Altidude is ToddZ

After picking up a tip on Twitter Monday afternoon, I went to the Boswell Bookstore for a book signing by Steve Boman, the Minneapolis based author of Film School: A Memoir That Will Change Your Life. (Also known by its alternate title, Film School: The True Story of a Midwestern Family Man Who Went to the the World’s Most Famous Film School, Fell Flat on His Face, Had a Stroke, and Sold a Television Series to CBS.)

Boman quickly summarized the professional and family situation that led up to his decision to briefly attend film school at 38, then read a chapter describing the car accident he witnessed which sparked his decision to return four years later to USC with a different outlook and greater determination. He then answered questions from the audience about his experiences being involved with the TV show on CBS, the need to keep moving and drinking water, the internet, the USC film program, and the like.

Also in attendance were Mark Borchardt and Mike Shank, of American Movie notoriety. I talked a bit with Mark after the Q&A session — it’s been years since I’ve run into him. It was a bit of a shocker to learn that he has a daughter about to graduate from the UWM film school, where I first met Mark.

What’s Mark been up to? “Oh man, writing, man, writing all the time, trying to put the pieces together and make things happen, you know, lining up the pins, getting the ideas down…” (I’m paraphrasing but if you ever meet Mark you’ll hear something pretty similar.)

Mark was also excited to talk up Frankie Latina’s well-received indie film Modus Operandi, in which he starred with the prolific character actor Danny Trejo and Milwaukee Film fixture and columnist Mark Metcalfe.

The film also featured Sarah Price, producer of American Movie (and my once-upon-a-time documentary filmmaking instructor) jumping from an airplane — a scene shot at my DZ, Skydive Milwaukee. w00t!

When I approached Boman with my copy of his book, Mark had just finished talking to him about a Minnesota filmmaker and stepped away. I asked “Do you happen to know who that guy was?” Boman said he didn’t.

“Ah, well,” I said, “if you get a chance someday, you should watch a documentary called American Mov—”

“OHHHH!” He immediately made the connection, and left the table to chase Mark down for an introduction. Turns out he loves the movie. I pointed out that Mike Shank was also there, and Boman gathered them both for group photos:

I felt a little bad for the other attendees who went on the back burner for a few minutes, but it was fun to instigate something a bit unusual for an author on a book tour stop.

Thanks to the Boswell Bookstore for hosting. If any of you Milwaukeeans are longing for a real independent local bookstore, check them out. They’re adjacent to Starbucks just south of the Downer Theatre.