Joel Stangle

The Escape

Music is by my old Cohort TENDRILLAR , titled "The Escape."
The Video was shot together with CZF films.

Colfax & 15TH

A NEW DENVER FILM

Trailer #1 from Colfax & 15th on Vimeo.

for more info check out www.colfax15th.com

Latest Project

"Profumo di Lumia" is now in post production.
Here is a rough first look at the film.

Profumo Di Lumia from Colfax & 15th on Vimeo.

The film was shot in Sicily last summer using all non actors.
It was a wild experience shooting a film of this scale with so little other than imagination and the youthful energy of the cast.
I spoke very little Italian, the actors just gave a funny look at my direction, then did what was natural.
Transportation was a bike. The tripod and camera were slung over my shoulder and the shoulder of my other crew member, 14 year old Anthony, who was patient a tough on our hikes to locations in 100 degree heat loaded with equipment.
The film is scheduled to be complete in Spring 2009.

"Hermann Hermann"

Nils Kiehn as Hermann Hermann

Trailer

Synopsis:
Everyday, Hermann Hermann, a sound a sane man, plays Chess in the city center. One day, I forget when, he encounters a surprise with consequences I can't even mention.
Arthur is retiring from his job as detective. On his last day he comes across the same character from his very first day on the job. He remembers the man by his name, a very beautiful and peculiar name, Hermann Hermann. As if that isn't enough he goes poking his large nose into my.....I digress.
It is a completely factual tale that embraces, and disrupts the literature and past films you call mystery, suspense, documentary, or whatever other foolish names you may have....Damn! I've said too much.

"The First Move"

A comedy about two guys with one mission: Move a couch
2008

More info on Hermann

This Film was shot in 11 days, with 700 dollars. It was a fast paced production where the only thing that mattered was creativity.
The results are very satisfying and the level of quality is very high.
Such a production always gives room for great and crazy things to happen. My favorite moment was shooting the under the bridge scenes.
We set up under a bridge on an old stretch of abandoned train track. In between a scene I ran back to the car to grab something. As I came back I looked below and saw a gigantic freight train moving ominously towards our set. Seemingly the track was not abandoned. Nils and Amanda were moving the two dollar lawn chairs out of the way, until I cried, "dear god move the camera." The train stopped a foot shy of where our set had been, a piece of track was shifted in the distance and the train went back in the other direction. We continued four feet to the side of the track.

Directors Notes:
The main theme of the film is "reflection" in every sense of the word. This theme is explored in the script, cinematography, and score.
We took themes that already existed and created something new out of them. The result is a distorted reflection of the original, a "double" that acts independently, and redefines what it comes from.

The Script alludes to other works of literature, even borrowing names. Certain conventions are subverted, or twisted, and others glorified.

Stylistically the film is very Noir, yet modern at the same time with freer camera movement, moments of animation, and subjective sequences.

The Score is classic suspense, but has a touch of surreal ambiance.

More info on "The First Move"

The First Move was shot last summer in a little over a week. Everything was pretty spontaneous. We wrote and rewrote as we went. Drove through the city until we found the location we needed, then turned on the camera. Sometimes we even used people we saw walking down the street to play different roles.
Somehow in that madness we managed to make a movie that seems to be more profound than we expected. The neighborhoods and people created something we couldn't have. They are genuine and gave the film authenticity. Between the lines and jokes there is something greater at hand.