BIOGRAPHIES
KARL
FERRIS – PRODUCER/PRODUCTION DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR
Karl
Ferris is known as the Innovator of psychedelic photography. A Photographer to
the “British Rock Elite”, Ferris was invited to create their “Images”.
Which he achieved, as the personal photographer to Jimi Hendrix, Donovan, Eric
Clapton and the Hollies. He was given an insider access to the “Experience”
that defined the 60’s and the world.
As
a World War II baby, who grew up in Hastings, England in the late 50’s, He
later went on to study at Hastings College of Art focusing on the Pre-Raphaelite
style of painting which would later influence his psychedelic photography of the
60’s.
After
school and with dreams of traveling to India, Ferris signed up as a steward on a
P&O liner that went to Australia via India.
After returning to England he served two years with the Royal Air Force
for his National Service (Conscription) learning photography as an Aerial
photographer, shooting jet fighter gunnery shots and “in the belly of the
beast”, bomber target shots. During this period he became friends with a
fellow conscriptee, who was a member of a Liverpool Mersey Beat group, and he
was introduced for the first time to this type of music. He was invited back to
Liverpool to see a new group “The Beatles” who were appearing at the Cavern
club and was introduced to them. He was then hooked on “Beat” music from
which the Beatles took their name.
In
1964 Karl was in London and became deeply involved with the happening Beat Mod
scene. Ferris received much
commissioned work as a fashion photographer for Teen magazine “19” and later
Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, French Mode and Marie Claire. These commissions
brought him to such locations as Paris, Cannes, Munich, Ibiza and Morocco. He
eventually returned to England for a “shoot” offer with Vogue. The Beatles
had just released “ Rubber Soul” and Karl had the chance to meet up with
their official photographer, Robert Freeman. Who encouraged Ferris to experiment
with different styles of images which he promptly did, in his unique psychedelic
style.
On
a trip to the Spanish island of “Ibiza”
he met, discovered and began shooting the “Fool” - Simon and Marijke’s
innovative psychedelic fashion designs. These shots were eventually printed in
the fashion section of the London Sunday Times. This was the first time such
psychedelic photography and fashions had been seen anywhere. He and the Fool
were then invited to come to London to shoot some more “Psychedelic” fashion
features for various magazines. Karl and the Fool shared a studio on St
Stephan’s Gardens in London.
During
that time Ferris receive many photo assignments as editors wanted his
psychedelic work in their magazines. He also began working on “Psychedelic
Happening shows” combining projections of colored liquid and photographs over
freeform dancers. The likes of Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Eric Clapton, T Rex,
Pink Floyd and John Lennon dropped by and began participating, by playing music,
with these shows. Ferris was also invited to do a stage light show for Pink
Floyd, which is believed to be the first one ever done in England in 1966.
Ferris
met with Jimi Hendrix in 1967 through Chas Chandler, who discovered Hendrix.
Karl received the compliment of a lifetime when Hendrix remarked to him, on
seeing his Portfolio. “You’re doing with photography, what I’m doing with
music, going far out beyond the limits”.
Hendrix then asked Ferris to be his photographer and to re-shoot the UK
version of the album ” Are You Experienced” for the US market, he said, he
wanted something to “blow their minds. Karl began experimenting, and using a
giant 6mm Nikon fisheye lens and a secret Infrared film that had just been
released by the military, who had used it for U2 plane spying which Kodak asked
him to try to find some commercial editorial use for. (The results were later
shown at Kodak’s London gallery 1967).
He
created the famous photograph used for Jimi’s first US record album cover,
which he also designed. His images
appeared on all three US Experience Album covers released during Hendrix’s
short life, ‘Are You Experienced’, ‘Axis Bold As Love’ and ‘Electric
Ladyland’, then later ‘Smash Hits’ and recently the yr 2000 ‘The Jimi
Hendrix Experience’ Box Set.
Karl
also created the Album cover images for Donovan’s : ‘Gift from a Flower to a
Garden’ which was the very first Rock Box Set, ‘Wear your Love like
Heaven’, ‘For the Little Ones’ and ‘Hurdy Gurdy Donovan’ and for The
Hollies ‘Evolution’ which is credited as being the very first psychedelic
photograph. He was also instrumental in creating their “Images” for the
shoots, which then became their recognized public image.
During
the years 1967-69, Karl Ferris was one of the preferred photographers to the
British Rock elite, nicknamed ‘the kid with the Nikon’ and ‘The
Wunderkind’ of Rock photography and album cover design, plus shooting also
many PR photos for them.
He
currently in 2007, is exhibiting his famous Album Cover photo art in San
Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Maui and Australia. This summer Karl will be
showing his album cover art at a Birmingham council sponsored show at the St.
Paul’s Gallery in England, this will also include his multi media light show
which will be projected on Freeform dancers and the ancient St Paul’s
cathedral.
His
60s Rock star photographs were recently published in MOJO, Guitar World and
Classic Rock magazines and the cover and inside of Donovan’s 2005
autobiography book.
Next
year Limited edition books of his Hendrix album cover photographs and session
notes including a DVD and a similar Donovan book including a DVD and his
psychedelic photographs of the Sixties era "The Karl Ferris
Experience" will be
published.
Currently
Karl is a CEO and Producer of Helixus Productions Ltd.
Vancouver BC.
Karl's Online Gallery of his famous 60s Rock Album Cover photographs.
http://karlferris.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album02
He
is co-producer, production designer and art director on the feature film
documentary ‘Revolution’ about the Cultural Revolution that took place in
the 1960’s, its main exponents and artists and its effects on the world today,
with many celebrity interviews, stock footage, music and art from that cultural
explosion. It is to be premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2008, which coincides
with the 40th anniversary of ‘The Summer Of Love’ celebrations.
He
is also working on a feature film trilogy, based on the theme of Hieronymus
Bosch the 15th century painter/inventor of surrealism,
“Hieronymus – Garden Of Destiny” a present day romantic crime
forgery thriller which is to be followed by a historic Biopic prequel set in the
15th century about the father of surrealism, “Hieronymus Bosch –
Encoded” and then a near future sequel “Hiero”.
He
is the co-writer, producer, production designer and art director of these
projects.
MELONIE
HALLER-FERRIS – PRODUCER / INTERVIEWER
Melonie
is a producer. She is also an actress, having played “Angie Grabowski” the female star with John Travolta on the
1970s television series ‘Welcome Back Kotter’. Since then she has had many
acting roles in:
FILM
Death
Wish III, Don’t Answer The Phone, Run For Your Life, To Find a Man.
TELEVISION
New
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Buck Rogers, Gretta, S.S. Casino,
Welcome
Back Kotter
THEATRE
Butterflies Are Free, Women Behind Bars, Odyssey, Butterflies Are Free.
MAGAZINE
ARTICLES
US,
People, Newsweek, Women, Playboy.
Currently
Melonie is a CEO and Producer of Helixus Film Productions Ltd.
She
is also working on the feature film trilogy, “Hieronymus – Garden Of
Destiny”, “Hieronymus Bosch – Encoded”, and “Hiero”, based on the
theme of Hieronymus Bosch the 15th century painter/inventor of surrealism.
PAUL
ARMSTRONG – PRODUCER / WRITER/ RESEARCHER
Paul
is a film, television and theatre producer. Feature film credits include
producer on ‘Moving Malcolm’ by Benjamin Ratner starring Elizabeth Berkley
(‘Showgirls’) and John Neville; executive producer on the 2006 Genie Award
nominated ‘See Grace Fly’ starring Gina Chiarelli and Paul McGillion and
co-producer on ‘Ill-Fated’ (Toronto & Slamdance Film Festivals) starring
Peter Outerbridge.
Short
film credits as producer include ‘Break a Leg, Rosie’ starring Carly Pope
and Ian Tracey, ‘Wearing the Unknown’ featuring Barbara Glazar, both
directed by Tara Hungerford, and ‘Mon amour mon parapluie’, starring Tara
Hungerford with Douglas Coupland and William Gibson. Music videos include ‘My
Greatest Masterpeice’ for Bif Naked, ‘Just a Pilgrim’ and ‘12
Questions’ for Jim Byrnes and ‘The World is Calling’ for Jeff Martin
(‘The Tea Party’). He has also produced commercials for television and the
web for Nintendo, WirelessWave and Storyeum.
Paul
is co-founder and producer of The
Celluloid Social Club, a
Vancouver-based monthly screening series
of independent short films.
In the past seven years he has
produced fourteen plays, including ‘Stiff Cuffs’, ‘SubUrbia’, ‘Phat
Tank’, ‘Speed-the-Plow’ and ‘Much Ado About Nothing’.
TONY
PAPA – DIRECTOR / EDITOR
Papa
worked and studied in New York City for seven years in many areas of film
production and related arts. In 1995 he moved to British Columbia and founded
the company Avanti Pictures Corporation, with a vision for producing and
directing quality heart felt, socially relevant document on and international
level. To date Papa has made
23 documentaries, 4 dramas, various EPK’s and music videos and has delivered
to networks such as CBC, A&E, Discovery, Vision, TVO, Bravo, PBS, and many
others. Papa’s production of
Suzuki Speaks won a Gemini in 2004.
DEVIN
LUND – DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Devin
is the DOP on such acclaimed television programs as ‘Wings Over Canada’ and
‘The Car Show’ with Tony Gort.
