love It!

POW!cast Episode 46 – The Ups and Downs of Kickstarter August 10, 2016 by John Hale On today’s episode we learn about what it takes in order to get a successful Kickstarter off the ground…
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Interview! JASON TURNER·Creator of Iron City Chronicles

What got you into film and videos?
I am a child of the 80’s. My parents let me watch fantastic films and sometimes I would watch scary films that I wasn’t supposed to be watching at a friend’s house. In grade school, I was doing my own stories on cassette tape and eventually, when I was able to play with a video camera, the filmmaking bug had bit me hard. I was always studying films, trying to figure out lenses, lighting, and the tricks that make the professional things look so good. I was particularly drawn to Star Wars, Blade Runner, Excalibur, Robocop and The Terminator.
If you had to choose one particular movie scene, what would it be? And how did it influence you or your work?
There are so many, but the Tech Noir shootout scene from The Terminator was such a beautiful scene. The music, the haze, and Arnold Schwarzenegger wading through the crowd. I saw that on a summer night with my Dad and my brother at a drive in. To a young boy, this was really exciting stuff. The guns, and the fact that the bad guy was like villain in a slasher flick, except that he was a robot underneath his skin. I was just completely blown away, and wanted to make dark, atmospheric stories that could excite as well as terrify.
What elements did you consider when making the campaign video?
I mostly thought of how I wanted people to get to know who I was and where my film making inspirations had come from. I am very confident in the work I have produced so far, and if the right people had a chance to see it, they might be interested enough to give the project a chance. I don’t do anything halfway. I go full tilt boogie!
How did you come up with the storyline? What inspired you? Who inspired you? I came up with the character in high school, and just sketched him for a long time. I wanted someone who was tough like Robocop, cynical like Deckard from Blade Runner, and had a dual personality similar to Batman. I wanted to play a comic book character essentially, but have more underneath the suit that just an angry anti-hero. This guy has lived through some interesting times and has a bit of a dark past that he tries to escape. As for the biggest inspiration, other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, I really looked up to Harrison Ford, Peter Weller, and Kurt Russell. These guys were in some amazing films. As for directing and style, my man Ridley Scott has the best eye in the business, as far as I am concerned. I really enjoy interviews with him and behind the scenes documentaries. I learned a lot by studying his work.
What tools did you use when shooting the film?
Lots of props I had collected or built over the years, and called in some favors with a lot of talented friends. We primarily shot on RED, but the animation, was Adobe based with Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere.
What’s the best film making tip you’d like to share with our readers?
Film school if you can afford it. But the best training you could have is to be on a film set. Learn every job, and do every job if you can. It’s hard work, but if you stick with it, you can learn a lot of secrets and be proficient in making your own films that much better. Get a business card and always have it handy. You could get your next gig from doing a good job on your current gig.
How about casting? How did you choose the cast members for the film/video?
I wrote the main part for myself, as I was getting frustrated with the acting opportunities I was not able to secure. I have since been getting more and more challenging roles in the years leading up to now. As for the other parts, I chose friends who I knew I could count on to get the job done. There were a few parts where auditions were required. I study people’s reels, look at their film work, and then offer a part. I know talent when I see it. And I am blessed to have several talented people who agreed to work on this.
What do you think will make this film so special?
The world that is presented is unique and has a lot more room to grow. Cyberpunk has vast possibilities and we’ve just scratched the surface.
How is this different than your most recent projects?
It is something that has to be seen to be understood. I have worked on many dramas, but this one is so dense and vibrant, that it really stands out. I did a lot of physical work, fighting and using body language to express emotions. Similar to a creature suit performance. See the shorts and you will understand.

 

 

Fans, Fiction, and Representation: A New Hope

We wanted to add this interesting perspective to Jason Turner’s review of “Star Wars – The Force Awakens”. Clearly, many people have strong opinions on more than the story. Tell us what you think! This article should be re-titled, Why Characters Really Matter.

Longreads

There’s something about Star Wars: The Force Awakens that feels both delightful and urgent, as if it were both a joy to create and a story that must be told at this particular moment in history. People who lined up to see the film when it released last December—and then immediately bought tickets to see it again—are now buying the DVD or Blu-Ray or streaming version so they can watch The Force Awakens for the fifth (or tenth) time at home. They’re also creating fanart, writing their own narratives, and celebrating the idea that the Hero’s Journey has been opened up to a new group of heroes.

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Stephanie Lesh-Ferral Comes to CAPS!

Los Angeles actress and kid’s acting  coach Stephanie Lesh-Ferral made an appearance in Overland Park at the CAPS center as a part of the on-going acting classes and workshops she teaches for iActing Studios KC.  An excited class of students from Blue Valley schools came together to attend this three hour workshop, most of them meeting Stephanie for the first time.   For most of the students this was their first experience in an acting class and for others it was an opportunity to learn from someone outside the familiar circle of Kansas City teachers.

In this workshop class, Stephanie focused on scene study, teaching students how to work with a partner and how to get the most out of a scene.  Students learned how to use body language to relate better to one another in a scene and create a short back story to help better tell the story.  They learned how to dissect the language of the scene and fill the dialogue with their character’s intensions or desires.

Fun is a critical component in teaching children and teens and Stephanie did not disappoint!  We look forward to having her back for another workshop soon.  Stephanie also teaches an on-going class for iActing Studios KC for kids and teens via Skype.  Check it out on our website!  http://www.iactingstudioskc.com.

 

The IFC of Kansas City – Why It’s Important

While local colleges and universities boast a number of highly qualified film instructors, something of the “real world” goes unacknowlegded.   Often times film schools focus on the theory and history of film to the detriment of the technical production skills involved in the making of films.  An education in the arts and humanities encompasses such a wide breadth of courses, it’s often hard to fit them all in to a Bachelor of Arts program, especially when the general education courses are taken into account.

So, where do you go in Kansas City to learn the technical aspects of filmmaking from local industry professionals?  A new program sponsored by the organization, The Independent Filmmaker’s Coalition of Kansas City provides one solution; The IFCKC Project, A Working Film Classroom.

This is a program designed to give students the ability to gain real world experience in a particular area of film production while still maintaining their regular lives, whether working full time in the industry, outside of the industry or a full time student.  Anyone can apply and be accepted.  The program is fully funded by the IFCKC and so is free to participants.  Students will be working with local industry professionals in all areas, directing, cinematography, sound, lighting, production (set) design and hair and make up.

I was on set recently and had the pleasure of meeting many of the participants.  Their current film in production, An Urn for Calvin, is directed by local Emmy Award winning director, Patrick Rae.  On set, in a small downtown Kansas City house, I first met with Savannah Rodgers, a film student at the University of Kansas in Lawrence who was advised by one of her professors, Kevin Wilmot (co-writer of Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq”) to get practical experience in the local industry.  She began making her own short films in 2014 and soon afterward met director, Patrick Rae and began working with him whenever she could.   She’s so thankful she met Patrick and has worked on many of his projects in a variety of capacities, from production assistant to assistant director.   She is currently the assistant camera person for An Urn for Calvin, but answers a variety of production questions from any apprentice on set.

The sound mixer, Danny Bowersox, attended a local audio engineering school and now works in the industry regularly.  Danny liked the idea of being able to mentor someone in a very practical, hands on way.   He loves what he does, and understands the obstacles of breaking into the business.  “It can be hard to meet people working in the industry in the beginning.  People here in Kansas City are very friendly though and this is a great way to network.”  His apprentice, Larry Lucky (great name!) agrees.  While Larry currently mixes sound for reality television here in Kansas City, he wanted to learn more about sound mixing for film and jumped at this opportunity.  Already a working professional, Larry brings his knowledge about sound mixing to the set, but loves the fact that he can learn specific skills for film that he would not otherwise get in television.

Not everyone on set normally works behind the scenes.  Actors Mary Wilkens of KKFI’s Shots in the Night, and Kyle Adams wanted to help on the set because, as Mary put it, “I want to soak up knowledge and help out wherever I can.”  A working film set is the Amazon Jungle of knowledge for filmmakers.   Everything is there and most of it is useful!  So for actor Kyle Adams, who is making his own short film, this is the perfect opportunity.  Kyle is the film’s apprentice assistant cameraman and is assured to learn plenty from the director of photography,  Todd Norris.

There is plenty more to come from the IFCKC’s Working Film Classroom and more stories from behind the scenes as well.  For now, we’ll await the screening of An Urn for Calvin and remember that it is projects such as these that provide the much needed real world, hands on experience for anyone in the community to take part in, learn from and enjoy.

For more information about this project and the IFCKC in general go to:  http://ifckc.com and http://www.facebook.com/groups/ifckc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On January 22, 2016February 27, 2016 By Melody StewartIn Local Film GroupsLeave a comment

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Getting to Know Independent Filmmakers Coalition of Kansas City President, Timothy Harvey

 There he sat, hunched and intent on his phone in the relatively new, and super cool coffee house/bar, Thou Mayest in the Crossroads District of Kansas City.

Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, I walk in to this one…thirty minutes late, and walk right past IFC President, Timothy Harvey.  He tapped me on the shoulder and I began apologizing immediately.  “It’s fine. It’s fine.”  He said in a magnanimous way befitting one of such high office, and after tea and coffee were ordered, we got down to the interview.

The first thing you should know about Timothy Harvey is that he’s a talker, basically, a writer’s best friend.  He can expound on film, and books of a variety of genres as well as production design and graphic arts.  He started his arts career studying painting at Kansas State University and after graduating in 1992, became a book dealer, moving to Kansas City in 2005.