Algren, algren and algren

It's been too long since we've posted, and so much has happened that I don't even know where to start.  Summer of 2010 was remarkable, with interviews of William Friedkin and Philip Kaufman, both good friends of Nelson Algren, and several fans of his, including acclaimed musician Wayne Kramer and novelist Barry Gifford.  We also spent three days at the Algren archive in Ohio, finding letters, photos and collages that have never seen the light of day...but they will now, in the Algren documentary.  We have spent hundreds of hours going through the photos from the archives, as well as the multiple audio interviews of Algren by Studs Terkel at the Chicago History Museum.

We now have access to hundreds of photos of Algren by Art Shay, many of which have never been seen and from which we are looking to create remarkable animation sequences.  We also interviewed Kat Tatlock and Annick Smith, the daughters of photographer Stephen Deutsch, for their memories of Algren, and whose father's photographs will bring an additional level of insight into the complex life of Chicago's Dostoevsky.

Our producer, Gail Sonnenfeld has been infatigable, setting up all of our interviews and travels, and recently bringing in noted transmedia specialist, Gunter Sonnenfeld (yes, he's her brother) to help us expand the reach of this story above and beyond the film world.

We are heading to Ohio this weekend for more research, including getting access to audio tapes and self-recorded vinyl records that have never been heard.  This summer promises a treasure trove of interview subjects and, with any luck, we can began the long edit by the Fall.

More to come, soon, I promise.