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Ken Stringfellow's life is music. A founding member of the legendary Seattle indie-pop band
The Posies, Ken also played a part in the reformation of
Big Star, one of the most influential bands in pop history. He has also toured with
R.E.M. for 10 years, assisted with their albums “Reveal” and “Around the Sun,” and in 2005 he founded the garage rock band
The Disciplines. More recently Ken has worked as a songwriter and producer for acts like
Lagwagon, Damien Jurado, The Long Winters, Snow Patrol, Neil Young, Patti Smith, Mudhoney, and
Death Cab For Cutie. To date, his discography spans over 200 albums. A recent solo record, 2012’s Danzig in the Moonlight, was warmly received by critics.
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Although Ken was featured in
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me, a documentary about the infamous power-pop band,
KEN - THE MOVIE will be his first acting role. In the film, you can expect to see Ken do what he does best: captivate us with his heartfelt songs. But the film also shows what lies on the other side of those songs, probing into his life and bringing his fears and vulnerabilities to the surface.
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Intense, uncompromising, and
challenging, our film isn't the kind of thing that investors flock to. But honestly, we wouldn't have it any other way. So, out on our own, trying to do something different,
we are looking for your support.
Supporting this project has a special benefit: with this commitment
you will help to recognize, develop, and actively promote the unique vision of women in the film industry. By getting KEN - THE MOVIE finished, we hope to inspire many more female directors to pick up a camera and get out there.
Throughout her career, Claudia has battled her way through the gender bias of the film business. As a member of Pro Quote Regie, the biggest women's director movement in Germany, she plays an active role in the promotion of women in film. Jane Campion gets to the heart of the issue, saying, "Without [women] writing and being directors, the rest of us are not going to know the whole story."
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Filmmaking is a collaborative process. We're
working hard to create the
best work in the most economical fashion.
All donations will go straight into the various costs
associated with the making and airing of KEN - THE MOVIE.
These include equipment rentals, travel and transportation, and general production costs. Here's
a diagram of what we need for the film:
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Firstly, perks. We have an amazing range of special offers for you to choose from. Ken Stringfellow has cleared the path to his back-catalogue where you can choose your favorite album, which he will sign with a personalized message! Claudia Rorarius has put her experience as a photographer and director on the table, offering you a chance to meet and discuss whatever is on your mind.
And, if you're a true lifetime Ken Stringfellow fan, he's even agreed to perform private concerts for you and your friends. Of course, there's many things in-between, ranging from an advanced copy of the film to a personalized music video. Check the righthand side of the page for a full list of the exciting perks!
With your support, we'll be spending the upcoming months making the movie. While the film is in development, Claudia and Ken will be keeping you up to date on their progress through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their website.
We're excited for you, our precious friends and fans, to be a part of it all.
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CLAUDIA RORARIUS (WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER)
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Claudia Rorarius is the driving force behind KEN - THE MOVIE.
A dedicated and insightful filmmaker, she has also photographed artists like
Kelis, Rufus Wainwright, Vivienne Westwood, Eminem, Pharrell Williams, Jamie XX, and
John Cale, publishing in magazines like
SPEX, INTRO, WIRE and
Wallpaper. While she was studying at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, she worked on the short films
CABLE CAR and
TWIN, both of which received international awards.
CHI L'HA VISTO-WHO SAW HIM (
available online), Claudia's first feature-length film, premiered in 2009 to wide acclaim and was selected for the
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the
Montréal World Film Festival, and
Film Festival Max Ophüls. www.claudiarorarius.com, Claudia on IMDb.
KEN STRINGFELLOW (MAIN CAST)
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Ken Stringfellow is one half of
The Posies, the legendary indie-pop band from Seattle. The band has enjoyed a long and successful run, winning the hearts of critics and crowds from all over the world. From 1993 onward, Ken has played a part in the reformation of
Big Star, one of the most influential bands in pop history. He’s also toured with
R.E.M. for 10 years, and assisted with the albums “Reveal” and “Around the Sun.” More recently he has worked as a songwriter and producer for acts like
Lagwagon, Damien Jurado, The Long Winters, Snow Patrol, Neil Young, Patti Smith, Mudhoney, and
Death Cab For Cutie.
The Posies album
Solid States was just released earlier this year and has been warmly received by critics all over the world
. www.kenstringfellow.com.
Ken Stringfellow is no stranger to the movie business. In the mid-nineties he contributed to the soundtracks from The Basketball Diaries and Reality Bites. More recently, he was featured in Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me. Ken on IMDb
KIM TAYLOR (MAIN CAST)
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Kim Taylor is a musician, songwriter, and actress. She has crafted five beautiful solo albums and toured extensively with acts like
Ron Sexmith, Over the Rhine, and
Kris Kristofferson. Her songs have been featured in numerous television shows like
Flashpoint, Army Wives, Smallville, Cyberbully, and One Tree Hill, and most recently in the UK comedy-drama
Stella. Her acting debut came in 2013 on Matt Porterfield’s
I Used To Be Darker, where she portrayed a musician and mother struggling through a divorce. The film was selected for the
Sundance Film Festival and the
Berlinale, and it has won numerous awards.
www.kim-taylor.net
LIZA CRAMER (PRODUCER)
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Liza Cramer will help produce and manage KEN - THE MOVIE. Liza has been working as the Unit Manager, Assistant Producer, Production Coordinator and translator for national and international productions since 2009. She was part of the production team of the internationally acclaimed THE STRANGE LITTLE CAT (2013), recent Sundance success MORRIS FROM AMERICA (2016), and she was also a member of the Berlin-based independent production company credo:film (2012-2014). Liza studied American Studies in Berlin, Nashville, and Paris. She focused on contemporary culture, film, and media, receiving her master’s degree in 2007. In 2012, she completed Germany's Production Manager state certificate for film and TV, achieving the best result of her class.
HAJO SCHOMERUS (DOP)
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Hajo Schomerus is a dedicated cinematographer. He has worked on both documentary and fiction projects, and the films he has shot have gained wide recognition, including a Best Cinematography award from the Cairo Film Festival for Magic Eye, a co-produced Albanian feature, and the German Critics Association's Best Documentary Award in 2011 for his documentary IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS. His films have been shown at festivals around the world, like his recent works 10 Billion and The Barber and The Bomb, which are currently touring the festival circuit.
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Even if you can't contribute funds, you can still be a part of our journey.
Any help is hugely appreciated, and you can do this simply by sharing. For a start, there's a list of links to the left of this page that share the Indiegogo campaign, and
a simple click of one of these buttons would be a great help for us. We are also on:
Through these various platforms you can
join us on our journey to make the film. We will be posting regular updates, giving you little peaks into the production process, and offering even more special perks for the supporters of the film.
So, join us, in whatever way you can!
We truly appreciate your support.
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CLAUDIA RORARIUS (director) + KEN STRINGFELLOW (main cast)
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A big thanks to all the kind people who have helped the campaign so far:
- Campaign manager: Wolfgang Gumpelmaier (gumpelmedia)
- Campaign and text editor: Ben Barlow
- Videos: Ralf Krämer, Jeroen Schriks, Birgit Möller
- Editors: Silke Botsch, Claudia Rorarius
- Sound: Jan Ralske
- Photographers: Alison Cornish, Bootsy Holler, Bruno Pélican, Connie Freestone, Daiana Seijo, Hanneke Wetzer, Jamie Williams, JB Meijers, Juan Perez-Fejardo, Niffer Calderwood, Sami Mikkola
- Designer: Christoph Gabriel
- Thanks: Kim Voynar
