Hi Everyone!
I am a former sportswriter with the Marin Independent Journal, Marin County's (CA) daily newspaper. I was also a correspondent for Gannett News Service and USA Today. I worked at the Marin I.J. for almost 10 years, during which time I was a beat reporter covering the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Athletics. I also occasionally covered the San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors as well as local high school and college sports. Ultimately, I left the Independent Journal in 1988 with a case of job burnout.
After trying to figure out what next to do with my life, I saw an ad for "Vancouver Film School" in one of San Francisco's weekly tabloids. Since I had a lot of time on my hands, I decided to take a drive from Marin County to Vancouver (B.C., Canada) to meet with school officials. I was very impressed. Nevertheless, I went to Los Angeles to compare film schools at both USC and UCLA. Both of the the L.A. schools were extremely expensive. EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE! So I packed up my bags and moved to Vancouver.
The film production course lasted about 8 months. It was a very intense program. We learned every phase of the filmmaking process -- from creating a screenplay all the way to procuring an answer print for your completed film(s). I made two short films in Vancouver. The first was a 10-minute video documentary on Guide Dogs for the Blind in Canada. The second film was a 10-minute sync-sound drama about a guy who has second-thoughts about getting married on his wedding night.
After returning home from Vancouver, I was lost for ideas. I didn't know what to write about. I was complaining to my grandmother about it. She told me that I wouldn't write anything meaningful until I reached my 40's. And she was right. I finished my first screenplay when I was 42. Since then I have written five more scripts. And I have a lot more stories that I want tell.
I am currently working for Community Action Marin in it's mental health division during the day. And I am pursuing my film projects during my off-hours. I am currently looking for a producer to partner with in order to make my "low-budget" feature drama, "Gabriel's Place." The story takes place in a psychiatric board-and-care facility and follows the lives of the people in the house, primarily a love story between Ray, a paranoid schizophrenic, and Daisy, a bipolar "hippie-chick."
That's all for now. Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to hearing from you! All the best, Andrew.
Artie Pechner"s Bad Hair Day Budget: $100K - $1M | Drama When his girlfriend threatens to leave him, Artie Pechner decides to go on a quest to reconnect with his estranged family in order to gain greater insight into his relationships.
When You're Strange Budget: $100K - $1M | Drama After his father passes away, an emotionally and mentally troubled Joshua Klein, 30's, returns home and attempts to rekindle friendships with his childhood buddies as well as a relationship with his high school sweetheart.
Among Friends Budget: $100K - $1M | Drama The lives and loves of a group of college friends are examined when they get together for an annual sports stadium tailgate party.
Abby's Deadline Budget: $100K - $1M | Sports ⋄ Drama A young female sports reporter in the 1980's must gain the respect of the players she covers -- as well as her male counterparts -- as she tries to break barriers in a competitive, male-dominated business.
On Shaky Ground Budget: $100K - $1M | Drama The lives of people in an earthquake emergency shelter come together in a mash-up of film classics "Casablanca" and "Of Mice and Men" as well as the song "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman.
Gabriel"s Place Budget: $100K - $1M | Drama A paranoid schizophrenic and a bipolar "hippie chick" -- both in their 40's -- fall in love and struggle to find intimacy while living in a crowded psychiatric board-and-care facility.
Certificate of Excellence (VFS/Film)
(1989)
Associated Press Sports Editors Award (Journalism)
(1986)
California AP Sports Editors Award (Journalism)
(1986)
Bette Reese Memorial Scholoarship (Journalism)
(1980)
John L. Wasserman Memorial Scholarship (Journalism)
(1979)
San Francisco State University
(1981-1985)
College of Marin
(1979-1981)
Vancouver Film School
(1989)