Artichoke who?

"The day we selected Paul Kalbach of Artichoke Productions as Director of Photography for our independent feature, The World Famous Kid Detective Agency, was a very good day. Throughout pre-production, Paul advised us on crew, predicted the snags we would hit and offered practical solutions, and was a consummate professional as we worked to finalize our scheduling, crew and locations. I can honestly say that he was the rock on which we, the producers, built the production. He called me personally when he noticed an oversight that could have cost us dearly. He also generously shared his contacts which led us to an absolutely ace crew who came through every day of filming. As a low budget film, we could not supply the full crew to support him, but that never stopped Paul from pushing for quality and getting the absolute best that our grueling schedule allowed. He is an artist and combines that sensibility with decades of experience in the world of independent film. His genuine easy-going temperament kept many of us going when our locations/circumstances were challenging. And our locations/schedules were always challenging. Our director constantly spoke of Paul in the highest terms, an opinion shared by everyone on set - cast and crew alike. As Director of Photography, he was instrumental in getting us through our pages. And we made our days every shooting day, letting us stay on schedule and budget. And, in the first stages of post production, I can say the footage is excellent. The use of his Zephry cam (an amazing steady cam mounted on a Segway) gave our film production values far exceeding our budget. The jib shots he designed are beautiful. His technical knowledge of his equipment is expert level and his prices beat every rental house in the Bay Area by a significant amount. I do not believe that we could have made this film without Paul and on behalf of the producing team for The World Famous Kid Detective Agency, I recommend him without reservation."

Margaret Langendorf, Producer: Fridays Films / Kid Detective Movie LLC

"I had the opportunity to work with Paul during post-production on my first feature film, "Captive Audience". He was thorough, patient and professional. His high-end studio is out of his home which makes for a comfortable, serene atmosphere (the Japanese garden added lots to the ambience as well). He also provides all the audio fx a filmmaker could ever need to enhance the project. He's experienced with Final Cut and ProTools software. Not to mention, he's a RED camera operator with plenty of dolly and lighting equipment for rent. His indie rates are affordable and his schedule flexible. I highly recommend him for all your production needs."

Mel Thompson, Crosstown Films

"Paul Kalbach is amazing. I found him because I was looking for the right person who could edit a film from 1994. His name popped up on the internet because he had the editing equipment that I needed. I know that only a person with a wealth of experience like Paul could have edited a film this old with all kinds of issues. Paul never complained - he just kept going. My son, Lance, made this film titled "Times Up" when he was an NYU film school student. He died in 2006 and the film was never completely edited. Because the film was about 2 generations of families struggling with alcohol addiction and my son died an alcohol related death, it was important for me to get this film finished. I plan on using it as part of a foundation that I started in Lance's name to help alcoholics with recovery. Paul was able to take Lance's vision and bring it to fruition. I will be forever grateful that I found him. He is so easy to work with and has such great input. I trusted him completely and I am so pleased with the outcome of the film."

Nancy Juracka, The Lance Juracka Foundation For Recovery

"I'm a filmmaker, and when I received a professorship in Ohio to teach filmmaking I needed to sell my house in Berkeley. The realtors suggested I write some kind of creative treatment for a house-tour video. I came up with the idea for a fly-through of the house from a bee's POV. This would require a particular skill set -- it couldn't just take a competent cameraperson. Besides convincing flight, the bee also needed to occasionally land on objects to inspect them, to create a verisimilitude. And there would be technical considerations: we needed to be able to see wide-angled to take in a large span of the rooms, we needed to be able to shoot macro when the bee landed on things, and we needed to have a seamless flight from room to room, each with its own lighting conditions. In thinking about who I could get to make this film, 2000 miles away, I remembered Paul Kalbach's work at Artichoke. He was game. Paul did some camera tests to demonstrate that he totally got the concept, and he had some great ideas for ways of improving my treatment, based on the realities of the house. Well... He nailed it! The video is awesome. It's going crazy online, and realtors have been swooning over it, with one exclaiming, "If there were academy awards in the realty biz, this would win hands down!" The reason this project was so successful is because of what Paul brings to the table:

- an artistic sensibility that I can trust
- an ability to creative problem-solve
- an extensive technical knowledge
- the right tools (he seems to have a massive amount of equipment)

So if you have a project coming up that needs an artistic eye and technical savvy, I can highly recommend Artichoke. The process could have been a real pain -- it was a pleasure from beginning to end."

Mitchell Rose, Ohio State University

"Ok, if there were a scale from 1 to 5 stars, Artichoke would receive five stars from me. The perfect work space, a seamless facility where your production team can just get the job done. Add to this a perfect location easily gotten to from either the East or West Bay. I just hope they have an opening for me the next time I need a stage."

Gary Mercer, Working Media

“Carbon Dioxide Blues 2014”, personal short film, finalist in “Future Filmakers 2014 Annual Contest”.

Director of Photography, “Signal Flow” Concert Series, Mills College, 2011-2015.

RedZephyrCam/Steadicam Op,”New”, sci-fi short, John Harden Films, 2013.

Steadicam Operator, Intel “Double Dip” spot, Clarity Creative Group, 2013.

Director of Photography, Jib Op, Hatchet music video, "Signals of Infection", The End Records, 2013.

Director of Photography, editor, “Sunday Afternoons”, short, co-production with Jog9, 2012.

Director of Photography, “The World Famous Kid Detective Agency”, feature, Friday’s Films, 2012.

“Audition”, short, producer/director, camera/edit, 2012.

Camera Operator, “Witness 11”, short, Sean Mitchell, Director, 2012.

Editor, “Time’s Up”, 16mm short, The Lance Juracka Foundation for Recovery, 2011-2012.

Post Audio Mix & Sound Design, “Captive Audience”, feature, Melvin Thompson, Director, 2010-2011.

RedZephyrCam/Steadicam Op, 8 Washington Project, Steelblue LLC, Quentin Bacon, Director, 2011.

Production Sound Mixer, Verizon SFHQ Launch, Evolve Media, 2011.

Production Sound Mixer, Facebook, Evolve Media, 2011.

Production Sound Mixer, “Murder She Solved: True Crime”, Force Four Entertainment, 2011.

Steadicam Operator, “Alexander Newton”, music video, Calibra Pictures, 2011.

Camera Operator, Steadicam & Jib, “Doggie Boogie”, feature, Romanus Wolter, Director, 2010.

Production Sound Mixer, “Finding New Hope”, documentary, SexSmartFilms, 2010.

Sound Design, “Ken Film”, Prime Zero Productions, 2010.

Steadicam Consultant, “Play by Play”, live-action film by the animators of Pixar, 2009.

RedZephyrCam/Steadicam Operator, St. Vincent music video “Marrow”, Terri Timely 2009.

RedZephyrCam/Steadicam Operator, background plates for “Gumball” (Cartoon Network), Dandelion Studios, London, 2009.

RedZephyrCam/Steadicam Operator, MobFagaz music video “Glamorous Lifestyle”, Prime-Zero 2009.

Contractor to Google for configuration of Final Cut Edit Suites, tech support, operations and configuration of Studio G Sound Stage, occasional Director of Photography production duties, 2007-2010.

Director of Photography, numerous demos of smart-phone applications, Google Inc., 2009.

Director of Photography, “NORAD Santa Tracker”, Google Inc., 2008.

Director of Photography, “Mini Clinic”, Kaiser Permanente, 2008.

Production Sound Mixer, “Concord BMW”, Vision Tracks, 2008.

Production Sound Mixer, “Scintilla”, Muse Productions, 2007.

Director of Photography, “Simulations”, Kaiser Permanente, 2007.

Director of Photography, “Creative Dynamics”, FedEx, 2007.

Steadicam Operator, “Winding Heart”, 35mm feature, Apple Productions, N.Y., 2007.

Production Sound Mixer, “In Living English” educational series, Media Factory, 2007.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, “Once Upon A Midnight”, short, Wade Devon, 2007.

Director of Photography, “Invite”, Virgin America Airlines, promo, Pixelcorps, 2007.

Producer/Director/Camera/Editor, “The Grip Guide”, Podcast series, Pixelcorps, 2007.

Production Sound Mixer, Panera Bread Co., promo, Vision Tracks, 2007.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, “Mazzei GMC”, commercial, Comcast, 2007.

Production Sound Mixer, Vanity Insanity; “Fat!So?”, Canadian TV series, Insight Film Studios, 2007.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, “Eiland’s Oriental Rug Co.”, commercial, Comcast, 2007.

Editor / Motion Graphics Design, MediaZone CES Booth, 2007.

Steadicam Operator, “Oh, MJ!”, The Little Ones music video, Terri Timely, 2006.

Snorkle-Crane Camera Operator, “The World’s Astonishing News”, Japanese TV Series, 2006.

Editor, “White Flag”, short, Andrea Turner, Director, 2006.

Editor, MediaZone Channels for Google Video, 2006.

Production Sound Mixer, Exxon Industrial, Texas Video& Post, 2006.

Director of Photography / Snorkle-Crane, Hyatt training video, 2005.

Production Sound Mixer, “The Conference”, PSA, Noir Media Company, 2005.

Camera Operator, “Hot Tuna” concert, Great American Music Hall, PC Communication, 2005.

Director of Photography, “Destiny”, trailer, Jog9 Productions, 2004.

Editor, DVD Authoring, “Eugene Cole & Persuaded”, Jabez Records, 2004.

Production Sound Mixer, ”Both”, feature, Dir: Lisset Barcellos, Solaris Films, 2004.

Director of Photography, “Misplaced Loyalty” episode of “New Detectives”, New Dominion Pictures
(for Discovery Channel), 2003.

Director of Photography, “Firestorm” episode of “Critical Rescue”, New Dominion Pictures
(for Discovery Channel), 2003.

Steadicam Operator, “The Seaport of the Hobo”, 35mm SAG short, Spaceport Productions, 2003.

Editor, “Fire On Pier 32”, musical, Kyklos Productions, 2003.

Co-Producer/Director, Director of Photography, editor, “A Better Place?”, short, Artichoke Prod. 2002.

Director of Photography, The Chuck Payne Show, UPN, 2001.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, “What’s New At Walmart?”, PICS Retail Networks, 2000.

Director of Pjotography, Haagen-Das Promotional, Wolf Group New York, 2000.

Director of Photography / Snorkle-Crane, U.S. Open, Pebble Beach, The Golf Channel, 2000.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, Promotional Video, National Semiconductor, 2000.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, Display Technology promotional, The Aaron Group, 2000.

Snorkle-Crane Camera Operator, “Spastic M.C.” music video, Enough Said Productions, 2000.

Production Sound Mixer, “Leonard Lake / Charles Ng Case”, “The Investigators”, New Dominion
Pictures (for Discovery Channel), 2000.

Snorkle-Crane Camera Operator, “Silk-E” music video, Supreme Pictures, 2000.

Director of Photography, E-Bay Story, Bain & Company, 1999.

Steadicam Operator, Billy Blanks Celebration, Four Seasons, Beverly Hills, RAH Productions, 1999.

Production Sound Mixer, “The FBI Files”, New Dominion Pictures (for Discovery Channel), 1999.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, LVS Marketing Video, 1998.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, “Living With Needlestick”, training video, StateFund
Compensation Insurance, 1998.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, “Table For Six”, commercial, Bay Cable Advertising 1997.

Steadicam Operator, “Breaking Out” Concert Opener, Alcatraz Productions, 1997.

Steadicam Operator, “Bustin Out” music video, Phunky Phat Films, Ryda Records, 1997.

Production Sound Mixer, “The Unabomber”, "Lethal Dosage", “Polly Klass Kidnapped”, “Deadly
Paradise”, ‘Trail-side Strangler”, for “New Detectives" & “The FBI Files” episodes, New Dominion Pictures (for Discovery Channel), 1997-1998.

Steadicam Operator, Sony DVCAM promo for NAB, Archey / Cavala Productions, 1997.

Director of Photography / Editor, “Live Your Dreams”, talk show, Starstyle Productions, 1997.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, "Thrifty / Payless", industrials, 1997.

Director of Photography, 2nd Unit, "Dream With The Fishes", 35mm feature, Finn Taylor, Director,
starring David Arquette, Sony Picture Classics, 1996.

Camera Operator, efx camera tests, "Flubber", 35mm feature, Walt Disney Pictures, 1996.

Steadicam Operator, SegaSoft industrial film, Zoe Street Pictures, 1996.

Steadicam Operator, "Store Owner", commercial, Bay Cable Advertising, 1996.

Steadicam Operator, "Sand Dance", Marin Ballet, Cynthia Pepper, Director / Choreographer, 1996.

Director of Photography, Editor, "The Surviving Masters of Palekh", documentary. Palekh, Russia,
Friends of Palekh, 1995.

Production Sound Mixer, "United Nations / NGO World Conference on Women", documentary,
Beijing, China, 1995.

Director of Photography, Apple Power PC promo: Comdex, Dynamite Films, Dallas, 1995.

Director of Photography, "Beatrice Shaw Story". Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Productions, 1994.

Director of Photography/Steadicam, editor, "Davao: Its Exotic Sights and Sounds" (Miss Universe
documentary), Philippine Dept. of Tourism, 1994.

Director of Photography/Steadicam/Editor, "Dr. Comics & Mr. Games", spot, CGI Prod.Group, 1994.

Director of Photography, Apple Developers Conference: Comdex, Dynamite Films, Dallas, 1994.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, "Special Olympics", Household Finance promotional, 1994.

Production Sound Mixer, “Michelle” (35mm feature), Global Pictures, Inc., 1993.

Director of Photography, Apple Computer product line, Dynamite Films, Dallas / Santeler Marketing
Group, 1993.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, Hewlett-Packard LaserJet promo, Hoffman Agency, San Jose, 1993.

Producer / Director / Steadicam / Editor, "Q-ZAR" commercial, Reality Entertainment, 1993.

Director of Photography / Steadicam, "Tuition Assistance" program, Wells Fargo, 1992.

Steadicam Operator, "Pacific Bell Telephone Security Procedures", Quartet, 1992.

Lighting Director, "The Click", music video, Atomic Productions, 1992.

Director / Cameraman, USA unit, "Angel III" (35mm feature), Molesworth Ltd., Hong Kong, 1989.

Production Sound Mixer, "America's Most Wanted" (TV series), Fox Television, 1989.

Production Sound Mixer, Dodge Trucks commercial (Hoyt Axton spot, Reno), 1989.

Production Sound Mixer, “Boarding House” (Italian 35mm feature), Pachard Productions, 1989.

Audio, "Rukiye" music video, Mutakallin Productions, 1989.

Director/Cameraman, USA unit, "Angel II" (35mm feature), Molesworth Ltd., Hong Kong, 1988.

Production Sound Mixer, "Kamillions" (35mm feature), Molesworth USA, 1988.

Director of Photography, "The Flo" (instructional video), Access Productions, 1988

Director of Photography, "Alive & Kicking" (documentary), Video Pro, 1988.

Director of Photography, "Night Feeder" (feature), Viper Optics, 1988.

Director of Photography, MTV station promo (Sammy Hagar spot), MTV 1987.

Visual Effects Designer, "Randee of the Redwoods" (station promos), MTV, 1987.

Director/Cameraman, "So Good", Kesha Wright music video, O'ona Records, 1985.

Art Director, "No Way Out", Jefferson Starship music video, Nth Degree Prod., 1984.

Audio, "Bon Jovi" music video, Martin Kahan Productions, 1984.

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