Another artist joins the team.

Another talented musician is lending a hand to the production of DER STEINFROSCH. Chris Black (aka Grandpa Black) has just released a new album. He's also agreed to allow the use some of his material for the soundtrack as well as contribute film-specific material. His new cd, 'ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY and TENNESSEE' is in my player now and deserves your listen. If you live in the Paducah area you can grab a copy at Kirchhoff's Bakery and Deli, Etcetera Coffee House or Music Zone in Lone Oak. Find out more or order a cd here..

http://www.myspace.com/grandpablack

Music for this film has been a critical point for me. I wanted unique. Something 'with a local flavor' sounds cliched but with the contributions of the artists who have agreed to be a part of this project the music echoes with the heart of this part of the country and doesn't come off like the music on a used car commercial. Music and sounds are probably more important than picture for an effective film. People can put up with lame, out-of-focus images or poorly exposed camerawork. Music and sound can, when used with taste, propel a film into the realm of unforgettable. With the help of the talented musicians I've assembled this project takes another step closer.

Stay tuned. Der Steinfrosch is bringings the jams.

A higher degree of amphibiocity....

Yeah...I know. This looks like an autopsy on a Sesame Street character. This photo was taken way before we started frog photography. Here we see the antagonist of DER STEINFROSCH getting a belly and muscle buildup. He still needs MUCH work on his hands and feet as far as webbing is concerned. He's also going to need skin, a full reshape on his head(which is still pretty cartoony)and some coloring. He's also going to get some eyes.



It was important for the eyes to look good. I used a cane toad as a model for the eyelids and tissue surrounding the eye sockets.



This little guy from a reference book was PERFECT. Yes, Virginia...the three foot Nazi devil frog was taking shape. Stay tuned.

Music in DER STEINFROSCH

I've been fortunate to work with an outstanding young musician in the WKY area by the name of Nathan Blake Lynn. Nathan, Grady Wring and I have done some videos you can find on YOUTUBE here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNHDYLp45b8

Nathan's given me permission to use some of his music for our soundtrack. He's awesome and his material is really kicking the film up a notch. His new album, WHO SAID THE WORLD'S FAIR is out and you need to pick it up. Cruise over to NathanBlakeLynn.com for more info.

photo by Grady Wring

How to field dress a three foot devil frog...

DER STEINFROSCH concerns a small town landscaper that encounters the amphibious result of a series of forgotten Nazi experiments. A unique garden ornament turns out to be the kind of pest that wants to eat more than your roses.

It took a couple of weeks to finish the creature. I studied frog skin and eyes then went WILD. No CG here.

It's all old-school, in-camera stuff. Films like JACK BROOKS, MONSTER SLAYER...SPLINTER...THE BURROWERS...ALL great and all feature live physical effects. When you shoot it right it just looks really good. Stay tuned for more pics on the FROGBLOG!

Welcome aboard!

Hi and thanks for checking out the blog. We'll be updating from time to time with news, pics and videos of the production of DER STEINFROSCH. German for "the stone frog", DER STEINFROSCH is a film currently in production in Paducah, KY. Production started in summer of 2009 and the film's coming out in 2010. I had hoped for an earlier release but I hadn't grasped the fact that my gnat's sized attention span would sort of hamper my efforts to keep track of important things like a story, some actors, the construction of some type of creature and how to capture the entire thing in such a way that if at the very least it would be something I could enjoy making and watching. Never mind where to shoot it,the audio, music for the soundtrack or a marketing strategy.

DER STEINFROSCH is a film about a forgotten WW2 Nazi project that accidentally finds its way into the garden of a small town landscaper. When the evil force is released by mistake, a battle of wills and garden implements ensues.