GENE WARREN, JR.

     My experience in the motion picture, television and commercial world began in 1962 at 21 years of age.  It was a one day construction job as a permit in the grip department on the I Love Lucy set at Desilu Studios.  I didn’t work again for 3 months.  Then it was a few days here, a month there, a couple of weeks at Warner Bros. then a month at MGM etc., for about 2 years until I earned union seniority while on the night shift at Columbia Pictures and was immediately bumped up to a day staff job as the number 8 crab dolly operator on the lot.  The youngest dolly grip staffer at the time in Hollywood I might add.  As a consequence I worked at least a few days on almost every feature and TV show  produced on the lot from mid 1964 until January 1969.  It was the old studio system and I was never laid off. 

     The reason I mentioned at length my early days as a grip and dolly/crane operator was because the dolly job most often positions you in the middle of the on set discussions between the Director, DP and the actors.  There was no school like it.  And since I was interested in my craft and film making in general I always paid attention and listened in.  A few examples of films and TV that I worked on most or all of principal photography in those years were; Walk Don’t Run, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, Murderers Row, Enter Laughing, Three On A Couch,  Trouble With Angels, Dead Heat On A Merry-Go-Round and the Monkees TV show.

     In 1969, not wanting to remain in the grip department the rest of my life, I left the steady job and began working off and on at my fathers visual effects company, Excelcior Animated Motion Pictures.  It was one of the few small effects companys in Hollywood before Star Wars changed everything.  The animation done at Excelcior was stop motion and it turned out that I had a natural talent and worked on and animated many Dough Boy, Hamburger Helper, Swiss Miss and Chuck Wagon commercials during the almost 12 years I worked at Excelcior.  We also produced the miniature work and dinosaur stop motion for the Saturday morning children’s show Land Of The Lost.  Also the miniature effects work for the TV series The Man From Atlantis, the Roger Corman film Avalanche and John Frankenheimers Black Sunday.

     Thru the hands on work I became an accomplished cinematographer, model maker, sculptor and stop motion animator.  I also helped break down scripts and plan how to do the effects.  Since my fathers studio did not have an optical printer until the last 2 years before he closed, we would try and do as much as possible in camera.

     Excelsior was closed in 1979 and I and two partners, Leslie Huntley and Peter Kleinow opened Fantasy II film effects in 1980.  We now had an optical department but continued to do as much work in camera as we could.  Both because it was usually more cost effective and tended to look better.  I believe that even today, in the digital age, the above holds true. 

     I, and my partners received an Emmy for visual effects in the mini series Winds of War in 1983.  Then in 1991 I received an Oscar for Terminator II Judgement Day.  The last significant miniature work I was involved in was Wes Anderson’s Moorise Kingdom.

     I still think there is a place for in camera effects of all kinds and my years of experience actually doing them would greatly aid students in USC’s film school.  Whether one wants a career in directing, producing, production design or cinematography, a thorough appreciation of the myriad techniques available, can only help develop a more well rounded filmmaker.  The choice of one method over another can affect both quality and the budget.

DR. SVETLANA TRANSKY

Dr. Svetlana Transky is an accomplished piano soloist, chamber music collaborator and music educator. Her musical training and background acquired at the prestigious Odessa Stolyarsky Music School for Gifted Youth in the former Soviet Union, stems from the pianistic traditions of eminent Heinrich Neihaus and Konstantin Igumnov. In Los Angeles, Svetlana continued her education with a reputable Master teacher Dorothy Hwang at the Colburn School of Music. Subsequently, she became a recipient of the prestigious John Crown Memorial Music Award and obtained her Bachelors, Masters and the Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance with a minor in Music Education and Collaborative Arts under the tutelage of esteemed artist-teacher Daniel Pollack at the USC Thornton School of Music.

As a prizewinner of the Michelstadt International Music Festival in Germany and Missouri Southern International Piano Competition Svetlana had concertized as a soloist throughout Europe and the United States. Dr. Transky is in great demand as a chamber musician, as well as the vocal coach, collaborating with various chamber ensembles, prominent instrumentalists and vocalists.

She has performed for Sundays Live – KUSC Radio program from LACMA and was a recording pianist for PBS-NOVA movie special “Darwin’s Darkest Hour” shown on KCET. For several years, Dr. Transky was a pianist with Synergy chamber ensemble and performed in “Recovered Voices” series, founded by James Conlon. Svetlana is a frequent artist with the Enlightenment Chamber Music Series, as well as with the Artistic Soirees music events. Dr. Svetlana Transky is on a piano faculty at the Colburn School of Performing Arts, where she teaches applied private and group piano classes.

Josh Tickell’s movies have won more than 40 major awards, have been selected as a NYTimes Critics’ Pick, shortlisted for an Oscar, and shown in the White House. He has spoken at more than 100 colleges and Fortune 500 businesses globally. Josh has been a guest on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Morning Joe and on the Today Show. He recently co-directed the Lionsgate release, GOOD FORTUNE. Tickell’s new book, Kiss the Ground – How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body and Save the World is being turned into a movie from executive producer Leonardo DiCaprio.

Dr. Joe George has 11 years of Podiatric surgical experience with a focus on complex foot and ankle reconstruction. He completed his podiatric surgical residency at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center then completed Foot and Ankle Reconstruction Fellowship in Germany under the direction of orthopedic traumatology and foot and ankle specialists including Dr. Kai Olms and Prof. Johannes Hamel. He is an expert in operative as well as non-operative care of foot and ankle issues. His operative expertise encompass all the newest as well as traditional techniques, from ankle arthroscopy, fracture repair, total ankle replacement, nerve releases, and too many others to be listed here. Dr. George has treated many of our local sports team members for on field injuries, helping them return to their high level of performance. He serves as the Chief of Podiatric Surgery and Site Director for the Podiatric Surgical Residency Rotation at Amita St. Joseph’s Medical Center.

V.J. Stanley is an ex Division 1 recruited athlete and a 21 year head coach in college hockey. He has also coached youth, Middle School, and High School, USA Hockey, NSCA Regional, and to NYSHS football coach’s’ annual conference.

 V.J. has been on WFAN in NYC and Toronto, The Wease Show 95.1 and WXXI in Rochester New York, and Connect FM in Dubois Pa. His most recent appearance was on 570AM The Mission in NYC.

He has published three books. His research and presentations on the connection between the mind and body for both physical and mental health are being recognized and used by experts on a national level as an integral part of long term athletic development and life skills. The balance between the two is integral for long-term performance and Holistic Long Term Athletic Development.

His latest presentation, “Creating the Championship Mindset”, has been endorsed nationally by Lou Vairo, the 1984 US Olympic Men’s Hockey Coach and USA Hockey Hall of Famer.

VJ and his company, Balanced Excellence, the parent company to Frozen Shorts, promote balance versus specialization. Their motto, peace of mind is victory, applies to athletics, academics, and life.