Hey folks! Matthew here, for those of you that know me I’ve produced the almost released The Day The Park Tilted and the Hemmings series The Motor Undeground. As a photographer for almost 20 years, film has been a passion and I’m hoping to keep making work you guys all love! I got to meet Gene about two years ago and did a couple of photo shoots with him. he was a very sweet guy, and I’m not gonna lie. I was a little starstruck, getting to interview him and work with him very briefly. Obviously he was dealing with a lot of drama the next year, and then we’ve just lost him recently. I have the idea of doing a documentary about that time, and I’ve got about 45 minutes of unreleased footage interviewing Gene, and talking about his early life. I didn’t subsequently went to one of his last middle shaping classes, and is able to get him as he was working with this crowd, along with some shots of his shot and some of the historic things that he’s worked on. with that being said, I’m very much interested in doing a documentary on him and his legacy. I know there’s been some released on him in the past, but I think something that would honor his entire legacy with of course a modern style of filmmaking would be really wonderful and I think impactful for the community. I’m wondering if you guys think if I was to get this on the way to being produced with the footage that I have along with interviews, images, and found footage of him we could produce something really beautiful. of course, making things cost money, so of course the first thing I wanted to ask if you think there would be enough interest in the community to help fund something like this? I’m not quite sure what it would cost right now, but of course it takes money to produce these things and to do something right definitely something I don’t wanna do on a shoestring budget. I love to do something on the level of quality as Tales of the Rat Fink and Flake and Flames. what do you guys think, is this something you guys would love to help crowd fund on top of possibly contribute imagery and interview interviews with? Let me know!
ABSOLUTLY. I have images of Gene's 2010 Syracuse NY metal shaping class is needed. Thank you, VR&C. - Mark.
I’ll second this idea. What could be more appropriate than a documentary about an absolute master of his craft.
Bring it on indeed. "History belongs to those that write it down, and especially to those that film it"
tried contacting his Family about this idea? lots of well known close friends of Gene likely would be sources to help make this happen.
I have known Gene since the 70's. I watched the crap he went through the last 2 years of his life, first hand. The photo you posted was a photo shoot with the woman that was abusing Gene. Physically, emotionally and financially. If you do this (I like the idea), please do not use images of that woman, "Michael LeAnn". It will only upset the people that know what she did (there are many).
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