The Angry Filmmaker
Hollywood mainstay Kelley Baker brings unique moviemaking perspective to Strand

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Wednesday, April 01, 2009
The audience will experience the energy of an impassioned moviemaker when Kelley Baker takes the stage of the Strand Theatre, 215 S. Harrison St. Dubbed “the angry filmmaker” by a friend, Baker will present a lecture and workshop on “Making the Extremely No Budget Film” at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Last September, Joey Gaudin, owner of Smashed Productions and co-owner of Monogram Releasing, met Baker in the parking lot of the HistoricArtcraft Theatre, in Franklin, during the B Movie Celebration film festival.

“Kelley is well known in Hollywood circles,” Gaudin said. “I attended one of his seminars last September, and he is really entertaining. Even someone who is mildly interested in how movies get made will enjoy this presentation.”

Gaudin booked Baker at the Strand because he is always looking for ways to bring new people to the venue. In an effort to bring young people to the historic theater, Gaudin sent invitations to local high schools and central Indiana universities. Baker often speaks at college campuses, but the Strand appearance is Baker’s only scheduled Indiana stop on his current tour.

Baker has lectured in a wide variety of venues, but he prefers intimate theaters in small towns to large halls in big cities.

“Most filmmakers ignore small towns, but that’s ridiculous,” Baker said. “I enjoy talking to people and hanging out with people who share my passion.”

Besides making new friends, Baker loves lecturing at smaller venues because small venues tend to bring more questions.

“The more questions, the better,” Baker said. “I enjoy answering questions. I enjoy teaching people stuff.”

During his three-hour workshop, Baker will show parts of independent movies that he has made and clips of popular films that he has worked on. Sound is one of Baker’s specialties.

“I’ll show how sound can help in some films,” Baker said.

Baker has written and directed three full-length features, “Birddog,” “The Gas Cafe” and “Kicking Bird.” He was the sound designer on six of Gus Van Sant’s feature films including, “My Own Private Idaho,” “Good Will Hunting” and “Finding Forrester.” Baker designed the sound on Todd Haynes’ feature film, “Far From Heaven,” starring Dennis Quaid and Julianne Moore. He was an editor and sound designer for Will Vinton’s “The Adventures of Mark Twain” and for four “Claymation” specials on CBS. He also wrote and directed eight short films that have aired on PBS, The Learning Channel, and Canadian and Australian television.

For more information about Baker, visit www.angryfilmmaker.com.

At the movies
The Strand prepares for return of motion pictures

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Watching movies in your own living room couldn’t be better than attending all or part of this weekend’s free three-day film festival at the Strand Theatre, 215 S. Harrison St.

The event starts at 7 p.m. on Friday with “The Searchers,” a G-rated classic John Wayne film from 1956, followed by “The Chopping Mall,” rated R, a 1986 sci-fi/horror cult favorite, at 9:30 p.m.

On Saturday, four movies will be shown, starting with “McLintock,” rated R, another John Wayne western, at 1 p.m. “They Call Me Trinity,” rated R, another western, rounds out the afternoon at 3:15 p.m.

Saturday evening brings two zombie pictures to the Strand – “Night of the Comet,” rated PG-13, a campy ’80s flick, at 7 p.m., and “Night of the Living Dead,” 1968, rated R, a horror genre groundbreaker, at 9:30 p.m.

Of course, no Shelby County film fest would be complete without a “Ma and Pa Kettle” movie. At 1:30 p.m., on Sunday, the Strand will show “The Further Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle,” rated G, starring Percy Kilbride and Marjorie Main, who was known as Mary Tomlinson when she grew up in northwestern Shelby County. The family fare continues at 3:15 p.m. with the original live-action version of “The Jungle Book,” rated G, from 1942.

The free-movie weekend was arranged and organized by Joey Gaudin, owner of Smashed Productions and co-owner of Monogram Releasing, a movie production and distribution company.

It’s no accident that the entertainment extravaganza features three westerns.

“Westerns are always popular,” Gaudin said.

This weekend’s event gives locals a free taste of what’s sure to be a huge audience-grabber for the Strand – and it will provide an opportunity for projectionists to correct any problems that might arise.

“It’s been a long time since a movie was projected from the top of the balcony,” Gaudin said. “We know there will be bugs.”

At the inaugural event, the Strand will start selling annual memberships to the Strand’s “movie club” for $10 each. Club members are entitled to a dollar discount on every film they attend. Members will receive e-mails on upcoming shows and invitations to exclusive members-only screenings.

Starting May 1, the Strand will start its regular film schedule. Movies will be shown at 7 p.m., every Wednesday; at 1:30 p.m. every Sunday; and at 7 p.m. on the first and third Fridays.

“Eventually, we will probably add a second showing to Friday nights,” Gaudin said.

Since the Strand is more than just a movie house, the movie schedule allows live music on Saturday nights and other events on other days.

Gaudin, a fervid film buff, knows which classics that he would like to see on the big screen at the Strand, but he doesn’t pretend to comprehend the collective tastes of the community. Adopting a novel approach to scheduling local entertainment, Gaudin will solicit the opinions of the community’s moviegoers. Knowing that one person’s “Planet 9 from Outer Space” could be another person’s “Gone with the Wind,” Gaudin promises not to narrow his scope of movie offerings to one genre.

“We’re going to be really unique,” Gaudin said. “A lot of movie theaters like the Strand only show classics.”

Gaudin will stretch the envelope of perceived mainstream movie fare by showing documentaries, world premieres of little-known independent films and the occasional sci-fi or horror movie.

Although the inaugural film fest is free, admission to future showings will cost $5. Children ages 11 and under and seniors ages 65 and older will be able to attend movies for $4.

On Sept. 25, 26 and 27, the Indy Film Co-op will bring the 3rd annual B-Movie Celebration to Shelbyville. Events will include seminars, celebrities, live music and movies shown at the Strand, Studio 10 and a undetermined outdoor location. More details will be announced later.

Fed poets’ propriety
‘Lock Up the Thesaurus Indiana Poetry Tour 2009’ comes to the Strand

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Experience a roller coaster ride of thoughts and emotions when the Reservoir Dogwoods bring their “Lock Up the Thesaurus Indiana Poetry Tour 2009″ to The Strand Theatre, 125 S. Harrison St. on April 1, at 7 p.m.

Sponsored by Three Sisters Books & Gifts, the event celebrates National Poetry Month. Unlike the store’s two previous readings at the Strand, which featured local poets, this event showcases a group of four Hoosier poets – Joseph Kerschbaum, Tony Brewer, Jason Ammerman and Matthew Jackson – who are touring Indiana with a unique dramatic style.

Stops include Evansville, Greenwood, Bloomington, Terre Haute, New Albany, Columbus and Nashville.

When scheduling the tour, Kerschbaum – a 1995 Shelbyville High School graduate – couldn’t resist booking a stop in his former hometown. For Kerschbaum, performing onstage will have special meaning. As a teen, he worked in the Strand building, when it was known as Cinema 3, as usher, ticket taker, janitor and projection assistant.

For Kerschbaum, writing poetry is nearly synonymous with eating, sleeping and breathing.

“Any more, writing poetry is not a hobby, or even a passion; it’s a compulsion,” he said.” I see poems in everything. I especially like bringing poetry shows to Shelbyville because when I was there in high school, no one did that sort of thing, and I would have loved it.”

The audience will experience a rare and special treat.

“We’re going to be all over the map during our show,” Kerschbaum said. “This is a new kind of poetry. Tons of energy. We bring excitement to the stage, while also presenting thought-provoking poetry.”

Although tongue in cheek, the group’s name does have a Hoosier connotation.

“We wanted to get across this mob feeling,” Kerschbaum said, “but we’re poets, so we’re not scary at all. The dogwoods will bloom throughout the state during our tour – and there are tons of reservoirs in Indiana.”

Although uncommon, forming a group of touring poets made perfect sense to the four Hoosier wordsmiths.

“All four of us are established in our communities, and we’ve hosted each other many times over the years,” Brewer said. “I don’t think a group like ours has ever toured Indiana specifically, and we thought it would make for a unique event.”

Ammerman echoed brewer’s sentiments.

“Each one of us brings a unique sound to the fold that compliments the other three,” he said. ‘I have known these gentleman for a long time, and I can vouch that they will bring the bacon to a show.”

Jackson enjoys the unique communicative properties of poetry.

“Poetry is my art of choice because it allows you to say the unsayable,” Jackson said. “If done correctly, you can evoke emotions of your audience without ever telling them what you’re talking about. The reader/listener forms their conclusions and makes the work their own. That is awesome.”

After the 70-minute performance, local poets will be invited to read one or two pieces of their own works. For more information about the Reservoir Redwoods, visit www.indianapoetrytour.com.

Coming attractions
Strand marks its first year and looks to the future

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Thanks to countless volunteers, supporters and performers, the renovated Strand Theatre, 215 S. Harrison St., hosted 59 performances in 2008 with a total attendance of 7,646.

SC Reads events fill February
Scheduled guest lecturer lived in internment camps

Lisa Jacques
Staff writer

Monday, January 26, 2009

Shelby County Reads has released a calendar of events for its sixth season – the 2009 season. Month-long activities include a lecture, film screenings and Japanese crafts classes. All events are free, open to the public and do not require reservations.

The lecture relates to "Snow Falling on Cedars," a mystery set on an island near Puget Sound, Wash., in 1954 that is settled by Japanese American citizens.

Shelby Arts Council celebrates the arts with special events

B.J. Fairchild-Newman
Staff Writer

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

For local arts enthusiasts who also like to recognize the official day of love by celebrating Valentine’s Day, the Shelby Arts Council is sponsoring a dinner dance on Feb. 14 at the Strand Theatre called For the Love of Arts.

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Friday, December 19, 2008

Thanks to the efforts of Adam Cranfill, locals can escape from the holiday hustle and bustle by listening to soft rock and easy-listening "dinner music" at The Strand Theatre on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds will go to the Ryan Fischer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that will help other leukemia patients.

The doors open at 7 p.m., and admission is $5. Performers include Michele Cole, Wes Leeper, Trent Sturgill, Nick Coulston and Cranfill.

A junior at University of Indianapolis, Cranfill is pursuing a major in marketing with a minor in supply chain management. The benefit concert was a class project on a nonprofit endeavor, and Cranfill received an "A" for his research, plan and analysis. Some of Cranfill’s classmates organized food drives for the needy, but Cranfill was the only one to organize a concert.

"My goal is to raise $1,000," Cranfill said.

Cranfill never met the late Ryan Fischer, who died of cancer at age 23 on Aug. 25 – but Cranfill he was familiar with Fischer’s battle with leukemia. Both lived in Waldron, and both graduated from Waldron High School (Fischer in 2003, and Cranfill in 2006). Originally, Cranfill wanted to help Fischer’s family with expenses, but the family wants all donations to go to other leukemia patients in Fischer’s name.

Shelbyville vocalist Cole looks forward to performing again onstage at the Strand. Cole, a 1983 Shelbyville High School graduate, sang there for the first time during the "ShelbyIdol" talent competition in August. For the benefit, Cole will sing several easy-listening selections – including "At Seventeen," "Autumn Leaves" and "Summertime."

"The Strand has a neat atmosphere," Cole said. "We’ll be performing several old classics."

The Strand board of directors donated use of the theater to the benefit organizers to help raise funds and reduce costs.

"This will make the fourth time in our short history that the Strand has given back," David M. Finkel, director of the Strand Theatre of Shelbyville Inc. executive board, said. "So far, we have helped raise over $4,000 for others and collected more than 200 pounds of food that we donated to Human Services. We are very proud that we are helping to give back to our community."

After the concert, attendees are invited to watch The Flying Toasters perform at Occasions at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, with $3 going to the Strand Renovation Fund.

NEWS staff report

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Occasions Banquet Hall, 415 E. Hendricks St., will hold its second dance featuring the Flying Toasters at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday as a fundraiser for the Strand Theatre. Martin Zinser, owner of Occasions, said that the first fundraiser on Nov. 22 was well attended, and he expects another big crowd for Saturday night.

Tickets are $10, and $3 from each ticket is donated to the Strand to help with renovations to the former cinema.

Tables for 10 are available for $150, and this includes hors d’oeuvres for the entire table. Tickets are available at Occasions, or customers may call (317) 421-0820 for reservations. Only cash and checks will be accepted. Occasions is a nonsmoking venue.