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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

The Movie based on my life story starts here...

Do not get behind a camera, if you are not "passionate" about what is in front of it. (Or else you are nothing more than a security guard behind some CCTV)

How you define your passion is up to you: Money, fame, success, life experience, to-change-the-world, therapy, catharsis, hobby e.t.c. Whatever...

Just DO it. If it feels right, then it is right.

Its your life, man.
Goodluck...And all the best.

PS: Remember, This is 2015, not 1915, where and when, every personal diary is written with a pen, a bottle of ink, and some leather bound book, that you lock up in the dusty box, under your bed, in the basement of your personal only-me-stays-here cottage.
 
I've seen many movies that not only do not entertain but they can cause a severe negative impact to some people.
A well done movie is an experience that can change ones life.
I like Ketch's movie to succeed with all my heart because I believe it will change peoples lives only in a positive way.

What good is to make a blockbuster if 1 or 1000 people directly or indirectly as a result of some kind of influence take a gun or something and kill? Everyone involved then has blood in his hands. Some will get rich under the pretense of an "entertaining" movie while others will cry for their dead sons/daughters/parents.

Ketch is the other way around. He is a great person. A fantastic human who out of his drama, exposes himself without hesitation only to save some kids life. What's wrong with that? In my book that's the movies that we need to see and cherish.


Lakis
3dmovies.com
 
Thanks Lakis!

That was exactly my genuine and most innocent intent and true believe at age 17 when I set out to do this...

Now, 30+ years later that story has much changed, the beginning has not, that part still hold true, and still can and hope will open minds and eyes as well as hearts of parents all over the world...

But now it actually carries so much more weight as it will show how far in one's life such abuse in a child's life can and most of the times does effect in the most negative of ways an entire life...

My story, this film, it was a story of an Abused child that set out to tell the world his inhumane situation at home, in the hope to expose and make good for themselves and others...

Now my story, this film, has the same values plus all the added messages of Perseverance, and other strong messages that have found their place in it thru the years as events have taken place and this so much more complex and strong beautiful story that has become is what I hope to achieve in telling scoring in all points, while yes entertaining, but mostly bringing this messages to the minds of the viewers...

And yes, of course this is also to put to rest a turmoil inside me that has never rested since childhood, since that day I had set out to do this...
 
Red Eight

I think that might be a possible working title too... Just a thought.
 
Ketch, an interesting read here. http://www.indiewire.com/article/fa...atures-and-hybrid-documentaries-blur-the-line

And this is worth exploring as well. http://drafthousefilms.com/film/20000-days-on-earth

Not saying this is the way you should go, but it could be interesting to blur the lines of narrative and documentary, which would actually play right into your idea of having yourself star in the movie.

The bottom line - we are all on this planet for far too little time, some less than others and to not get everything out of it that you possibly can would be unfortunate, so if making this film helps you achieve that, then I say go for it man. You'll get an opinion out of everyone you ask. Those opinions will vary wildly. Everyone will have an idea of what your film should be. Some opinions will be well thought out but fly in the face of what you want to do. That's okay. In my opinion, this has been several years in the making, and you are at a point where it's time to decide whether to go for it. I say give it your best shot and if it doesn't happen, at least you know you tried rather than wonder what if. Features are hard to make. Whether it's a small film or a $200 million dollar film, they are all hard work and require passionate people to make them. If you are willing to put in the amount of effort it takes to get a film written, produced, and distributed you'll already be further ahead than some. Success is rarely guaranteed in this business. But hard work is tangible and often leads to good things.

Best of luck Ketch!
 
Ketch, an interesting read here. http://www.indiewire.com/article/fa...atures-and-hybrid-documentaries-blur-the-line

And this is worth exploring as well. http://drafthousefilms.com/film/20000-days-on-earth

Not saying this is the way you should go, but it could be interesting to blur the lines of narrative and documentary, which would actually play right into your idea of having yourself star in the movie.

The bottom line - we are all on this planet for far too little time, some less than others and to not get everything out of it that you possibly can would be unfortunate, so if making this film helps you achieve that, then I say go for it man. You'll get an opinion out of everyone you ask. Those opinions will vary wildly. Everyone will have an idea of what your film should be. Some opinions will be well thought out but fly in the face of what you want to do. That's okay. In my opinion, this has been several years in the making, and you are at a point where it's time to decide whether to go for it. I say give it your best shot and if it doesn't happen, at least you know you tried rather than wonder what if. Features are hard to make. Whether it's a small film or a $200 million dollar film, they are all hard work and require passionate people to make them. If you are willing to put in the amount of effort it takes to get a film written, produced, and distributed you'll already be further ahead than some. Success is rarely guaranteed in this business. But hard work is tangible and often leads to good things.

Best of luck Ketch!

Beautifully written and thoughtful. Bravo, Steve!
 
Red Eight

I think that might be a possible working title too... Just a thought.

Thanks Tony, but this is not about a camera, even if the camera does and will have an important play in it.


That's where I think you're wrong. I don't like the word "toy" either. For something like this I prefer 'collectible'. Think about it... if there's only... lets say, 25 or 50 Ketch figures made then that automatically makes it a collectible, as opposed to a toy. Look at it more like a rare piece of art. You could collaborate with an artist to design the cardback, too. Maybe even have a 'red camera' accessory inside the blister with action figure-you. I think you'd be surprised, I bet people would be really receptive to it. Limited run figures are a good investment, they just go up in value. Who's to say how much a 'Ketch' figure would be worth in twenty years...? I mean, just look at the original "Star Wars" figures now. Food for thought...

Thanks again for your input Brian,

Thing is that I did understood were you are going, and you are most certainly right in to that doing it this way it could surely propose itself in a better way, but again, I strongly discount that possibility of making a figure of myself, as that would really account for Narcissism... :)

Fact is that I simply just don't see it, I am not an action figure, this is not an action movie, nor am I some one known worth buying figures of, and while my achievements in life are surely by my accounts not short of any achieved by any super hero or action hero, they do not warrant making a figure of...

But your advice is taken, and should I go the Kickstarter route, I will take it in consideration to try and create an incentive to give supporters, a special edition of something, possibly even something built by RED to give away... Just not figure of myself... :)


Ketch, an interesting read here. http://www.indiewire.com/article/fa...atures-and-hybrid-documentaries-blur-the-line

And this is worth exploring as well. http://drafthousefilms.com/film/20000-days-on-earth

Not saying this is the way you should go, but it could be interesting to blur the lines of narrative and documentary, which would actually play right into your idea of having yourself star in the movie.

The bottom line - we are all on this planet for far too little time, some less than others and to not get everything out of it that you possibly can would be unfortunate, so if making this film helps you achieve that, then I say go for it man. You'll get an opinion out of everyone you ask. Those opinions will vary wildly. Everyone will have an idea of what your film should be. Some opinions will be well thought out but fly in the face of what you want to do. That's okay. In my opinion, this has been several years in the making, and you are at a point where it's time to decide whether to go for it. I say give it your best shot and if it doesn't happen, at least you know you tried rather than wonder what if. Features are hard to make. Whether it's a small film or a $200 million dollar film, they are all hard work and require passionate people to make them. If you are willing to put in the amount of effort it takes to get a film written, produced, and distributed you'll already be further ahead than some. Success is rarely guaranteed in this business. But hard work is tangible and often leads to good things.

Best of luck Ketch!

Thanks Steve!

Your kind words of advise and support have always been great, and truly appreciated!

Thanks also for the links, while I had read other articles of similar projects this were also a very nice read, my lines of how I'll won't to tell this story are some what different, and don't incomes neither or, yet I also have no interest in making a classical Feature, not of course do I wont to just make it a Documentary, this story I am setting up in to Chapters, and not Acts, and there are Many chapters not your classical 3 Acts.

Yeah, you are right, making a Feature is extremely difficult, and very demanding, this is why I have been experimenting, playing, and simply put busting my rear making shorts and fashion films were I did most of the work in all grounds, to see how hard really can be to do so much, and evens in a Feature I would like to think to be fortunate to have lot of Professional help, the work load would be so far out greater then anything I have done this far, that all I have done, even when Producing, Directing, DP'ing and Shooting my now shorts seemed a lot of work, it will seem like nothing at all when compare to what awaits me in this Film...

But I am absolutely ready for it!

But having also learned so much, both thru my own personal experience in the projects I have done in this past years around the world, and by reading, listening, and also thru some of the great advises given here, by you fellow Reduser, I take on this project under a different state of mind, and I am not taking it lightly, for this I am coming back to LA to work hard on it's development and pre-production.

So yeah, definitely decided that is time to go for it, and this is what I am doing by coming back to LA!!
 
"Directing, DP'ing and Shooting my now shorts seemed a lot of work": you should show them if you want to build confidence and gain support. I'm just trying to point you in the right direction because a first time feature director needs to show what he is made of if he is asking for help.
 
"Directing, DP'ing and Shooting my now shorts seemed a lot of work": you should show them if you want to build confidence and gain support. I'm just trying to point you in the right direction because a first time feature director needs to show what he is made of if he is asking for help.

I agree, would be easier to garner help by showing your work....especially since you are looking for free help at the start prior to funding. BTQ Ketch, I am just assuming you never put out your original shorts/fashion films? If I missed them would be great to see a link!
 
"Directing, DP'ing and Shooting my now shorts seemed a lot of work": you should show them if you want to build confidence and gain support. I'm just trying to point you in the right direction because a first time feature director needs to show what he is made of if he is asking for help.

I agree, would be easier to garner help by showing your work....especially since you are looking for free help at the start prior to funding. BTQ Ketch, I am just assuming you never put out your original shorts/fashion films? If I missed them would be great to see a link!

Thanks guys!

I actually have been doing that for a while, and I also have put few of them out...

This was my first SOLO project, were I literally did absolutely everything, form transporting setting up gear, lighting and so on to Producing, Directing, Shooting etc. etc. A challenge I wanted to give myself exactly for the above written by you guys...

And I am now in the process to create several more, here in Italy and as soon as I get back in LA will continue there, but will take it to the next level when back in LA...

This was the result of that first solo project:


BTS:


This one done as a two man job, myself and my filmmaker friend Stefano Ceccon (Cekko DP) in Valle D'Aosta:


BTS:

 
Stoked to read that you keep on following your dreams and even more pleased to follow your adventures on Reduser.
All the best Ketch!
 
Location scouting to South Beach (Miami) Florida, were we'll recreate the accident that almost had my left leg amputated... :(

I'll also most likely end up staying in South Beach are for couple of months to shoot some Fashion Films, Bikini's and some NAB imagery with DragonM8... :)


Btw, this is were and when I also first come to find out about RED... And so an other turn in my life's Journey had just took place...


10847501_1609218385967011_4652446269923764068_o.jpg


10914993_1609218409300342_8874230157953304315_o.jpg


10926841_1609218439300339_3266004114641345011_o.jpg
 
What was the accident in south beach Miami? Different from the mugging?

Hey Gavin,

This was a Bike accident in South Beach (Miami).

The shooting took place in my house in California during armed rubbery form a Craig's list add, were the buyer I let in my house shot me and tied me up, beat me up and then taking off with gear and my SUV.
 
It is not easy to create a film about yourself. Though you seem to be confident that you have done enough of script writing and planning, as a well wisher I would suggest that you consider a few things.

Why are you telling your story? Is it to get some name/fame? Or do you think that your story will somehow help someone? Is it to get peace personally? The approach to the film will depend a lot on the reason.

How badly do you want to tell your story?

How well do you want to tell your story?

A lot will depend on these basic questions.

If you promote this film as a fiction, even though all the points will be based on your life, then people won't mind. It can still be titled Ketch Rossi or whatever. However, if you promote it as your life story, then the film going audience will ask who the hell is Ketch Rossi and why should I go to watch a film about him. These days a lot of Biopics of celebrities are being made. However, lets be clear that you are not a celebrity that people would love to know about you. If biopics of famous people are not attracting audience to the theatres then why will they go and watch your film? Producers will also ask you that question.

You seem to have many incidents in your life. Hire a good guy who can polish and bind these incidents into a tight script. The audience doesn't need to know every minute of your life, even though you may consider all those to be very important. Someone has to dispassionately tell you to drop and chop things to make the script tidy. Since it is your life story, you simply can't do it.

Why do you want to act in a film about yourself? Since you are not a trained actor, one can assume that another actor can act as Ketch Rossi and connect with the audience better that you. So do you still want to act? Successful actors do get lot of acclaim. Are you interested in acting to get acclaim? Do you want to be famous? I know of people with narcissistic tendencies who personally want to act in all their films. If I were you, I would hire a trained actor(s).

Are you also directing, shooting and doing other jobs? It is better to select the right people for the right jobs and get assistants for yourself. Since it is your film, you would be involved in too many stuff and things can go wrong.

You can always say that it is your film and you want to do the way you feel like. No issues with that kind of thought process. However, remember that often life gives us one chance and we need to do it right. Film is another medium of story telling. Audience doesn't know who is Ketch and they don't care. All they want is a good story, good acting, direction, screen play etc etc ie. in short a good film. Do a great job and achieve your dream.

Best wishes,
Sabyasachi
 
It is not easy to create a film about yourself. Though you seem to be confident that you have done enough of script writing and planning, as a well wisher I would suggest that you consider a few things.

Why are you telling your story? Is it to get some name/fame? Or do you think that your story will somehow help someone? Is it to get peace personally? The approach to the film will depend a lot on the reason.

How badly do you want to tell your story?

How well do you want to tell your story?

A lot will depend on these basic questions.

If you promote this film as a fiction, even though all the points will be based on your life, then people won't mind. It can still be titled Ketch Rossi or whatever. However, if you promote it as your life story, then the film going audience will ask who the hell is Ketch Rossi and why should I go to watch a film about him. These days a lot of Biopics of celebrities are being made. However, lets be clear that you are not a celebrity that people would love to know about you. If biopics of famous people are not attracting audience to the theatres then why will they go and watch your film? Producers will also ask you that question.

You seem to have many incidents in your life. Hire a good guy who can polish and bind these incidents into a tight script. The audience doesn't need to know every minute of your life, even though you may consider all those to be very important. Someone has to dispassionately tell you to drop and chop things to make the script tidy. Since it is your life story, you simply can't do it.

Why do you want to act in a film about yourself? Since you are not a trained actor, one can assume that another actor can act as Ketch Rossi and connect with the audience better that you. So do you still want to act? Successful actors do get lot of acclaim. Are you interested in acting to get acclaim? Do you want to be famous? I know of people with narcissistic tendencies who personally want to act in all their films. If I were you, I would hire a trained actor(s).

Are you also directing, shooting and doing other jobs? It is better to select the right people for the right jobs and get assistants for yourself. Since it is your film, you would be involved in too many stuff and things can go wrong.

You can always say that it is your film and you want to do the way you feel like. No issues with that kind of thought process. However, remember that often life gives us one chance and we need to do it right. Film is another medium of story telling. Audience doesn't know who is Ketch and they don't care. All they want is a good story, good acting, direction, screen play etc etc ie. in short a good film. Do a great job and achieve your dream.

Best wishes,
Sabyasachi

Thanks Sabyasachi!

First, thanks for the suggestions and well posed questions...

Let me try and answer as best as I can right now...

You are right, when saying that it is not easy to create a film about oneself... It is a process that has taken me over 30 years... And still going...

But yes, I have gone thru enough re-writes and experience on this process thru the years that I have the confidence now to take it to were it needs to go.

I am telling this story for several reasons...

One been that it is a Dream I had pursued since childhood and this dreams needs to come true and I will make it so for the following reasons:

It is to make good on a promise made the moment this Journey started.
It is to tell a story than needs telling, because I do need a piece of mind.
It is a story that will help others, and this I am certain of.
It is to become and legitimize what I wanted to be my all life.
It is also to get fame, and money, so that my name can gain weight and allow me to do what I care to do in this world, via my Films and my actions thru my Non Profit Organization.

It is for so many reason there are too many to list really, but the above mentioned do tell enough of the reasoning... Even so each has a really much longer answer to it... But ultimately only when the film will be released and seen will it really make sense.

The film will be promoted as "Based on a True Story" and it will be filmed respecting both locations, characters and real life events as close as possible.

The title been "KetchRossi" has nothing to do in my strong opinion in been only possible to be used as real name, only when telling the story of some one famous, in fact it could act in favor were people will inquire as to who is this "Ketch Rossi" and work favorably for the marketing, but not done because of it.

At the end of the day the working title has bene for years "Perseverance" and it is just that as of now, a working title, it could change depending on final agreement for distribution, or it might not.

Once the Script re-writing is done, there will be most certainly other professional Writers and Script Doctors brought in to assist in creating the final Script.

I want to act in because it is what I wanted to do my all life, and even so I ma no loner 20 I still have this passion and dream, so at this time I don't see giving this up, call me narcissist to whatever might fit the scenario of my attitude but I see it very differently... Yet here too, I am still leaving my options open as to the possibility to allow some one else to enterprise myself... But absolutely NOT before I give it a good try myself.

I am Directing, this is a position that it will NOT be given to any one else, BUT I will be sure to hire the best Assistant Director our Budget will allow, I also be ONE of the Producers, next to several others which will assist in to make sure the project will get the best possible chance to be as good as it can be and make sure that fewer things as possible will go wrong.

This will be a a Movie, and will have a full Professional Crew, supported by a decent budget which will also allow for a good Cast, I want' make it till it can be so.
 
With the success of Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken", copycat Hollywood might be about as receptive to your piece as they will ever be. Triumph over obstacles is one of the most compelling stories we humans tell each other. Suggest you shop a log line that emphasizes the main character's strength of will.

I know you don't follow sports Ketch, but there has been a lot of press the last 6 months about domestic violence issues amongst players in the NFL (American) football league. Suggest you note the topical interest in the issue when pitching the story - maybe some development exec will latch onto that angle to champion the project…

Cheers - #19
 
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