303-312-1808
Valley’s BS Filmworks Shoots Short Film Blockbusters

Valley’s BS Filmworks Shoots Short Film Blockbusters

by | Aug 29, 2016 | General Featured

News That Local Filmmakers Won Distribution Rights

Is Exciting, Particularly For Two Short Films Worldwide

by Glen Richardson

BS - Through The Lens 9-16 Getting a distribution deal for a film is the aspiration for almost all filmmakers. But it can be tough — thousands of films are produced every year, and very few make it to the next level. It is even harder to get distribution for a short film. So it is a true achievement for Denver’s BS Filmworks to have landed a Shorts.TV distribution deal for not just one, but two of their short films. Furthermore both films were created through the 48 Hour Film Project — a worldwide competition where films are written, shot, and edited in a 48 hour time period.

Filmmakers Brock Sherman (the B in BS Filmworks), Scott Takeda and Lori Kay Allred (Takeda’s wife) of BS Filmworks recently signed an agreement with Shorts.TV to get worldwide television distribution for their short film “If Not Now” — a film about a family dealing with an aging parent and dementia. The film began airing on Shorts.TV this July. Shorts.TV is the global home to the world’s highest quality short films. Headquartered in London with its U.S. office in Los Angeles, Shorts.TV has produced the Oscar Nominated Short Film theatrical release since 2006 and distributes other exceptional short films to 54 countries through various platforms including cable, satellite and iTunes. In Colorado, viewers can see Shorts.TV on DirecTV, AT&T, and CenturyLink.

“We’re obviously ecstatic about this,” admits filmmaker Takeda. “We know it’s rare to get distribution for films, especially short films. And Shorts.TV only accepts the top short films produced worldwide, so we’re honored that they chose us.”BS - Talented trio 9-16

Coming To Colorado

“We really responded to ‘If Not Now,’” adds Efren Rodriguez of Shorts.TV. “It’s a beautiful, character-driven story that is very well done. We’re also excited that the director Lori Kay Allred is female. Hollywood needs diverse voices, and we like that she took a personal story and brought it to life on camera.”

“Our goal is to produce feature filmsBS - Takeda 9-16 in Colorado and bring TV/Film work back into the state,” says producer Sherman. “This film is a great example of the kind of filmmaking we do because it’s a story that’s personal to us and full of complex characters.”

Shorts.TV has also purchased U.S. and foreign distribution rights to another BS Filmworks short film called “The Decision.” This film was shot last summer in Croatia and is about a young woman choosing between the wishes of her family and her desire to choose her own path. Allred also directed this film.

Decision Coming

“The Decision” was entered into the 2015 local 48 Hour Film Project competition, but has gone through multiple re-shoots. “We wanted to do something different with ‘The Decision,’” explains director Allred. “We shot a version for the competition, and then decided we wanted to tell a longer story with more depth. So we rewrote the script and shot new scenes in both Croatia, and later in Denver.

“The Decision” will appear on Shorts.TV later this year. BS Filmworks is currently working on two features — a story about Colorado’s internment camps and the other is a family drama set during the holidays.

The BS Filmworks trio of Allred, Sherman and Takeda are all Emmy award-winning storytellers. Lori Allred is a national Emmy winning writer for her work on the “Food Network.” Brock Sherman is a multiple regional Emmy winner and has won the national New York Festivals WorldMedal for his graphics animations. And Scott Takeda works both behind and in front of the camera as a director and TV/ Film actor.

Takeda’s Role

The Chronicle first featured Scott Takeda for his acting (March 2013). As an actor, his film roles have included parts in Everything Must Go, Dallas Buyers Club and Gone Girl. He worked as a photojournalist/ producer for the CBS-owned TV station KCNC from 1992 until 1994. From 1995 to 1997, he was a producer and director for the syBS - Lori Allred 9-16ndicated children’s show News-for-Kids. Takeda’s television acting debut came with a guest star role on Easy Money in 2009. He later played the character of Stella’s father, Mr. Yamada, in the 2011 Disney Channel TV movie Lemonade Mouth. In 2015, he guest starred on the television series American Crime, The Messengers, and Grimm among others.

Takeda’s wife Lori is a producer with High Noon Productions and works on several high-profile HGTV shows, such as Diners, Dives and Drive-ins. The couple has lived in the Cory Merrill neighborhood for more than 23 years.

Takeda also runs Takeda Entertainment, a production company that produces corporate films and documentaries, including the Emmy-nominated 1996 documentary The Holocaust: Colorado Remembers, which he wrote, directed and produced. The firBS - Film Poster 9-16m’s list of corporate clients touches nearly every category of corporate America. There’s telecommunication firms like BellSouth and Echostar and financial giants such as GE Capital and Morgan Stanley on the list. The equally diverse list of local clients includes the Arvada Center, the University of Colorado and Western Dairy Association. Hallmark Entertainment and FOX have been among their programming clients.

Corporate Clients

This August Takeda’s Entertainment crews hit the road for on-location shoots for Sub-Zero/Wolf/Asko — the high-end manufacturers of kitchen appliances. They were filming an installation program and showing how it is a key part of delivering a premium experience for their customers. “Two years ago, we produced a B-to-C film that showcased Sub-Zero’s industry-leading service program,” explains Takeda. “We focused our storytelling efforts around humanizing the service experiences. This time, we were showing how Sub-Zero’s installation program is building on those efforts and creating better customer service.”

The firm’s automotive projects have included work for Buick, Saab and General Motors (Detroit and Mexico). Earlier this year, Takeda’s creative team was busy putting the finishing touches on a corporate documentary film for Cadillac. The goal was to tell a story about a new sales program.BS - Croatia shoot 9-16

“We’re passionate about telling stories with emotional impact because it’s harder than ever to reach and affect an audience. Genuine people stories cut through the clutter,” he believes. “Whether we’re interpreting creative ideas and pairing them with global brands like Cadillac or directing a film, we know how to reveal powerful, honest moments. Every story. Every time,” Takeda concludes.

Both Glendale And Rug Merchants Claim Victory In Court Ruling

Both Glendale And Rug Merchants Claim Victory In Court Ruling

by | Aug 29, 2016 | Main Articles

Arapahoe Court Dismisses M.A.K.’s Rule 106 Claim

by Charles C. Bonniwell

Seldom does a judge make a ruling in an adversarial case which makes both sides happy, but that apparently is exactly what has happened regarding Arapahoe County District Judge Charles M. Pratt’s “Order Re: Issuance of Petitioner’s Standing.” M.A.K. Investment Group, LLC (MAK) had filed a Rule 106 action against The Glendale Urban Renewal Authority (GURA) regarding the appointment of a developer for the proposed entertainment district titled Glendale 180. MAK also filed another action in Arapahoe County District that has been dismissed and yet a third in Federal Court trying to stop the project.

In the litigation in question MAK claimed first that the selection of Wulfe & Co., Inc. (Wulfe) as the developer for the project violated state law.

The original project (which was provided for in Resolution 7 of GURA) included MAK’s property, but given MAK’s objections it was subsequently taken out of Glendale 180 (Resolution 3). As part of the discovery process GURA indicated that itself and Wulfe had parted ways. The Court in its order declared that “owing to GURA’s admissions [MAK] no longer has standing to contest the alleged pre-selection of Wulfe for the Resolution 7 renewal project because [MAK] is not one of the affected property owners . . .” The Court then denied both of the competing Motions for Attorney’s Fees and Costs by GURA and MAK.

Immediately following the issuance of the Order, Cody Wertz with MAK’s public relations firm Stratton and Associates sent out a press release to virtually all local media outlets declaring “Kholghy Family Freed from Condemnation with District Court Win.” Quoting Nasrin Kholghy the press release declared: “This decision was a major victory for our family business and we are excited to pursue options to develop our property. Eminent domain is for roads and schools and not for private developers.”

The press release went on to state: Glendale did not disclose the loss of the developer until recently, thereby dragging out court proceedings, wasting taxpayer funds.”

A few hours later the City of Glendale sent out a response email declaring the “Kholghy family’s attempt to garner unwarranted sympathy from the unknowing public hit a new low today. A press release distributed to news outlets is riddled with errors and outright lies.”

In its press release Glendale went on to note that Judge Pratt ruled that MAK had no standing to contest the developer for the Glendale 180 project because they are not part of the affected property and “that the court did not rule on either condemnation or eminent domain.”

Glendale Deputy City Manager Chuck Line stated, “If MAK thinks having claims dismissed and motions denied are victories, I hate to see what a loss looks like to them.” Moreover he noted that in rejecting the request for attorney fees and costs for MAK the Court found that MAK declared that it “would have done nothing differently even if it had been informed earlier about Wulfe leaving” the project. He pointed out that Wulfe and Glendale continued to negotiate up until the beginning of 2016 and that MAK continued to litigate even after it was informed that negotiations were ceased and Wulfe would not be the developer.

Nasrin Kholghy on behalf of MAK in an email to the Chronicle appears to dispute the Court’s Order insisting: “Both our family and the taxpayers of Glendale spent funds unnecessarily because Glendale hid the developer’s departure for almost a year and publicly stating the project was ‘coming to fruition.’”

Glendale Mayor Dunafon in the city’s press release said “despite the latest attempt by the Kholghys to deny reality, Glendale 180 will be brought to life. We have tremendous momentum behind the project and we won’t let these petty PR and litigation tactics stop us.

The litigation experts consulted by the Chronicle appeared lost at what MAK’s litigation strategy is and what their goals are going forward. The remaining state court claim would appear moot as it claims simply that the appointment of Wulfe violated the open meeting laws. The federal lawsuit which seeks to have the state’s urban renewal statutes declared unconstitutional would not benefit MAK except perhaps to remove a blight designation that does not affect any development on the property. By developing the property MAK would, in fact, cause the blight designation to be removed.

Some lawyers believe that it is an attempt to recoup at least some of the staggering costs and attorney fees incurred by MAK in bringing numerous lawsuits against Glendale. Others have suggested the goal would appear to pressure Glendale to waive its zoning laws and Master Plan restrictions when and if MAK files development plans for the property. MAK’s consultants have indicated that MAK wishes to build a high-rise apartment building on the Colorado Boulevard property.

The Chronicle inquired in an email to MAK’s spokesperson Nasrin Kholghy as to what were MAK’s litigation goals going forward, but that email was not responded to by the print deadline. She was made aware of that deadline in writing.

Facebook
X (Twitter)