We are go for Launch!!! We have locked in our shoot dates and are ready to shoot the teaser/trailer for The Night Watchmen. I am extremely excited about this project as we have put together a team of incredibly talented people behind the camera and in front. It is going to be fun! Just working to get to this point has been a blast. I can’t wait for the everyone to see what we create!
Ken answers the question…What should go on an actor’s resume?
Wow! We did it. We won “Best of Baltimore” for the 2013 Baltimore 48 Hour Film Project with our entry “Cordially Invited.” What a fun weekend of shooting and creating this clever little piece. This project is definitely the epitome of the collaborative art…filmmaking. We had such an incredible group of folks who participated and each person stepped up to the plate and hit a homerun. Thanks to all who participated, cast and crew.
I had the pleasure of directing this fine band of creative’s as well as shooting and finishing the edit. I knew from the start that we would create something great when we pulled our genre from the hat and it was dark comedy. I called it in the car ride on the way over. I said we would pull comedy. We did. It just turned out to be of a darker version.
I think the hardest thing we had to decide all weekend was where to shoot. My studio or Herbert Mann’s, which is right next door to mine. Once we made that decision everything started to flow and it all came together. The writers came up with a funny script and were tweaking it throughout the day. The crew moved quickly changing set ups and relighting and kept up an amazing positive attitude throughout. The cast worked in between scenes and shots rehearsing so when we were ready to shoot we got what we needed in 3 or 4 takes. It was a total team effort. Was it exhausting? Yep. But it was well worth the effort. We had done other 48 projects in the past and they were fun too. But this one was special.
A special shout out to our star, Maddie Howard, who won the Best Acting Award for her portrayal of Abbey Tuesday in “Cordially Invited.” She did an outstanding job and carried the piece. Not easy for any actor let alone one in middle school. Expect to see her at your local movie theater soon!
And kudos to our crack graphics squad who took home the Best Graphics prize! Awesome work Meg Freeburn and Chester Stacy!
Next stop- FILMAPALOOZA!!!
Here is the link one more time if you didn’t get a chance to see it at The Charles Theater!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr6ZMQlen-c
Some of the cast and crew of Cordially Invited with Baltimore director/host Rob Hatch at The Best of Baltimore at The Charles Theater!
Last week I had the opportunity to work on the Netflix series “House of Cards.” It stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. As you can see in the photo I was fortunate enough to have a principal role as Vice Chief of the Air Force. It was only a few lines but it was a really nice scene with Robin Wright. Wow!!! Is she beautiful! I kept thinking to myself the whole time, “Run Forest! Run!” and of course, “As you wish!” She is in two of my favorite films of all time and here I am working with her. It was an honor.
An honor which I really earned.
I don’t say this to be cocky. I say this because I auditioned for this show a grand total of 19 times! I guestimated that I spent over 50 hours of my life trying to get a role on this show. I can’t even tell you how much I spent in gas, tolls and time away from work/family to go to the auditions. But that is the life I have chosen. The life of an actor. Persistence is the key to success at anything you do in life. Thomas Edison was at 10,000 tries at the light bulb before he had a success. For my friends out there who heard me complain about how many times I had to audition thank you for humoring me. In the end, after all was shot and done, I walked away with another incredible life experience that makes me who I am. Hopefully I can pass on some of the things I learn to my children. Maybe even to other actors who are trying to make it and get that break. Or maybe just someone who needs a boost to hang in there long enough for good things to happen!
They will!!! If you put in the work and put forth the effort. And I would have gone back for #20 too. Just saying.
Ken
Here it is! The runner up for Best Film at the 2013 DC 48 Hour Film Project. Presented by Experience Studios and Directed by Gary Voelker. Starring Missy Temme, Josh Murray and me. What a great cast and crew to work with. This film turned out to be a great little gem! Glad I could be a part of it!
Looking forward to next week’s shoot!!! Always fun!
Ken performs another of his favorite monologues.
Phase 4 and XLrator Media have teamed up on North American rights to Jamesy Boy, starring Mary-Louise Parker, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Taissa Farmiga, and newcomer Spencer Lofranco. Trevor White directed and co-wrote the true story pic with Lane Shadgett. Lofranco plays teenager James Burns, who befriends a convicted murderer (Rhames) in prison who helps him turn his life around. The Synergics Films and Star Thrower Entertainment …read entire article here: Jamsey Boy Sold!
On the set of “Jamsey Boy.”
Ken as “Alex Berbrick.”
The 48 Hour Film Project film that I was fortunate enough to work on has been selected to screen in the 9:30pm block of The Best of for Washington, D.C. Directed by Gary Voelker from Experience Studios and crewed by Category 3 Pictures this fun short film was a blast to work on. Starring me, Missy Temme, Josh Murray, Israel Groveman, Koran Dunbar, Erkan Polat, David DePerro and Elyse Nicole Dufour this will have you laughing from the start. We pulled Western as the genre, Alex Berbrick/Inspector as the character, drumstick as the prop, and “What do you think this is?” as the line of dialogue. So if you get a chance this Thursday May 23, 2013 come down to the AFI SIlver Theater in Silver Spring and watch these amazing films all made in less than 48 hours. You will be plenty entertained by the quality and stories you will see.
Click here to purchase tickets: http://www.afi.com/silver/films/events.aspx#48hou
Ken Arnold 