Frederick Film Festival(F3) 2012

Hey film lovers! For those of you living in and around Frederick, Maryland something is on the way. Beginning this weekend (Friday, June 22 through Sunday, June 24), if you are interested in doing something fun and different, stop by and check out the Frederick Film, Festival (F3). I'm really excited that
The Flow Of Forsythe is an official selection of the festival and will be screened amongst a fantastic group of films from around the world.

Word Is Spreading!:  Gazette.net, Maryland Community News Online

"The Flow Of Forsythe" Screens At The Delaplaine

Saturday, June 17, 2012 from 2-4pm

The Pavilion at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in Frederick

"As prelude to the 2012 Frederick Film Festival (F3), the festival is hosting a screening of the documentary “The Flow of Forsythe” which follows the life and career of Frederick abstract artist Charles Eugene Forsythe. The screening will take place at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center on Sunday, June 17 from 2-4pm. The artist will be on hand to talk to visitors and a collection of his artwork will be on display.

"Forsythe is a life-long artist whose career spans back to the 1950s when he came on the scene as an abstract painter. Beginning in 1959 Forsythe also began navigating his path in the academic world, eventually becoming assistant principal for what is now known as the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC.

"The film follows the narrative of Forsythe’s life through the use of his own words as he describes his ideas, life experiences, and philosophy of art all while weaving in stories of his fascinating life.
Also on hand for this special Frederick Film Festival event is the director of the film, Maryland filmmaker Keith Chester. Chester is no stranger to Frederick, one of his previous films, “The Skeptics: In a World of Their Own” followed the path of Frederick’s The Skeptics, a rock band in the 1980 who gained national and international notice before breaking up.

"This screening of “The Flow of Forsythe” is one of several pre-festival events the F3 has hosted to bring awareness of the Festival but also the role of film in the appreciation of other art forms.
Other events and all the movies are listed on the Festival’s website at www.FrederickFilmFest.com

"The Frederick Film Festival –the F3 – is a result of a partnership between Frederick’s premiere performing arts venue, the Weinberg Center for the Arts, and Frederick’s film organization CinemArts, who have been bringing under screened, independent, and foreign film to Frederick on a biweekly basis for nearly 7 years. The purpose of the partnership is to provide an opportunity for a world-class film festival in Frederick and to promote a wide range of films. Films on the schedule include acclaimed foreign films, documentaries and independent films, most being shown for the first time in Frederick, some for the first time in the region, and some for the first time on the East Coast. The F3 also features works from Maryland filmmakers."
Posted by The Frederick Film Festival

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I found Keith Chester’s short documentary, The Flow Of Forsythe, about fine artist, Charles Forsythe, to be an insightful visual meditation. The documentary has a very David Lynch type feel to it, which suits Forsythe’s approach to life and art. Keith is able to capture a brief look into an artist’s soul while doing it in a way that complimented Forsythe’s style and approach to his art. He talks about his struggles and his relentless quest in finding how to express himself artistically and how it constantly changes and evolved as he matures. The documentary sticks with you long after viewing it. Having been fortunate to be a former student of Mr. Forsythe, I am simply overjoyed Keith had the insight and fortitude to create a documentary about a man who is a very important to many who have met and come into contact with or even lucky enough to have had the fortune of being taught by him.

John Kreng -

Hollywood Stunt Coordinator, Fight Choreographer, Stuntman, and Actor
John Kreng ; IMDb

For those new to my Blog, I first met Charles in the summer of 2009. I had sent him a spontaneous email. At the time, I was editing The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own (Also see earlier postings in this Blog) and Charles’s daughter, Mina, was one of the fans I interviewed for documentary. Communicating with Mina, I discovered her father was an artist and had posted pictures of his latest work in Gallery 1 and Gallery 2 of his Face Book page.

One evening I decided to take a few extra moments and check out Charles’s work. I was immediately drawn to his paintings. I found them very inspiring. Over the next several months, we kept in contact. It was during this time I became more enthusiastic about Charles's work and asked if he was game about letting me make a film about him and his life with art. Skeptical, but curious, Charles eventually agreed to give me a chance.

Beginning in October, 2010, Charles and I began our journey, getting together nearly once a week. Six months later, I had completed shooting and began editing. I approached my project as if I was painting. Each time we got together, I shot a couple scenes ( what I was calling colors) and added them to my palette. After accumulating all my colors, I began blending them, of which resulted in The Flow Of Forsythe.

I hope you enjoy the documentary and both Charles and I look forward to meeting everyone who comes out for the show.

The Flow Of Forsythe is an official selection of the 2012 Frederick Film Festival (F3) and will screen again at The Weinberg Center For The Arts on Sunday, June 24, 2012, at 4:00 P.M.

 

"The Flow Of Forsythe" At Frederick Film Festival

Hello. I'd like to announce that The Flow Of Forsythe has been accepted to screen at this year's Frederick Film Festival , held June 22 - 24.

I'm really thrilled to be part of the Frederick Film Festival. Having the opportunity to screen this short documentary on the big screen is really exciting.

 If you're looking for something home spun, then drop by. Who knows?, you just might enjoy hearing about art, as told by an artist named Charles, who is definitely in the flow of Forsythe.

Don't forget to mark your calender.

Stay tune for further updates.
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Three Miles To The Exit

By the early 1990s,"Three Miles To The Exit" was a staple song I'd include in all my travel tapes for the car. I always found this song a go-to tune, as the main lyrics, "three miles to the exit", were always appropriate for my task at hand. They seemed to have a deep meaning that provided me a host of feelings that always felt correct. As one who always hears the music before the lyrics, I can't even remember what this tune is about; and it doesn't matter. And I do know it was, and is, about anything I need it to be at any given time. But more importantly, the song makes me happy. I don't know why.

"Three Miles To The Exit" is from The Skeptics'album, Snallygaster. The following video was shot for the documentary, The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own, but it was not included in full. It reveals the boys on the way to practice at their secret location in Frederick, Maryland.

So, here's the full version, and who knows, maybe those of you reading this blog entry will find something in this song and we'll meet on the exit one day...or night:

 

Get your copy of the documentary about The Skeptics, The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own, at FilmBaby.

The Way They Stare

In the beginning, The Skeptics were a four piece band. They were fresh and hungry for some action. This was the beginning of a brilliant and swift rise on the local music scene, thanks to Ol' Hole Heels (OHH), who had discovered them and became their manager. Some critics say OHH was the fifth Skeptic. As many know by now, his influence on the band was larger than the Beatle's manager, Brian Epstein, and he has been compared to recording engineer George Martin for his huge musical influence, and has become known as the fifth Skeptic.

Though I love their work as a three-piece, I feel there was something very special and dynamic about their sound as a four-piece. It was a nice alchemy. The following scene is from the documentary, The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own. In this clip, we see rare footage from a 1984 video recording that was shot by Dick Davis in a warehouse located in Frederick, Maryland. This early footage captures one of my favorite, if not favorite, songs by The Skeptics when they were a four piece band.

Get your copy of the documentary about The Skeptics, The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own, at FilmBaby.

Moon Pie

Was watching the night sky last evening. Noticed there wasn't any moon to gaze upon. Well, I couldn't see it, but that doesn't matter. Just thinking about the moon made me flash back to a time during the filming of my documentary about The Skeptics. In the following deleted scene, the boys discuss an important journey:
 Moon Pie

Get your copy of the documentary about The Skeptics, The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own, at FilmBaby.

Flowing Into Spring

For those of you who have missed my earlier posts, just another reminder that my latest short documentary, The Flow Of Forsythe, about abstract artist Charles Eugene Forsythe, is now available for download at Film Baby for only 3.99!

Spring is just around the corner. It's a time of color and change. It's a time each year when nature begins to paint . So, welcome nature's fresh palette of color by taking a few minutes to visit Charles's world in The Flow Of Forsythe.