Who woulda thunk we had genuine film makers in our midst. I was
tickled to meet Scott Freund and his partner Tim Csabanyi, locals
who are actually producing their own feature length
documentaries.
Who woulda thunk we had genuine film makers in our midst. I was tickled to meet Scott Freund and his partner Tim Csabanyi, locals who are actually producing their own feature length documentaries. “Pearl Harbor Revisited ” and “Pearl Harbor … the real story” were created by these two locals who found a way to translate their passion for history into a movie making adventure.
A few years ago, Scott and Tim were just coworkers at the Santa Clara Department of Corrections. Tim had a video hobby and production company on the side, and so Scott asked him if he’d be interested in shooting a racing video with him. After just one shoot, Scott was hooked. At that point, Scott suggested that he and Tim pair up to make a documentary about Pearl Harbor. Tim being the experienced one cautioned Scott about taking on a project that might be unrealistic. After all, editing one finished minute of a video takes about one hour.
Tim suggested that Scott try and make a shorter piece on his own first. He accepted the challenge, and went all the way to Gettysburg and videotaped a tour of the battlefield, complete with interviews and interesting B-roll. When Scott returned with the raw footage, Tim introduced him to the fine art of editing. Before you know it, Scott had produced a 60-minute video on his own. Quite a feat for a beginner.
Tim eventually took Scott up on the idea of producing a movie about Pearl Harbor, with a fresh perspective. Over an eight-month period, the team worked hard to contact and interview Pearl Harbor survivors, and literally traveled all over the United States on their own dime to capture the footage. They had the makings of a great documentary.
Scott also sifted through hours of stock footage of the actual attack. He ran into something that would attract media attention from the four corners of the world. He discovered footage that no one knew existed of the USS Arizona explosion taken from a Japanese plane. After revealing his discovery, he and his partner were flown to Hawaii for a press conference, where the “big boys” showed up: CNN, ABC, CBS, etc. The duo was able to use the 16-second clip in their own documentary to boot!
The “Pearl Harbor ” series achieved something that many film makers spend a lifetime chasing after: Distribution. The series was picked up by a distributor in Hollywood. The films are now available throughout Europe, the U.S., and Canada. They’re also available right here in Gilroy, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista courtesy of CMAP. Check out the series this weekend on Channel 20. The series will air consecutively at 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.
We can look forward to other fascinating movies out of this duo in the coming months.
I hear they just finished a two-hour documentary on the Civil War that we’ll be airing on CMAP, and they’re planning on producing historical videos about the Queen Mary and Tombstone.
These two are quite an inspiration for access producers everywhere. They certainly prove the point that you don’t have to be a “techie” to make a movie. You just have to have the passion and drive to make it happen.
