Steve Balderson - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Stephen Clark Balderson (born January 19, 1975) is an American film director

Film director

A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...

Early life

Balderson was born in Manhattan, Kansas

Manhattan, Kansas

Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...

and raised in nearby Wamego, Kansas

Wamego, Kansas

Wamego is a city in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, United States. The population was 4,246 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Manhattan, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Wamego is located at...

until the age of twelve, when his family moved to Manhattan. Balderson attended Manhattan High School

Manhattan High School

Manhattan High School is a fully accredited public high school in Manhattan, Kansas, serving students in grades 9-12. It is part of the Unified School District No. 383. For the 2010–2011 school year, Manhattan High had an enrollment of 1,984 students....

. Though his class attendance was poor, Balderson graduated a semester early, ahead of his peers. He refused to walk the stage and accept his diploma, opting out of the graduation ceremony altogether. The administration asked if he would like his diploma mailed to him. He responded, "I'll never need it."

Balderson attended film school at California Institute of the Arts

California Institute of the Arts

The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...

, where he directed six full-length digital movies, including a screen adaptation of Anne Rice's novel The Vampire Lestat

The Vampire Lestat

The Vampire Lestat is a novel by Anne Rice, and the second in her Vampire Chronicles, following Interview with the Vampire. Many events in the two books appear to contradict each other...

. At the end of his third year at CalArts, Balderson realized he'd never had a mid-residency review. When he asked his dean, Hartmut Bitomsky, Bitomsky answered, "Master's students don't have mid-residency reviews." When Bitomsky learned Balderson was an undergrad, he instructed Balderson to stop going to his classes and instead, to do independent study with him. Once a week the two would meet and dissect Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...

films and Steve learned how to focus his vision. After months of working one-on-one with his dean, Balderson decided he was ready to leave CalArts without graduating.

Pep Squad

After leaving CalArts in 1996, Balderson returned to Kansas

Kansas

Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...

and directed his debut feature film. Pep Squad satirized and predicted American school violence prior to the horrific series of school shootings. After the era of school violence

School violence

School violence is widely held to have become a serious problem in recent decades in many countries, especially where weapons such as guns or knives are involved...

ended in the United States, Pep Squad was released on DVD.

In November 2009, Balderson sold distribution rights for Pep Squad to his mentor Lloyd Kaufman

Lloyd Kaufman

Lloyd Kaufman is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and occasional actor. With producer Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director of many of their feature films, including The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. Kaufman also serves as...

. Kaufman's company Troma Entertainment

Troma Entertainment

Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.The company produces low-budget independent movies that play on 1950s horror with elements of farce...

will handle the DVD re-release.

Firecracker

Balderson’s award-winning second feature film, Firecracker
Firecracker (2005 film)
Firecracker is a 2005 thriller film directed by Steve Balderson, starring Karen Black and Mike Patton of Faith No More.-Synopsis:Firecracker is a tale of murder in small town Wamego, Kansas. The film portrays abuse, suffering, denial, and dreams of escape...

, was released theatrically in 2005 to sold out audiences in a first-ever "Freak Show Tour" supervised by Landmark Theatres

Landmark Theatres

Landmark Theatres is the largest art house movie theater chain in the United States. It is owned by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner through their 2929 Entertainment. The chain shows mostly first run independent, foreign film, and restored classics though some Landmark theaters also show more mainstream...

, the nation’s largest art house chain. Film critic Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...

called it "Brilliant" and gave Firecracker a Special Jury Award

Special Jury Prize

Several awards ceremonies have a Special Jury Prize# Jury Prize # Special Jury Prize...

on his list of the year's best films.

Hailed as a "masterpiece" and "told by a story teller who has a nascent finger on the pulse of contemporary cinema," Firecracker features the acting debut of alternative music icon Mike Patton

Mike Patton

Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...

and the critically acclaimed comeback of Academy Award nominee Karen Black

Karen Black

Karen Black is an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She is noted for appearing in such films as Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Great Gatsby, Rhinoceros, The Day of the Locust, Nashville, Airport 1975, and Alfred Hitchcock's final film, Family Plot...

. Also starring are Susan Traylor, Pleasant Gehman

Pleasant Gehman

Pleasant Gehman is a magazine writer, poet, actor, dancer and musician from Los Angeles.In the 1980s, she was the singer for the punk rock band Screamin' Sirens, and later, The RIngling Sisters and Honk If Yer Horny. All three bands have released numerous titles on vinyl, as well as cd...

, Jane Wiedlin

Jane Wiedlin

Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:...

, Selene Luna

Selene Luna

Selene Luna is an actress, comedienne, burlesque star, and model known for her roles on comedian Margaret Cho's reality TV series The Cho Show and in such films as My Bloody Valentine 3D...

, The Enigma, George the Giant, Jak Kendall, Brooke Balderson, Amy Kelly, and Lobster Girl Cathy Berry, daughter of Lobster Boy Grady Stiles

Grady Stiles

Grady Franklin Stiles, Jr. was a freak show performer. His deformity was ectrodactyly, where the fingers and toes are fused together to form claw-like extremities. Stiles' stage name was the "Lobster Boy"....

.

Firecracker premiered at London’s Raindance Film Festival

Raindance Film Festival

Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates from various cities including: London, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin and Brussels...

, where it won a Jury Prize nomination for Best Picture. It also won numerous awards on the festival circuit worldwide including: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Actress for Karen Black

Karen Black

, and Steve Balderson won the 2005 Domani Vision Award for emerging talent at Tribeca’s Visionfest.

Watch Out

Watch Out
Watch Out (film)
Watch Out is a 2008 film directed by Steve Balderson based on the novel by Joseph Suglia and starring Matt Riddlehoover. Though the story is set in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the film was shot guerilla-style, without permits, in March and April on location in Wamego, Kansas.Watch out premiered at...

is based on a novel of the same name by Joseph Suglia

Joseph Suglia

-Career:In 2008, Suglia wrote the screenplay for Steve Balderson’s film Watch Out in collaboration with the director.The film, which was based on Suglia’s novel Watch Out, starred Matt Riddlehoover, Peter Stickles, and Victor Heck...

.

Watch Out is the story of Jonathan Barrows, a man who falls in love with himself. He is attracted to his own body, carries out an erotic relationship with a blow-up doll that resembles him, and takes pleasure in rejecting the advances of male and female admirers. He descends into a world of carnivorous priests and Prozac-popping Polish prostitutes and eventually assassinates the world's most popular pop diva.

The film was shot without permits on location in Kansas. Starring Matt Riddlehoover

Matt Riddlehoover

Matt Riddlehoover is an American film director, screenwriter, editor, actor and producer.-Career:In 2006, a trailer Riddlehoover posted for his first film, To a Tee, caught the eye of a social networking giant...

and co-starring Peter Stickles

Peter Stickles

Peter Stickles is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the voyeuristic Caleb in the John Cameron Mitchell film Shortbus and as Damian, leader of a gay vampire cult, in the here! original series The Lair.-Career:...

(Shortbus

Shortbus

Shortbus is a 2006 comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell. The plot revolves around a sexually diverse ensemble of colorful characters trying desperately to connect in New York City. The characters converge in a weekly Brooklyn artistic/sexual salon loosely inspired by...

), B-movie actor Jeff Dylan Graham, Amy Kelly, Jon Niccum and burlesque performer Lady Monster.

Watch Out premiered at the Raindance Film Festival in London. It was released theatrically in the "Stop Turning Me On" world tour in New York (Coney Island Film Festival), Nashville, Chicago, Washington D.C (Reel Affirmations Festival), Seattle (Lesbian & Gay Film Festival), San Francisco, Asheville, Charlottesville (Virginia Film Festival), Kansas City, Lawrence KS, Austin (Alamo Drafthouse), and Los Angeles.

Stuck!

Stuck! is Balderson’s homage to film noir women-in-prison films. The movie, photographed in black and white, was produced in Macon, Georgia, during April and May 2009. The film stars Karen Black

Karen Black

, Susan Traylor, Jane Wiedlin

Jane Wiedlin

Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:...

, Mink Stole

Mink Stole

Nancy Paine Stoll better known by the stage name Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, having appeared in all of his feature films to date...

, Stacy Cunningham, Starina Johnson and Pleasant Gehman

Pleasant Gehman

. It’s the story of Daisy, an innocent young woman framed for killing her mother. Condemned by the press and the public, Daisy is found guilty of murder and sentenced to die by hanging. The screen play was written by Frankie Krainz.

Stuck! premiered at the 2009 Raindance Film Festival in London, England. Currently on the festival circuit, the film is an official selection of the following film festivals: Skeive Filmer in Oslo Norway; The Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

The Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is a gay and lesbian film festival founded in 2003. It started in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has since expanded into Santa Fe.. Films and shorts from around the world are showcased in a number of theaters in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe concurrently...

; The Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival; 2009's REELING (the Chicago GLBT Film Festival), 2010 Macon Film Festival and the 2010 Boston Underground Film Festival. On February 3, 2010, Stuck! premiered at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre

Grauman's Egyptian Theatre

Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, is one of the world's most famous movie theatres. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere.- History :...

in Los Angeles. The special event was hosted by the American Cinematheque

American Cinematheque

The American Cinematheque is an independent, non-profit cultural organization in Los Angeles dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Image in all its forms. It is considered among the premier organizations of its kind in America....

. In grand Hollywood tradition, the after party and dinner was held at Musso & Frank Grill

Musso & Frank Grill

Musso & Frank Grill is a restaurant located at 6667 Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Opened in 1919, it is steeped in Hollywood history, having been the hideout of a host of famous Hollywood celebrities from days gone by...

The Casserole Club

The Casserole Club stars Susan Traylor, Jane Wiedlin

Jane Wiedlin

Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:...

, Kevin Richardson

Kevin Richardson (musician)

Kevin Scott Richardson is an American singer and a former member of the Backstreet Boys, model, actor, and composer. He was the oldest member of the band during his tenure.- Early years :...

, Daniela Sea

Daniela Sea

Daniela Sea is an American filmmaker musician, performance artist, former circus juggler, and actress. She is most widely known for her role as Max/Moira on Showtime's The L Word.-History:...

, Michael Maize

Michael Maize

Michael Maize is an American motion picture and television actor, perhaps best known for his role of Daniel in the film National Treasure: Book of Secrets.-Biography:...

, Starina Johnson, Garrett Swann

Garrett Swann

Garrett Swann is an American actor. He has appeared on television shows such as The Assistant, Fashion House, and The 70's House. Other credits include Milk, 10 Attitudes and Wild Child.-External links:...

and Pleasant Gehman

Pleasant Gehman

, among others. It was filmed in the fall of 2010 on location in Wamego, Kansas and Indio, California. The screen play was written by Frankie Krainz.

The film premiered in New York City at Visionfest`11 in June collecting 9 Independent Vision Award nominations and winning 5 for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Kevin Richardson, Best Actress for Susan Traylor, and Best Production Design for Steve Balderson. The other award nominations were Best Writing for Frankie Krainz, Best Original Score for Rob Kleiner, The Jack Nance

Jack Nance

Marvin John Nance , known professionally as Jack Nance and occasionally credited as John Nance, was an American actor of stage and screen, primarily starring in offbeat or avant-garde productions...

Breakthrough Performance Award for Jennifer Grace, and The Abe Schrager Award for Cinematography for Steve Balderson.

Culture Shock

Culture Shock is the third collaboration between Steve and screenwriter Frankie Krainz with production scheduled for fall 2011.

Wamego

Balderson’s attention to detail and work ethic is chronicled in the award-winning documentary series Wamego. Wamego: Making Movies Anywhere was released in 2004 on DVD, Making Movies Anywhere won Best Film at the 2005 Fox Film Festival and the 2004 Kan Festival Award. Wamego Strikes Back, the sequel to Making Movies Anywhere, was released in 2007. The third installment, Wamego: Ultimatum chronicles the making of Watch Out.

Film director

Culture Shock (feature, 2013)
The Casserole Club (feature, 2011)
Stuck! (feature, 2010)
Wamego: Ultimatum (documentary feature, 2009)
Watch Out (feature, 2009)
Underbelly (documentary feature, 2008)
Wamego Strikes Back (documentary feature, 2007)
Phone Sex (feature, HD, 2006)
Firecracker (feature, Super 35mm film, 2005)
Wamego: Making Movies Anywhere (documentary feature, 2004)
Pep Squad (feature 35mm film, 1998)
Eleven Eleven (feature digital film, 1996)
Pep Squad (feature digital film, 1995)
By the Light of the Moon (digital feature film, 1994)
Children of Darkness/The Vampire Lestat (digital feature film, 1993)
Videorotica (music video, 1992)
Bus Stop Goodbyes (video feature film, 1992)
The Visionaries (video feature film, 1991)

Awards

2011 Visionfest
Visionfest
Visionfest showcases creations of U.S. filmmakers and by production entities that are based solely in the U.S. Visionfest provides an exhibition forum for the American amateur that is specialized and focused; one that does not dilute the presence of U.S. films within a sea of international product...

- Winner Best Director Independent Vision Awards (The Casserole Club)
2011 Visionfest
Visionfest
Visionfest showcases creations of U.S. filmmakers and by production entities that are based solely in the U.S. Visionfest provides an exhibition forum for the American amateur that is specialized and focused; one that does not dilute the presence of U.S. films within a sea of international product...

- Winner Best Picture Independent Vision Awards (The Casserole Club)
2011 Visionfest
Visionfest
Visionfest showcases creations of U.S. filmmakers and by production entities that are based solely in the U.S. Visionfest provides an exhibition forum for the American amateur that is specialized and focused; one that does not dilute the presence of U.S. films within a sea of international product...

- Winner Best Production Design Independent Vision Awards (The Casserole Club)
2004 KAN Film Festival - Winner Independent Filmmaker Award (Wamego: Making Movies Anywhere)
2000 B-Movie Film Festival
B-Movie Film Festival
The B-Movie Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Syracuse, United States.The festival was founded in 1999 by local filmmaker Ron Bonk to promote the art of B-movie making. It was canceled in its third year due to the effects of September 11 attacks...

- Winner Killer-B Award Best Screenplay (Pep Squad)

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