Now we’d like to share some behind-the-scenes pics from our first movies, short films that we made between 2001 and 2008 with our friends, starring our friends, to be shown only to our friends.  We made these movies before we cared about film festivals, talent releases, or music copyright laws.

The Girl Rods series focused on a group of goofy adult movie stars.  No nudity; lots of laughs.

The Olive Loaf Project was an experiment in film.  One scene list was given to two directors who filmed the scenes in their respective cities (Chicago and New York). Then the directors swapped footage and edited their movies.

We can’t share the movies, but we can share the pictures. Enjoy!

• FIERY FOOD: Thai food at Me Dee with the stars of Anxiety Acres (Mike Ayres & Heather Rush)
• FRENZIED FUN: An NYC Midnight 48-hr screenplay contest (Deadline Sunday at 12:00am EST)
• FINE ART FRIDAY: Our friend & fave artist Danny Hein took us to a couple of art openings.

At the Packer Schopf Gallery we saw paintings & photos by mother/daughter team Ann & Maria Ponce, family members of Chicago Tonight host and local celebrity Phil Ponce.  Danny is a big fan, and, when we asked for a picture, Mr. Ponce was a class act and a gentleman.  Then we went to a cool eyeglasses store / gallery space in Wicker Park where we met Chicago artist Tony Fitzpatrick.

Here are some pics from our art-filled night:

Julie + Dan + art by Steven Seeley

Dan + Chicago Tonight's Phil Ponce

Chicago newscaster Kathy Brock + fan + painting of herself

Dan + Jess

Dan + Chicago artist Tony Fitzpatrick

King is a Fink = Jessica + Julie

November is King is a Fink’s favorite month.  Here’s why:

• We had a private screening for the Idville Collection (ANXIETY ACRES & LIBIDOLAND) on Sunday, 11/1, and it was lovely.  Check out the pictures here.

• Our short drama SNOW BUNNY is showing at Lakedance International Film Festival in Sandpoint, Idaho, tomorrow night at 7pm.  Wish we could be there; will celebrate here in ChiTown with the stars instead.

• SNOW BUNNY is also showing at the Queens International Film Festival on Saturday, 11/14, at 8pm. Details here.  We will be in attendance with some old (and new) friends.  Watch out New York!

While we entered the night full of pre-screening jitters, the overwhelming support of our friends and family made the night a huge success.  Congratulations to Andrew Lindsay, Beth Ivy, Heather Rush, and Mike Ayres on their big screen debuts.  And thank you to everyone who shared their time and energy.

Here are a few pictures.  More pictures and details soon!

Felled Hands

#1 – Chicago band Felled Hands created the music for Libidoland.  It is beautiful.

#2 – To create their unique psych-folk sound, Felled Hands uses off-the-wall instruments such as a homemade theremin and  a mini-synthesizer that can only be played with a stylus. (Try saying ‘synthesizer stylus’ 3 times fast.)

#3 – Founding members Jeremy Price and Dan Querfeld have been refining and redefining their boombox aesthetic since being forced to stand next to each other in alphabetical order in the mid-90s.

#4 – To stave off boredom while working together in a department store, Dan and Jeremy once fashioned a fake weapon out of items scavenged from a storage room.  Their name for their creation: Uncle Scorpy.  Until they obtain the legal patent, they ask kindly that you not steal their awesome name.

#5 – Jeremy has appeared in several King is a Fink films.  He starred in Snow Bunny and had small but memorable roles in Daredevil Cleaners and various installments of the Girl Rods series.  Jeremy is also a stunning visual artist whose work is being showcased at several galleries this fall, including the Paul W. Perkins Studio/Gallery (opening Friday 9/25 6 – 10pm – 1840 S. Halstead Apt 1R, Chicago, IL 60608.)

#6 – Dan once lived in Alaska and shares a birthday with wise country singer Tom T. Hall (‘Watermelon Wine’).

#7 – Other contributing members of Felled Hands include Vicky Merrell and Marci Ackerhalt-Price, who starred opposite Jeremy in Snow Bunny.

#8 – We’re keeping an eye on Felled Hands, and so should you.

We weren’t asking for beautiful, sell-able cakes.  We were looking for old cakes.  Rancid cakes.  Cakes destined for the garbage shoot.  But we had very little luck.

Most bakeries politely said no.  Some directed us to other bakeries.  Others (including a bakery dept in the middle of a huge megastore) said that there was no manager around…all week.  One bakery owner was downright rude, much to the embarrassment of his very kind counter chick.

I was ready to give up, but Jill encouraged me to try Just One More.  So, based on a recommendation from the awesome blogger at Bake & Destroy, we went to…

…The Bleeding Heart Bakery. We  entered with no expectations and ended up with a lovely, shiny, bright ray of hope: if they have any leftover cakes this week, we have a shot at one.  Score!

The goods at this “local, sustainable, punk rocky” bakery are all-organic, incredibly delicious, and, by the far, the most beautiful we saw all day.  Even if we don’t end up with one of their cakes, we love that they were willing to help us out, and we can’t wait to go back!

If you’re in the Chicago area, check them out: The Bleeding Heart Bakery, 1955 W. Belmont.

Here are some pics from the shoots:

We’re currently looking for small businesses (specifically stores, cafes, and restaurants) on the north side of Chicago where we can film for 1 – 2 hours during the day sometime in July.  In exchange, we’ll give the businesses as much free publicity as we can.   Examples might include a shot of their storefront in the movie, a sweet mention in the credits, making our cast and crew wear their t-shirts out and about, tattoos of the business name and logo on our faces…whatever it takes.

If you have any tips, please contact us ASAP:  kingisafink(at)gmail(dot)com

Thanks!

In addition to people making films of their pets, gardens, and salvia trips, I’ve been noticing more people with backgrounds in dance making short dance films.  With the availability of digital technology, so many artists who would be stranded within their respective disciplines are able to extend their art.  And dance seems particularly suited to film, though it’s never really been explored effectively.  Sure, there was Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, but the films themselves were only about showcasing their talent; the methodology of the dance never really affected the cinematography or, perhaps more importantly, the editing.

The dance films I’m seeing more often on Vimeo and other web hosting sites share more in common with Leni Riefenstahl (dancer turned filmmaker) and, more particularly, Maya Deren (aspiring dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker).  Both women were fascinated by dance and this was reflected in their work, in their understanding of the human body, cinematography, and editing.

Here are some examples of some of the newer dance inspired filmmaking:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.