July 9, 2017

In September, I plan my to shoot my first short narrative film, Romeo, from my original screenplay, using and all-Columbus cast and crew; why not climb in and ride along with me? I'll be making regular updates and a Romeo Facebook Page will help get the word out about them.

Romeo will be an expensive film to make! Cast and crew, equipment rentals, supplies, props, costume, catering, film festival entry fees and expenses all add up. I believe in Romeo and I have maxed out credit cards and money borrowed from my retirement savings to prove it. If you are interested in helping out with a tax-deductible donation, of any amount, please use this secure online form. Credit card or check is fine. Thanks.

Here's the backstory: I am a 68-year-old photographer with museum collections and a long list of exhibitions on my resume. When the Columbus State University Archives acquired my prints, negative, digital files and commentary in 2016, I looked back at 40 years behind a camera and realized 2 things: 1. I had nothing left to prove as a photographer, and 2. If I was ever going to check filmmaking off my bucket list, I should start. So I did. My short short multimedia film, Light Leaks, was screened at the first annual Way Down Film Festival in my hometown, Columbus, Georgia last October, and was nominated for Best Underground Film. Here's a link (make sure your volume is turned up before you hit "play"):

Light Leaks was edited in Photoshop and contained 75 separate layers: my original photographs and clips, my wife Brenda Stevens' watercolors, a haunting musical composition (and a lot of cross fades!).

Inspired by the films I saw at Way Down, I knew that I wanted to try a longer, more traditional film next, so I started looking around for a subject for a documentary and found Rick Edwards, local folk laureate and seriously talented 70-year-old singer/songwriter/musician whose success is mitigated by his inborn ability to piss people off. My son Gabe and I have spend a good bit of time with Rick, talking and filming, and we have lots of good clips, but it is obvious that Deep in the Heart will be a long-term project. Here's some footage we shot at Glory Days, a bar in Phenix City, Alabama in May (again, turn up the volume):

When I realized Deep in the Heart would not be finished in time for this year's Way Down Festival, I searched for inspiration for a short narrative film that I could shoot in a weekend, which is exactly what I told my friend, fiction writer Mamie Pound, when I asked her if I could adapt her edgy 2-page short story, Tangerine: "I can shoot this in a weekend". So what did I do? I turned her story into a 10-page screenplay, Jello Wrestling in America, set in the mid-1980s, with 10 characters, including two German Shepherds, and 4 locations. Damn-there was no way to shoot that in a weekend!

So I immediately started writing Romeo, set in contemporary Columbus, Georgia: 8 pages, 7 characters (no dogs) and only two locations. Daunting, but doable!

So far, seven people (actors, directors, writers, filmmakers, trusted confidants) have read one or both of these screenplays. Here are some of their encouraging comments:

• "Great visual storytelling"
• "Definitely pulls you into the story!"
• "Ana is intriguing and complex"
• "A really solid first draft"
• "I love your adaptation. It's charming. And I think you did a nice job of bringing out the chemistry between the two main characters."
• "I want to shoot this film!"
• "Wow! I didn't really know what to expect, but I could easily visualize the entire story playing out in my mind's eye. A nice slice of life. I want to know what happens next.
• "It's got a weird sweetness to it, and the world really needs that right now".

Don't think all the comments were so positive; I asked for constructive feedback, and I got lots of it! My readers have been thoughtful, articulate and generous with their time and talent, and I really appreciate them. Without their encouragement, we would not be here.

Please share this story (through my Facebook Page posts). I'll be introducing my cast and crew in the near future. Stay tuned!

July 11, 2017

In late May, when a few folks had read the first draft and encouraged me, I started thinking about actually trying to make Romeo. About that time, an issue of Columbus State Magazine hit my desk, and I found an article, PRODUCTION PIONEERS/ALUMNI TRAILBLAZERS OF GEORGIA’S FILM, TV INDUSTRY, featuring Ginger Steele, a Georgia Film Academy graduate, who was then working as a Production Assistant on a feature film at Pinewood Studios, near Atlanta. I read the article thinking "I need Ginger on my team!".

So Ginger became the 2nd potential crew member to read Romeo, and she was eager to help me. Ginger is my Production Manager, and when we start shooting, will be my Assistant Director. The 1st potential crew member to read Romeo was Patrick Albright-more about him in a future update.

Ginger: "After reading the Romeo script I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about these characters created by Kenny. I'm fascinated by southern gothic literature and excited to help make this film come to life."

Ginger recently served as Set Production Assistant on the Bo Bartlett film, Things Don't Stay Fixed. Welcome, Ginger!

July 15, 2017

While writing my first draft, I had these two locations in mind. Romeo begins at Country's on Broad, a converted bus station and iconic barbecue restaurant in Uptown Columbus, Ga.. Country's is where we meet two of our main characters, and two supporting characters. The action takes place inside the old Greyhound bus, a visual feast, but with contrasty light and limited room for actors, cameras and lights-my crew will have lots of challenges shooting there! Special thanks to Jim Morpeth for permission to use Country's.

Romeo ends here, at the Bullard-Hart-Sampson House, built in 1887 by Columbus physician William L. Bullard, and visited by President Franklin Roosevelt, General George Patton, and many other distinguished guests. A painstaking restoration was begun in 1978 by Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Sampson, who graciously granted me permission to shoot there.

July 16, 2017

Today, I introduce 2 of my actors, both of whom are recent graduates of the CSU Theatre Program. The photos below are from a photo call I shot last October for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the CSU Riverside Theatre (lighting design by Christopher Head).

Addie DeVelvis was recently featured in Hairspray at CSU (Georgia Repertory Theatre) and ACE: The Eugene Bullard Story at the Springer Opera House.

Addie was the first actor to commit to Romeo: "I love Romeo because it's both deeply personal and yet universal in its message of love and acceptance. It means a lot when a story isn't just about progress in youth, but cooperation and understanding between generations".

In 2017, Indya Morgan was also featured in Hairspray at CSU (Georgia Repertory Theatre). She also directed a play, Dearborn Heights, for a one-act festival at CSU, and appeared in Things Don't Stay Fixed, Bo Bartlett's feature length film, earlier this summer.

About Romeo, Indya says "I love it. I was excited and ready to work on it after reading it the first time. I was thinking 'When do we start'? It's one of those stories that I see going somewhere great and affecting so many people along the way".

JULY 28, 2017

MY DP (Director of Photography) is Patrick Albright. Pat has directed and edited seven short films, including In2ition, which was screened at the Way Down Film Festival last year, and is currently working on two submissions for this year’s festival. Pat is the the Maneuver Center of Excellence Photographer at Ft. Benning. Some of his photographs are on permanent display at the Pentagon.

Pat: "I love the story and look forward to helping Kenny bring it to life". Welcome aboard, Pat!

My son, Gabe Gray, will work closely with Patrick and me as Camera Operator and Still Photographer. Gabe has lots of experience, starting with steadicam work on commercial shoots in the mid 1990s, through current projects like Deep in the Heart, where he is my go-to shooter. Gabe has worked for Leonard's Photography at Ft. Benning, Ga., since 2012, documenting training exercises with still photography and video.

Gabe: "I feel fortunate to be working with all the diverse talent on Team Romeo".

August 3, 2017

I am so happy to have Jim Pharr join our team as a cast member! Jim is a professional, resident actor at the Springer Opera House, the State Theater of Georgia, and had been for 7 seasons now. He has taught improvisation at the Springer Theatre Academy for several summers and recently made his directorial debut with The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales. On Friday nights you can catch Jim as host and director of NO SHAME Theatre. Jim is the voice of Hans Schroeder in the upcoming movie Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, set for release in April 2018.

Everyone who knows anything about filmmaking says that good sound is as important as good cinematography, and that you can get away with less than great visuals if you have solid sound. So I am relieved to turn the sound for Romeo over to Ryan Harbert, who along with my Production Manager Ginger Steele, graduated from Georgia Film Academy in June. Like Ginger, Ryan went to work right away, and he recently worked as boom operator on the Bo Bartlett Film Things Don't Stay Fixed. Ryan Harbert, Romeo Sound Mixer!

August 6

Romeo hair and makeup by Jessica Nicole! Jessica Is an accomplished creative hair and makeup artist with experience in all aspects of the industry, including fashion, print, film, and editorial. Jessica works closely with multiple modeling agencies in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. She was key hair and makeup artist for Things Don't Stay Fixed, a feature film recently filmed in Columbus, Georgia.

Exciting News: Springer Theatre veterans Debbie Anderson and Steve Valentini join the cast of Romeo!

Debbie Anderson has prepared choral and instrumental ensembles at the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Ga. since 1998. She became the Springer's full-time musical director in 2015. Some of her favorite Springer shows are Shrek The Musical, Les Misérables, Sister Act and Ave Q. Her performing roles at the Springer include Why, Baby, Why: The Music of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, The King & I (Anna Leonowens), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Miss Mona), Phantom (Belladova), Honky Tonk Angels (Angela), Ragtime (Mother) and Damn Yankees (Meg).

Debbie: "Romeo is such a poignant story, and Kenny's work in photography is very engaging, so this meshing of his skills made me really want to be a part of this project. Acting for film is very different than acting for the musical theatre stage, so it also is a new challenge for me. I enjoy having challenges and continuing to find strengths in performing."

As a teenager, Steve Valentini was an active performer with The Springer Opera House Children’s Theatre. He went on to perform in regional theaters, dinner and cabaret theaters around the country for more than 10 years. Steve has been a Guest Artist for The Springer Opera House for the past 30 years. Some of his credits include: The King and I (the King), The Best Little Whore House in Texas (Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd), Ragtime (Tateh), My Fair Lady (Henry Higgins), Man Of La Mancha (Don Quixote), Camelot, (King Arthur), The Wizard of Oz (Lion). Steve, Debbie Anderson and Paul Pierce collaborated to create the Springer Opera House original musical revue Why Baby Why: The Music of George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

August 20, 2017

Our first rehearsal is behind us! We started at 9:00am at Country's on Broad, finished there by 11:00, evacuated their bus and sat down for some grub before heading over to the Sampson House for the remainder of the afternoon. Here are some photos, frame grabs actually, that will give you a taste of what Romeo will look like. BTW, Addie (Cassie) and Indya (Cleo) are wearing their waitress uniforms to give Ginger Steele an idea of how they will move with the actors, before her final alterations. Plus, we wanted the uniforms to show some wear before we film them.

So far so good! If you are interested in helping out with a tax-deductible donation, of any amount, please use this secure online form. Credit card or check is fine. Thanks.

October 20, 2017

Two months since my last update! Somebody's been slacking off, or more accurately, taking a break from the intense process of writing, planning, rehearsing and filming Romeo. I was pretty busy from May of this year till we we finished filming on September 10, as the rain from an approaching tropical storm began to fall. I needed a break, so I did nothing for a week or so, then on September 20 I handed a hard drive with all the Romeo files to my 1st Assistant Director, Joseph Berger, who already had enough to do, but volunteered to edit our footage into a rough cut, which should be ready soon. The next day, Ginger Steele and I met with Zachary McDonald, a State and National Award-Winning composer from the Schwob School, who is interested in composing a sound track for Romeo. I'll be showing Zack a rough cut as soon as its available.

In other news, I was interviewed by Kaleigh Blessard for a feature article about Romeo in Southern Views Magazine; the issue should publish at the end of the month.

It was a treat to see the superb short films at this year's Way Down Festival here in Columbus. I saw films from Iran and India alongside several from local filmmakers like Lee Brantley and Romeo cameraman Pat Albright-what an inspiration! I'll submit Romeo next year, and if we make it in, see you all in the audience at the Springer.

Nov 12, 2017

Thank You, Kaleigh Blessard, Sammie Saxon and Roberto Caligaris!

Read about Romeo in Southern Views Magazine, available online and at Barnes and Noble in Columbus, Ga.!

May 18, 2018

Wow, I never expected for my next update to be 6 months later! It is now over 8 months since we shot Romeo, and we still don't have a film. But there is a simple explanation: Joseph Berger, my editor, and I are very busy guys. I'll be out of town for a week shooting corporate photography, return, have time for a quick meeting with Joseph before he leaves for two weeks shooting for the Golf Channel. He returns, I leave for a week to shoot more corporate work; we have 4 days before he leaves again, shooting for I Can't Remember Who for a week. And I have my day job at CSU. This has or will be happening for us as the July 31 submission deadline for the Way Down Film Festival looms. Send good vibes, please. More soon-Peace!

Some housekeeping: last summer, before we shot Romeo: Pam Smith, who was to play Max Warner's nurse and Chandra Drew, who was scheduled to play the waitress, Bea, in the Country's scene, decided not to participate. Luckily, I learned that Nick Rulon, from CSU theatre and the Springer, was available and I re-wrote the nurse part for him and we had us a male nurse! The role was suddenly more complex- I added some ambiguous vibes between Nick and Addie, and a new slant on Max's (hallucination?) about Stephen. Thanks for helping us out, Nick!

Linda Ryder, local event photographer and postal service veteran agreed to step into the role of Bea and she did a great job-thanks Linda!

The most valuable addition to the Romeo team was Joseph Berger. Joseph, like Ginger Steele, Ryan Harbert and others, had been involved in Bo Bartlett's feature film, Things Don't Stay Fixed, as Cam 1 operator and creative advisor. Joseph advised me during rehearsal and shooting and now he is editing Romeo (with me looking over his shoulder). Thanks Joseph!

September 1, 2018

We're in! Romeo was created with an all-Columbus (Ga.) cast and crew, a result of the excitement created by the Way Down Film Festival, which began in 2016. So nothing was more important to us that getting in Way Down and having it screened in Columbus. I expect a sizable contingent of our supporters will attend the screening-see you there!

January 3, 2019

Way Down was two months ago, receding now in my rear view mirror, and I am working on my next film, a docudrama, Deep in the Heart; but reflecting on 2018, I remembered that I still had part of the Romeo story to tell, here. I watched the screening of Romeo centered in the audience at the Springer, surrounded by family, friends, cast and crew, on October 20th, the 2nd day of the festival, during the 1:30pm screening block. I was especially happy to have my granddaughter, Kayla Gray, 21, who inspired me to write Romeo, and to whom it was dedicated, at my side. The experience is a blur to me; I cannot remember anything except Kayla's head, her tears, on my shoulder. When I was called to the stage for a Q and A with the moderator, Scott Phillips, I had an opportunity to thank my cast and crew, and to confess that for me, Romeo is a small antidote to the poison of ignorance and bigotry that we encounter in America, especially since November 2016. Lots of people made kind comments afterward; here are a few from Facebook:

Trisha King: It’s a wonderful film, Kenny! Congratulations!

Mamie pound: What a GREAT movie!!! I'm so enchanted by your film. Congratulations, Kenny!

Gary Lee Dunn: Congratulations on your awesome successful screening Kenny. The thunderous applause says it all! It was great to see you!

Rob St. Clair: Great job, Kenny! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Great ending.

Paul Pierce: Fabulous film, Kenny! Really wonderful!

Dixie Close Turman: Very well done, Kenny! Bet it was fun to see it on the big screen.

If any of you missed the screening and want to see Romeo, contact me and I will send you a private link to my Vimeo page.