Impact with actor/producer Kevin Craig West

I'm pressed to catch up on the events this last month.  "Impact" with Open Stage Media and Proctors came my way as an unexpected and delightful opportunity from Proctor's Producer Richa Bhat Khandelwal and Proctor's C.E.O. Philip Morris, who is the Impact on the Arts Co-Host.

Philip and I have a friendly competition going on to see who can bring on the most exciting, current and inspiring Guest-from-the-Arts -- not that any artist isn't exciting and current, but rather that it's a joy finding those individuals who have yet to be "discovered" by other media formats.

Thus, my first Guest on Impact was, for me, a no-brainer.  In upstate, New York, you can't be in the indie film and professional theater scene for long without hearing the name "Kevin Craig West."

Indeed, when I first moved "up" here from Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 2007, I kept hearing about Kevin and, quite frankly, it annoyed me.

Could this guy really be all that everyone keeps on saying he is?  How in the world is he able to keep up with everything he does in the industry and still sleep?

Well, as it turns out, Kevin is also very good at slowly converting his skeptics.  Most often, he'll turn to you, unexpectedly, and offer you a chance to participate in the industry he so loves.

That is how I was given the opportunity to grow as the Programming Chair for Upstate Independents.  The former Programming Chair had resigned and Kevin asked me, "How would you like to step in as an interim Programming Chair?"

And that was the opportunity for me to stretch out in the indie film scene of upstate, New York.

Lately, I call it the six degrees of Kevin.  No one is perfect, but Kevin has done a lot for people and the good karma always comes back in one way or another.  In fact, I'd wager that my current role as a host on "IMPACT" has to do with him in one way or another.

Not that Kevin is perfect... nor that he is responsible for creating all the opportunities upstate...but his imperfections stand out as unique personality traits that he definitely knows how to creatively exploit as an actor in his best work and he's wise enough to know that positive energy sends vibes that eventually touch us all and return.

Negative vibes, on the other hand, cause a vacuum, a virtual black hole for creativity, in other words.

Quite scientific, if you think about it.  Albert Einstein would be proud.
Watch my interview with Kevin and you'll see how that all comes together and adds up.

>> watch interview 

"Across the River and Into the Trees" and Me

I just finished performing in a period piece entitled ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES, directed by the wonderfully talented Alex Uhlmann and crew -- including one of the most talent D.P.s I've run into in a long time, Danielle Krudy. The highlight? Being on set with my son, Max, and watching him take on his very first film role with talented aplomb.

If you'd like to learn more about this piece of indie nirvana in Upstate, NY, check out the newsletter article from the Official Woodstock Film Festival by clicking "here."

Otherwise, stay tuned -- with a little bit of serendipity, there will be more of such-exciting projects on the horizon!