Conversations: Steve Balderson, Dreams and Firecracker -- New book by Joseph Schaefer
(PRLEAP.COM) (Albany, New York, March 19, 2006)—Conversations puts the spotlight on Kansas director Steve Balderson who shies away from the spotlight; all the while doing things his way, not the Hollywood “way.”
Author Joe Schaefer started his conversations with Steve Balderson (and the Balderson clan) back in 2003 with an interview for the now defunct Aftertaste Magazine. With each successive month and each successive development in the FIRECRACKER story, Schaefer thought, “there’s got to be a book here!”
Having a dream and actually sitting down and hashing out how one will achieve it are two different things. Steve Balderson longed to be a filmmaker, so he made it happen. Now, with one wildly entertaining cult favorite under his belt (PEP SQUAD), and a murder-mystery-thriller (FIRECRACKER) that just completed a non-traditional freak-show tour of America, this writer/director/producer just may be the personification of the American Dream.
FIRECRACKER stars rock icon Mike Patton, Academy Award Nominee Karen Black, Susan Traylor, Brooke Balderson, Amy Kelly, Jak Kendall and a host of others. FIRECRACKER was named one of Roger Ebert’s best films of 2005.
The book, ripe with interviews, emails and dissections of film, all shows that Balderson is poised to overthrow the notion of “how things ought to be done”—like finish film school or do things the way Hollywood dictates.
“When I first met Steve Balderson, I was a writer” says Schaefer. He goes on to say, “Steve planted the seed that you or I can do whatever we set our minds to doing.” Schaefer had enough material to start a book and the seed that was planted started to germinate. “I asked Balderson if he would be interested in working with me on a book and I got a resounding ‘yes!’ Schaefer recalls. After a year of traveling to Kansas, New York, Chicago and a multitude of phone calls, Schaefer had the backbone to Conversations. Working at night to put the finished product together, he finished in the fall of 2005 and got Steve Balderson’s approval to go ahead and look for a publisher. Now, in March, 2006, the book is ready for order.
Conversations is a story/book for anyone interested in independent filmmaking, true; but it is also a poignant look at being true to yourself and following what your heart tells you to do. Steve Balderson is a film school dropout. But by the end of the book, when you read the accomplishments and awards section, questions arise; just like they do when you view one of his films. Reading Balderson’s story is inspirational not only to filmmakers, but to dreamers alike.
Conversations: Steve Balderson, Dreams and Firecracker: ISBN # 0-595-38717-9, published February 2006, retail price $11.95, published by iUniverse, Inc., it is available from barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, iUniverse.com, and thousands of book sellers for order.
About iUniverse
iUniverse provides individuals a simple, fast and affordable way to publish, market, and sell fiction and nonfiction books. The company is one of the largest book publishing companies in the United States. iUniverse eliminates the necessity of massive print runs, dramatically shortens time-to-market, and gives authors control over when and how their works are published. iUniverse publishing programs are endorsed by industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild and the ASJA. iUniverse is a proud member of the Association of American Publishers, Publishers Marketing Association, and Small Publishers Association of North America. The company’s major investors include Warburg Pincus and Barnes and Noble.
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Author Joe Schaefer started his conversations with Steve Balderson (and the Balderson clan) back in 2003 with an interview for the now defunct Aftertaste Magazine. With each successive month and each successive development in the FIRECRACKER story, Schaefer thought, “there’s got to be a book here!”
Having a dream and actually sitting down and hashing out how one will achieve it are two different things. Steve Balderson longed to be a filmmaker, so he made it happen. Now, with one wildly entertaining cult favorite under his belt (PEP SQUAD), and a murder-mystery-thriller (FIRECRACKER) that just completed a non-traditional freak-show tour of America, this writer/director/producer just may be the personification of the American Dream.
FIRECRACKER stars rock icon Mike Patton, Academy Award Nominee Karen Black, Susan Traylor, Brooke Balderson, Amy Kelly, Jak Kendall and a host of others. FIRECRACKER was named one of Roger Ebert’s best films of 2005.
The book, ripe with interviews, emails and dissections of film, all shows that Balderson is poised to overthrow the notion of “how things ought to be done”—like finish film school or do things the way Hollywood dictates.
“When I first met Steve Balderson, I was a writer” says Schaefer. He goes on to say, “Steve planted the seed that you or I can do whatever we set our minds to doing.” Schaefer had enough material to start a book and the seed that was planted started to germinate. “I asked Balderson if he would be interested in working with me on a book and I got a resounding ‘yes!’ Schaefer recalls. After a year of traveling to Kansas, New York, Chicago and a multitude of phone calls, Schaefer had the backbone to Conversations. Working at night to put the finished product together, he finished in the fall of 2005 and got Steve Balderson’s approval to go ahead and look for a publisher. Now, in March, 2006, the book is ready for order.
Conversations is a story/book for anyone interested in independent filmmaking, true; but it is also a poignant look at being true to yourself and following what your heart tells you to do. Steve Balderson is a film school dropout. But by the end of the book, when you read the accomplishments and awards section, questions arise; just like they do when you view one of his films. Reading Balderson’s story is inspirational not only to filmmakers, but to dreamers alike.
Conversations: Steve Balderson, Dreams and Firecracker: ISBN # 0-595-38717-9, published February 2006, retail price $11.95, published by iUniverse, Inc., it is available from barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, iUniverse.com, and thousands of book sellers for order.
About iUniverse
iUniverse provides individuals a simple, fast and affordable way to publish, market, and sell fiction and nonfiction books. The company is one of the largest book publishing companies in the United States. iUniverse eliminates the necessity of massive print runs, dramatically shortens time-to-market, and gives authors control over when and how their works are published. iUniverse publishing programs are endorsed by industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild and the ASJA. iUniverse is a proud member of the Association of American Publishers, Publishers Marketing Association, and Small Publishers Association of North America. The company’s major investors include Warburg Pincus and Barnes and Noble.
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Contact Information
Joe Schaefer
Conversations
Email Conversations
518-438-3566