Charleston filmmaker Greg Harpold, the lead filmmaker for Jaguar Educational, told me that he recently visited his former colleague at Cambridge Educational, Matt Clark, who is now the cinematographer for the multi-award winning TV series, “30 Rock.” Tina Fey, the star of the series, has gotten max exposure on “Saturday Night Live” playing Sarah Palin.  Clark left WV for NYU Film School after working with Harpold on several award-winning documentaries. Checking out the IMDB, you can see that Matt has worked on lots of productions including John Sayles’ latest, “Honeydripper.” Congrats Matt - we look forward to seeing your show one of these days! (more…)

Sam Holdren, who lives in South Charleston now, and has been active in the WV Filmmakers Festival, winning awards for two of his films, “Play” and “Audition,” has won several awards in Iowa. He showed “Play,”Audition and his new film, “Paradigm Shift,” at the 2008 WV Intl. Film Festival this last week. Congrats Sam! Here is his press release about his win in Iowa.

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This poster has much more excitement than the entire 100 minute film it represents, filmed in black & white

The Comic Book Lady is a new WV-filmed indie feature that was shown this morning at the 2008 WVIFF. I got up early on Saturday morning to see it at 10 AM, expecting an exciting new docu-drama about one of the few people in WV who have spent a career promoting graphic novels and comic books. Instead, I saw the “Anti-Comic Book Lady,” the tale of a poor soul who was living the total opposite life from not only the comics she sold, but the lives of the people who purchased the comic books. She seems to have virtually no interest in the collector comics she sells, or anything else.

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I was looking for my name on the plaque in the lobby of the WVSU Capitol Center one day - and there it was - THE FIRST ONE! As the co-founder of the official state film festival, The West Virginia International Film Festival, and the first programmer, I am proud to have my name listed first. (more…)

John Sayles came to West Virginia in 1983 to start making his long-planned film on “The Matewan Massacre.” The film that was finally finished and released in 1987 is probably the most important cultural event in the history of the state. Thankfully, in fall 2008, Rebecca Bailey’s Ph.D. thesis, “Matewan Before the Massacre” has been published for all to read. (more…)

Hechler in late October 2008

Ken Hechler is a very busy person these days. Just as he said in his biographical film, “Ken Hechler - In Pursuit of Justice,” “I like to do many things including write and teach.” He will be flying to Minneapolis, Missouri and Washington, DC in the next two months. He was also interviewed recently for a NPR story to be broadcast on MLK Day, January 19th, connecting MLK and environmentalism. (more…)

Donn Rogosin spent 6 years in WV, from 1986-92,  serving as general manager of Beckley Public TV, WSWP, when WVPBS was less “integrated.” He walked into my office on the 4th floor of the WV Cultural Center, saying, “Steve, I heard everything good in WV comes out of your office….” I replied, “Well, there is the Greenbrier!” This marked the beginning of my friendship with the most creative, friendly, positive person I have ever known in the world of Public Broadcasting. I recently tracked him down, and I thought now would be a good time to recall some of the many things he did during his decade in West Virginia.

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Terry Lively and the Shaffers presented the world premiere of their film, “Coondog Heaven,” on Saturday, October 8th at the South Charleston Museum to an appreciative crowd of dog lovers. About 40 people not only attended the event, but donated $ 176 to the Kanawha/Charleston Animal Shelter plus a Jeep full of items to be used at the Shelter. It was a night to remember.

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The WV Music Hall of Fame mobile display. It will tour WV counties in the future in cooperation with the WV Department of Education and the Arts

The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame under the guidance of Michael Lipton held its second induction ceremony last night at the WV Cultural Center. He also unveiled his traveling exhibit mobile which was parked outside the Cultural Center. As an advisor to the WVMHF, I searched the web for clips of films about this year’s inductees, not finding any complete films except the one I am very familiar with, Susan Burt & Doug Chadwick’s “True Facts…in a Country Song” about the Lilly Brothers.

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