My first film "This Is Gary McFarland" about the famed in his time yet since forgotten Jazz arranger/composer/vibraphonist had a long gestation to finally being released this year. I first conceived of the film around 1999 shortly after I graduated from the University of Washington, right as the concept of desk-top filmmaking was starting to become a reality. I had interned on Bill Nye the Science Guy, worked at Local Video mecca Scarecrow Video, and majored in Journalism at the University of Washington. I shot the majority of the film from 2000 - 2004, editing a version that eventually premiered at SIFF and other film festivals in 2006 & 2007. I was never fully satisfied with that version and around 2010 decided to re-edit the film working with the film editor I'm working with on my current film project.

 Finally satisfied with the film itself and intending to self-release it myself, I happened to read about local NPR DJ Jim Wilke (Jazz after Hours) having a cache of unreleased tapes of jazz performances from Seattle's long gone jazz club, The Penthouse. I reached out to him and he graciously allowed me to release the recordings with my film. Once it was shaping up to be a DVD/CD combo package, local label Light in the Attic (2 of their releases are nominated this year for Grammys in Best Historical Package and Best Liner Notes) became interested and offered to distribute the title.

It would be remiss of me not to mention two of my teachers at Watson Groen who made a big impression on me and encouraged my intellectual curiosity in matters of art, literature, and cinema;  Richard Verver and Rose Kosen.  I think Mr. Verver appreciated that I was one of the few students who understood his "Rosebud" references (Citizen Kane, if you don't know), and I still remember Mrs. Kosen screening our Literature class Roman Polanski's film version of MacBeth, which completely blew me away at the time and remains a top favorite to this day. It is also still the best cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare to date.

I also need to mention my recently departed friend Kyle Warnick (Watson Groen class of '89) who I had known since the 4th Grade when we were both at Concordia Lutheran and continued to see when we both worked at Microsoft. We bonded early on over James Bond films, their incredible music scores by John Barry, and The Road Warrior. He loved hearing about my film work and I loved hearing his take on everything. I was really looking forward to giving him a copy and discussing this release with him. Sadly it was not to be.

To learn more about Kristian's film and his other projects visit: Century67 Films