When I was talking to Effie T. Brown she mentioned a guy I should talk to that she is working with on a film with. His name Ben Berkowitz. Unless you stray off the beaten path you may not have heard of Ben but you will. He’s a talented guy and I have a feeling there is going to be talk about his next flick.

TMW: I was put into contact with you by Effie T Brown. She had mentioned a project she is working with you on called “Polish Bar.” What can tell my readers about this film?

BB: “Polish Bar” is a family drama set in present day Chicago centering around a young man torn between his loyalty to family and religion and his misguided but earnest aspirations to find his own way in life. The script my partner Ben Redgrave and I wrote several years ago and have developed into a wonderful ensemble of actors and filmmakers to bring it to life on film. It will be my second feature film as a director.

TMW: I understand aside form working on your own projects you have recently started a new company called The Other Works. What exactly is The Other Works?

BB: My wife is a post-production supervisor and a producer and she specializes in VFX and feature film finishing both coordinating and helping to budget and find creative solution to finish projects that may have both time and financial issues. And I over the years with my own films have become very well versed in the festival work, programming strategy and helping indie films find distribution. We decided to put our skills to use for other filmmaker, especially with films we love and want to help support, into a new company we have had 2 projects so far and have several other in the works bringing our first film Half-life to Sundance this year and assisting in the completion and festival route for that film. www.halflifemovie.com. We have are interested in projects that needs help with any or all of the above and think its a very valid needed addition to the film work because we all need help finishing our films but for first time filmmakers or for filmmaker working independently for the first time we can be a great asset.

TMW: What were some the challenges you faced in your career where a company like The Other Works could have helped you?

BB: Making huge mistakes that led to running out of money and films not looking and sounding as good as they could have if I had a technically brilliant person like Samantha or the Veteran film festival soldier that I have grown into on my side from the beginning. It is human nature that we all ask for help when we are in an emergency or desperate situation. But really it is a great plan to have help before rather than after to assure problems do not ever have a chance to slow down you creative process for you film which is everyone’s goal.

TMW: What have been some of your favorite projects to work on, the ones you look back with the fondest of memories?

BB: My first film played at the Berlin Film Festival and it was my first time in Europe and the first time I felt like a “real” filmmaker also when you start meeting your heroes. I was lucky to have a project at the Tribeca Film festival several years ago and was invited to a dinner with Both Robert Deniro and Harvey Keitel who are amazing g guys and have such a huge body of work. Then walking back to my friend’s apt in NYC and realizing that you have a long way to go in your craft but you are now in a peer group that includes them is kind of mind boggling but wonderful.

TMW: What is the best advice you could give to those would be filmmakers out there trying to get that first feature length project made?

BB: It’s simple. Not easy. But it’s simple and possible. You make a film over time do not rush and do not compromise. I talk to filmmakers sometimes and they are still editing but they tell me I am not happy with it yet but I am going to finish it is good enough I think. And I honestly tell them no, no it isn’t good enough if you yourself are not happy who else will be. It is brutally competitive out there to even play a festival today is a small miracle. So please we all should begin by making a film that pleases ourselves.

TMW: I may be “The Movie Whore” but everyone has those films they love that would make them a movie whore as well. What are some of the films you love that you should be ashamed to admit but you love them anyway, you know the guiltiest of pleasures?

BB: Well I have no shame I love the greats the obvious ones Raging Bull, Anything by Cassavetes or Mike Leigh etc. BUT I love early 1980s dramedies before I think that hybrid word even existed they did it better than they ever do now. Tootsie, Lonely Guy with Steve Martin and of course my teenage movies which I still love Porky’s and anything with kids going on spring break

TMW: Since this is an interview with The Movie Whore, is there any one you would want to whore out to me for my next interview?

BB: I have contact info for Jennifer Phang who wrote and directed Half-Life which I worked on as a Co-Producer.
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How can you go wrong with a guy that loves Porky’s, you can’t. It was an absolute pleasure to talk with Ben and I look forward to seeing what he does with Polish Bar and with The Other Works. It may be there for some one who stops by here from time to time.

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