Welcome to Riptide

I finally decided to update my website. It's more or less the same with a little more "niftyness". You'll find an updated Portfolio, including demo reels and photographic examples, as well as a page dedicated to film projects I've been working on and will be working on in the future. I should have all of that up soon. Th--Tha--That's all folks.

"Kings Down" has been accepted into the Haydenfilms Online Film festival, one of the world's largest online festivals. Go to www.haydenfilms.com to view it and the other 50+ films and vote on them. I will be adding a "Films" section which will detail current projects. If you have any feedback about the layout of the site please let me know. I will also be adding a demo reel to the portfolio section as well as teasers for work that is current. The only other news is that in the next 2 months "Several Ways to Die Trying" will be available for purchase on Amazon.com! We created a new DVD with "bonus" features. You'll have to get it to find out what they are. It's got a cool case which I will put up soon in the "Films" section.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of "Kings Down". Over 250 people came out to support our film. The event was even covered by The Morning Call. Read the article here. With the money we were able to make from the event we will now begin submitting "Kings Down" to film festivals. We encourage anyone who took pictures at the event to e-mail us and let us know because we want to have as many memories of the event as possible. Thank you everyone for your support!

Holy lack of updates Batman! "Kings Down" is now complete. View the new release poster here. The film is going to premiere at the Rave Motion Pictures Promenade 16. The date is still being finalized but it will be either the 28th or the 29th of March at 8pm. I will post directions to the theatre soon as once the date and time is confirmed. This is going to be a big event. Copies of the film will be available on DVD. Before the screening of "Kings Down" we will be showcasing trailers from other student and independent filmmakers who will also be selling merchandise after the show. "Kings Down" will also be playing at the DeSales University Film Festival March 29th through the 31st. The festival showcases work from the Film and Television program. Come out and show your support for filmmaking.

The lack of updates has been due mostly to the intense work that we have been putting into "Kings Down". We will be wrapping the shooting of the film this coming weekend. The final cut of the teaser trailer for the short is now up on the "Kings Down" webpage. Click the link and go watch it. That's an order. A DeSales University news package film as well as a video montage of the production work will also be going up shortly. We spent more time than we thought working on the "Kings Down" but it's all been for the better. We are looking to have a review first cut done by Christmas and the final cut done upon our return to DeSales around the 16th of January. As the date gets closer we will decide on an official "release date". Which really means when we plan on showing it to all our friends and family before we send it off to the film festivals. We're really proud of everyone's work and can't wait to see this "Kings Down" in its completed form.

This past weekend Phil Tartaglione and myself shot a DVD for a classic rock cover band Railroad Salvage (see image above). As I cut together the songs I will host them online. We also shot our first few scenes for "Kings Down". Everything went really well and we're all happy with the dailies. This coming weekend will be one of our biggest shooting days. We will have a fire truck on hand to spray down the roads, a permit to shoot on the streets of Allentown and even a police cruiser complete with officer for the evening. I'll post images from it as well as a 2nd video journal.

"Kings Down" is now fully cast and we will begin shooting soon. Click on the link for more information. Also this past weekend was the 3rd Annual 24 Hour Freshman Film Festival. The introductory video that we shot can be viewed here. Enjoy.

Hey all the latest news on "The Dead Have Risen" is in. It was accepted to the Philly Terror Film Festival! The Film will premiere October 17th. Please visit them at www.terrorfilmfestival.net or click on the image above to be re-directed. Also the "Kings Down" webpage has been updated and now includes many more pre-production photo's from our last location scouting. Enjoy.

I added a new dedicated webpage for our new short film "Kings Down" visit it and check out the pre-production photos as we add them. I will be keeping the Kings Down side-site updated as often as I can with news, cast/crew updates and information as well as images from the production itself. As we do the previs for scenes, you will see it on the site. Follow our progress. There is also a link for the script itself for those attending the casting call on September 21st. (click the image above to visit the site)

The latest news? Well we're putting allot on the table. I'm banging out the final editing for the short film "Cogs" as we speak and hopefully that will be done in the next two weeks. In addition to that the same crew will be shooting a much darker and rougher short film entitled "Kings Down" (more on that later) as well as a television "dramedy" to air on DeSales University Television. Myself and a group of other film majors will also be producing and creating a commercial/recruiting video for the DeSales Performing Arts program.

"The Dead Have Risen" is here! We just finished the first screenable version of the film. We are encouraging as many people as we can to check it out and give us feedback as its still being finalized over the next week. I've compressed the movie and uploaded it to the site and for 2 days anyone can download the film and review it. The file is large (around 280MBs) so please be patient in downloading.Here's the link. Remember to right click the link and hit "save as" you will need the latest version of quicktime to view it. It's free and its available on www.apple.com. Please send all feedback to Mitch Csanadi at mtcsan@aol.com.

The lack of updates is due largely to the amount of work that has been getting done in the past month. I have been working the special effects for "The Dead Have Risen" which will be finished for a pre-screener version by July 17th. That means that it will be a working cut of the film, close to the final version. The difference is that we will be showing the pre-screener to as many of our friends as we possibly can to get as much feedback as possible. Then we go back and change and re-edit a few things based on the feedback we receive. Hopefully everyone will like it and I won't have to do too many re-edits. ;) As soon as that is completed Matt Sienzant and I will be diving full speed into "Cogs" we hope to have the cut together relatively fast. If you or anyone you know is interested in getting into the independent film arena please send me an e-mail. The biggest thing we need right now is funding. After last summers successful "Several Ways to Die Trying" (now registered on IMDb.com) we are trying to raise funding for Filmkid's next feature endeavor "Man vs. Self". Look for another update soon and a possible new trailer for "The Dead Have Risen". Maybe if I get the OK I'll encode the screener and upload it for a limited time on the website. We'll see.

Well summer break is here and that means it's time to get busy! Above is a screen capture from Mike Dean's short film "Cogs" which is now in post production. I just added the teaser to the recently added section (click on the quicktime link to view it). I should be editing the full short together soon when I have down time from other projects. When it’s done I will upload it to the webpage for feed back. We're looking for some original music for the short so if you have any please let me know. Also Matt Sienzant will begin sound effects work on "The Dead Have Risen" which I just completed the first rough cut of. When he is done Adam Clymer will be lending his musical expertise and scoring the flick. On top of all this I will be working on a PBS project dealing with job opportunities in the Lehigh Valley. Also "Several Ways to Die Trying" was accepted into the New York Cinema Market in NYC. The film will be one of 13 films shown in front of producers, distributors and investors. We will have a chance to pitch and seek a budget for this summer’s feature film “Man vs. Self” which I will talk about later. Glen Tickle just finished the script for the film and we are aiming to shoot it this summer pending we receive funding and a budget for the film. There’s a lot going on and this is looking to be a promising summer. I'm overhauling the website again and trying to keep the portfolio section up to speed because it has fallen very far behind. Please check back frequently and let me know what you think of the work you see, whether you like it or you hate it, or if you have any projects that you would like done; anywhere from editing to shooting to production. As the time comes nearer for the Cinema Market (June 7th – June 9th) I will post ticket availability as I’m not quite sure yet if it is open to the public.

I just completed the first rough cut of "The Dead Have Risen" which clocks in at about 30 minutes in length, now its time for special effects and sound work. Also I encoded another directing project which you can now watch here. Check back soon for a more detailed update.

I just added a directing project with Mike Dean, Patti DeMatteo and our crowd favorite Matthew Sienzant. Enjoy it and check out the bloopers at the end. Note to self, use more gaff tape when taping Neutral Density Gels to the window of a car that will be moving. Check it out here. Also the first Official Teaser Trailer for "The Dead Have Risen" is now on the site to view. Give me as much feedback as you can. I've only edited the first 5 minutes of the film so far and it really does look great so far. I can't wait to see it completed. Enjoy, and be scared!

4.20.06

Production for the short film "Cogs" is in full swing and post production for "The Dead Have Risen" has started (I'm editing it). I'm bogged down in allot of work, but expect the trailer soon. Other than that "Grim Mary" is now up on the site for watching (view here) as well as a new directing project centered on suspense. It features music from Bush and some fine acting. (view in the "Recently Added" section of the updates bar to the right). Check back soon.

You're looking at a screen-capture from "The Dead Have Risen" the short zombie film we shot this weekend. We even had coverage on the 10 o'clock news on Channel 69 (Click here to see the transcript and link for the actual news clip) Shooting lasted from mid-evening (5pm) to the early hours of the morning (5am) or longer (Saturday's shoot lasted from 8pm until noon on Sunday!) We had over 30 extras as zombies, a professional make-up effects artist and most importantly gallons of Paramount fake blood! I will be cutting together a short teaser for the film this week and I hope to have a rough cut of the full short film together in less than 4 weeks. In the next few days I will also be adding a section with production photography from the shoot. Thanks to everyone who worked on the shoot and to everyone who let me be a part of it, what a weekend. Also "Grim Mary" is finally up on the site for your viewing pleasure.

Watch Alex Csedrik save the day and kick the crap out of Matt for picking on a beautiful young woman in our latest short "Hero" by clicking the link on the right sidebar. It stars Alex Csedrik, Laura Moles and Matthew Sienzant. And let it be said that Laura also dishes it out well, maybe too well. Also this weekend we'll be shooting "The Dead Have Risen". Look for a teaser and production photos to be up late next week.

Here's the latest: I have begun pre-production work on Mitch Csanadi's "The Dead Have Risen", a full out zombie movie. We're pulling out all the stops for this film. Many very professional people will be working on it. We need LOTS of extras i.e. 100's of stand-ins. If you would like to be a extra (this means wearing full zombie make up done by a professional makeup/effects artists out of Philly) send me an e-mail. As the time gets closer I will make a page about the film complete with Production Stills and Effects Renders. Other than that I have been busy. This past Wednesday I shot a segment to be aired on the Travel Channel with Matt Sienzant and Chuck Gloman. Also I've added two more videos to the site that have just been completed. The first is "Mr. Sandman" in which a girl wakes up to unknown surroundings and, conveniently, a creepy guy is following her. The second is a Public Service Announcement for the local Animals in Distress non-profit organization that takes in unwanted pets and cares for them as well as provide rehabilitation.

On April 7th -9th I'll be on "The Dead Have Risen", a good old fashioned zombie flick directed and written by Mitch Csanadi, with cinematography by Matt Naughton and sound design by Matt Sienzant. The film will also have two professional makeup/effects guys from Philly. It should be amazing we'll be shooting from 9pm until 5am all three days. I plan on making a page for the production of the short. I'll update it with pictures from the shoot itself, and renders of the rough visual effects I'll be trying to create for the film. (here's a rough pre-vis for the jet flyby which that the script calls for starring the stunning Loic DeLame) We're still looking for more PA's and some lighting assistance so get in touch with Mitch or myself if you want to be part of it. We're going all out on this one.

The latest added video is a third directing project. The project is for a 30 second TV commercial. We had my friend Jon Kensy help us out with the car. Click here to view the commercial.

Not too much to update on. The final cut of "Grim Mary" is almost done, I'm just having difficulties finding the right music for it. The second rough cut of it can be viewed here. Also Matt and I did some location scouting and did a test shoot for Mike Dean's short "Cogs". The test footage was used along with storyboards I drew in our directing class. They are composited together in the second section of the video here. Pay close attention to the musical choices. Enjoy.

This past Sunday Glen came to visit and we shot his short "Grim Mary". I just finished the rough cut of the short at its weighing in around 6 minutes in length. It will be completed by the end of the week, look for it to be added to the portfolio section as well as the news section. The short stars Gabi West as "Mary" (Cigarette Break), Rocco Stefani as "Bob" (Several Ways to Die Trying) and Glen himself as "Jeremy". So look forward to watching him look like a tool.

In the next two weeks we'll be shooting "Grim Mary". It's written by Glen Tickle and is about a girl who's temping as the Grim Reaper, but who doesn't have the heart to kill anyone. Also I was in Philadelphia this past Monday helping out on a live performance shoot and documentary for Punkrockvids.com. I'll be helping out with the editing of the various performances. More on that as it comes. Also I've added a photography section under "Portfolio" which itself is revamped.

The site has a new look and a new layout. Also, we finally encoded "The Method" (a short film written by Alex Csedrik). The short is a mockumentary about the world's self-proclaimed "best actor". Alex Csedrik plays "Pablo James", Vincent Coglianese plays "Director Kip Springfield" and Danielle Nahass plays Pablo's girlfriend "Cathy Miller". Matthew Sienzant did the sound recording and editing. I served as Director/Producer, DP and Editor. The short is around 7 minutes. Check it out, the link is over on the right under the "Several Ways to Die Trying" trailers. Leave us some feedback.

"Several Ways to Die Trying" is doing well as we are awaiting to hear back from many film festivals. The thing is many won't be getting back to us until March. So. For now we wait eagerly. BUT! I don't know if you heard but turns out Apple has been making these things called "iPods" and unless you've been living under a rock (no offense to any living-under-rocks-people) you know that they can play videos if they are properly encoded. Just so happens that I made a nice little "Die Trying" trailer that's iPod friendly. Just download it, and "drop it" on your iPod icon in iTunes. Ta-Daah! Now you can watch the trailer for our movie on your iPod. And lets face it, you know you want some video on your iPod just because you can, so why not make it the "Die Trying" trailer?

iPod Trailer
(right click, save as then "drag and drop" onto your iPod within iTunes)

You should also go check out www.filmkid.com and look at the behind the scenes pictures of us doing some ADR and other editing. As well as the original trailer, teaser and DVD's.

>>Demonstration Car Video coming soon<<
Project to be completed for www.blowneuroz.com

11.20.05

Holy rusted film festival Batman! Thank you so much to everyone who came to the festival in Cape May we had an amazing time and we are so happy that you enjoyed the movie. It means so much to all of us. We are still entering more and more festivals and keep watching www.filmkid.com for all of the real action and updates. What a great weekend. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

11.7.05

We recently found out the times for the "Several Ways to Die Trying" premiere. The official premiere of the film will be at 7:30 PM at the Cape May NJ State Film Festival. Tickets are $10.00 a person. There will be an encore showing of the film after the first screening. More importantly, I just finished the new trailer for the film. Check the new trailer out here. The old teaser can be watched here. Click on the image above to go to www.filmkid.com and find all things "Die Trying". Join the new mailing list and get yourself on the message boards.

Mark your calendars! "Several Ways to Die Trying" will premiere at the Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival on Saturday, November 19th. Tickets are $15.00 a person. Find out more about the festival by clicking the banner above and be sure to go to www.filmkid.com for more news and join the message boards to keep up with the film and its status. There will be a new trailer within the next week or so.

"Die Trying" was accepted by the New Jersey State Film Festival in Cape May! It looks as if the premiere for the movie will be there. We're all really excited. Go find out more about the festival on their website by clicking the banner above.

The first viewable cut of "Die Trying" is DONE! After a really long weekend and a Monday of getting up relatively early and finishing around 4am with Glen and Matt we were able to complete the first cut and send it off to its first film festival consideration. I just have to do a little color correction to a few shots and throw on the ending titles. After that I will print it to a DVD to show a few respected people to get some feedback. I will also be compiling a new trailer and uploading that onto the webpage. The final cut of the film should be done in the next two weeks.

I just completed a short video for blowneuroz.com. Click the link and you'll see the video at the top of the list. It was done as a test and to show the sound of a member's newly installed supercharger.

The first official rough cut of our little film "Several Ways to Die Trying" has finally been completed. Glen worked like an animal to complete the last scenes. This coming weekend we may have a preliminary screening so we can see what changes should be made. Then I will tweak it and then send off the audio to the Honorable "Dr. Teeth" or Matt Sienzant as he is more commonly known. Thanks to everyone we've work with so far in making the film. It's VERY exciting to see it finally finishing up. Also this past weekend the short film "The Method" was shot. Last night I edited it together and minus two pick up shots (very short cutaways) and some audio work it is complete. The audio will all be done by Matt Sienzant. I'll load that up into the portfolio section as soon as it is completed.

"Several Ways to Die Trying" is nearing completion! While I have been busy at school, Glen has taken up the editing. The first rough cut will be around in the next coming week. Then we will finalize the audio in addition to doing a little image correction. (For more information visit “www.filmkid.com” or visit the portfolio section of the website) This coming weekend Riptide will be shooting the short film "The Method" a fictional interview with an aspiring actor. Once it is done I will upload it to the portfolio section as well. We are also planning on doing two more shorts from the same writer, Alex Csedrik.