Returning to Kentucky

How's everyone today?

We had a inspiring day yesterday at the screening room. Along with our professionals we invited a group of advanced actors from a class here in Hollywood to get a grass roots, fresh point of view to some of the films we were screening. To get the audience's feeling of response for judging. It was a very interesting experience to hear their comments.

As I was driving home from the studio my mind began to wander back to some wonderful days when I was that spectator and all the films I had seen. I thought about the early days of when I was helping my Uncle that opened the Kenmore Drive In and then in later years the RiverView Drive In in Carrollton, Kentucky.

I remembered the many trips to Cincinnati to book films for the theater and the excitement of projectionist booth and smell of that old carbon arc that lit the screen. I remembered the Saturday nights when they would be "Horror" night and I would lay in the coffin in front of the box office as Dracula and rise out of it occasionally when a car full of kids would pull up to the box office window. Their expressions were priceless. And, there were times I'd get a soft drink tossed on me because I'd be playing Frankenstein and wandering around the speaker bumps sneaking upon a car. I was remembering the opportunity to go in the snack stand and get a free hot dog when I wanted to and how wonderful that was. Then my mind slipped into the RiverView Drive In. My brother and I were the lifeguards during the summer there. We lived in the Drive In with our Aunt and Uncle. This was interesting because when it was built, it was built with a 3 bedroom in the tower of the Drive In. When I wasn't working the "Horror" nights and just going to bed, I could lie in bed and listen to all the dialogue. I knew more lines of movies than any of my friends. I may have only seen the movie once, but I heard it a million times.

What great moments those were. And, now as I'm approaching my dream of a great film festival in my hometown, my thoughts are relishing all those memories that were so a part of my growing up. As I sit in the viewing room I think about the times I was trying to sleep to the dialogue of Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, and all the wonderful actors of the late 40's and early 50's. I could hear the great musicals over and over again and the wonderful tap shoes of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and the voices of Doris Day and Donald O'Connor.
It makes me ponder if all that wasn't a prelude to today and being able to offer recognition for the great young film makers out there busy scratching together their money to create their dream. I have to believe it was. I'm excited that my dream and the dreams of the people around me are reaching our goals. We're almost there. it's only a few more months and we open to the red carpet of our dreams.

I'll see you there.

Update on LIFF judging...

What a day yesterday was. Sitting in the theater and looking at the latest submissions with my fellow judges. We really had a fantastic day. I'm always knocked out when I see so many incredible submissions in one day. We had some films that were excellent in story telling, casting, and locations. Of course I'd like to see all the locations in Kentucky, but we're getting there with the new law passing on the incentives. Which by the way is really good news for all of us in the film business.

One of the things I'd like to comment on is the vast array of films that are so good and being made for such small budgets. I called one of the film makers (I had to ask) and said I hoped he didn't mind if I ask a personal question? What was your budget? Now mind you, this had landscapes, car chases, and lots of people in the back ground. Camera shots that looked like it came right out of Warner's. His answer? 55,000. Yes, that's right 55,000. I'm trying to figure out how Hollywood can manage to put out some of the stuff that doesn't fill theaters and it's 100,000,000? Go figure.

We're getting close to the festival and its really getting exciting. Of course it's doubly exciting for me because I get to come home. A big highlight for me is to get off the plane and take a deep breath of that Kentucky air. It's like prepaid therapy. LOL

Okay, I'll be there at the end of the month. If you have any questions let me know. All the team is in action now preparing for the festival. More about this later.

Missing the point....

An interesting article in the Courier yesterday morning (http://tinyurl.com/msw9xm) about the Film Production Tax Credits passed recently by the KY State Legislature.

In order to grow the film industry (or any industry for that matter) in Kentucky, the state needs to be on a level playing field with other states vying for the same business. With at least 40 other states offering tax incentives for film production, the debate on whether or not to offer them should be moot. Like them or not, tax incentives are powerful motivators when it comes to shooting films, commercials and the like. Offering them does not guarantee production in Kentucky, but it does make for certain that Kentucky is in the running. What can separate Kentucky from the other states is the its ability to provide not only stunning vistas for shoots, but also its people.

Part of the reason for founding the Louisville Film Arts Institute is to provide funding (through donations from private citizens and corporations) to buttress education in the film arts and provide the training students interested in this line of work need. Tax incentives alone will not bring large productions here, but an educated workforce in conjunction with the tax incentives will. The skilled Kentuckians working on films will not be “transient” as the article implies. The will be own or be employed by local filming outfits and post production houses. When they are done working with production teams from out of state, they will more than likely be working on their own projects, or projects that homegrown filmmakers are shooting in the state.

Incentives are never enough, this is true, but incentives coupled with training and increased expertise in the field give Kentucky a fighting shot. The goal is not to only bring in out-of-state spending, but also to make certain that those Kentuckians who have a dream to follow in filmmaking can do so in their home state.

Home is where the heart is....

I don’t know exactly who said it, whether it was Mark Twain, or Happy Chandler, but Jane Beshear reminded me at one of our meetings of the saying, “I’ve never met a Kentuckian who wasn’t on their way home.” Well that’s me.

Louisville’s International Film Festival affords me many ways to pay back to my hometown for the opportunities given to me. I want to let the world know that there is a lot more to the state of Kentucky and the city of Louisville than the Kentucky Derby.

Although I left many years ago to pursue my dreams in the entertainment industry, my heart has never left Kentucky. My frequent visits with Foster Brooks and Ned Beatty to help with their various causes for children of Kentucky has brought me incredible happiness and pleasure. My dedication to Kentucky has been extended recently through my involvement with the James Graham Brown Cancer Center’s “Mint Jubilee.”

My life and my professional career are firmly rooted in acting and the entertainment industry. Although I have helped many friends’ causes in Kentucky in the past (and will continue to do so in the future), my dream and passion is to showcase Louisville and the beautiful state of Kentucky. I want to make sure that filmmakers, producers, directors, casting agents and all the people who make films are aware of the opportunities of film making in Kentucky. We’ve worked hard on the recently passed tax incentives program and with that success behind us, we need to promote Kentucky as an ideal location for filmmaking and to increase awareness among filmmakers.

I am keenly aware that tax incentives are not enough, that’s why the Louisville Film Arts Institute (parent organization to the LIFF) is actively working to open the eyes of students in the educational process to the possibility of careers in film production. The LFAI is dedicated to creating funding for scholarships in school districts for students of film and to bring equipment into the schools. It is my hope and dream that moving forward, the Festival will generate funds to support film art studies for students that may be at risk of dropping out of school. We have begun our program with the Jefferson County Public Schools and they are very excited to be involved in it.

My role as a Governor of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences affords me the opportunity to pull from a pool of experienced and talented people to assist me in this dream. There are many creative and talented people from Kentucky in Hollywood. I want to create a venue for them to return to their home state and use their talents and success to promote the film arts in the Commonwealth so that more youngsters can enjoy the success they have enjoyed.

The first annual Louisville’s International Festival of Film is the beginning of this dream. I will use this space to update anyone interested in the success, challenges, and planning of the 2009 LIFF and the LFAI in general. Also, please watch for blog posts from staff of the LIFF as we all team together to bring you up to date on the Festival and our dedication to Kentucky.