It’s been exciting for me to have met or at least put in contact with many of the people involved with T E K , Topworld and, of course, upcoming projects.

When the decision was made to produce Topworld, so began the search for those who would become involved in the making of the film. My first big decision was who might play the role of Ellie. Originally, I wrote the role with actress Alexa Vega in mind. But then I rethought the role and, after a long process of deliberation, I decided Ellie should be Asian!

I didn’t know of any Asain or Asian-American actresses, so I started looking at hundreds of photographs of hopefuls, having, strangely, an excact image of what Ellie should look like.

On the second day of my online search, a single picture jumped out at me. “ELLIE!” I literally yelled. There she was...exactly as I had imagined her!

The actress’s name was Kathy Shao-lin Lee, and so I quickly sent her an email:

Hello Kathy!
My name is Kevin Kraft, and independent film maker and award-winning
screenwriter seeking talent for possible future productions. No promises to you
yet, but I am interested in learning more about you, your experience, anything
you'd care to tell me about yourself.

Please email me here. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincere,

Kevin M. Kraft

I waited and waited.... Waited a half-day! Then I received this response from Ms. Lee herself:

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for writing me - did you get my email from a website? I've been acting in film/tv for about 5 years now...and am always up for collaborating with other artists who are just as passionate as I am about my work. :) I just finished my second feature film " (dir. Georgia Lee) in June, and have been taking acting classes at Atlantic Acting School for the rest of the summer. You can find more info on me (acting resume, lins for films I've recently acted in, pictures, etc) on my .

Do you have a website as well that I could visit? What films have you written/directed before? Would love to hear more about it!

I'm based in NYC, so if you wanted to meet up and talk more some time for coffee or lunch, I'd be more than happy to. Again, you can reach me by email here or on my cell phone at (###) ###-###.

Talk to you soon, Kevin!

-Kathy :)

Well, there was no hope of meeting with her too soon. I am here in Kansas City, after all. But was followed was a magnificent stream of emails between Ms. Lee and myself that only solidifed her all the more as Eliyso. I thought then (and still do) think Kathy Shao-lin Lee was born to play Ellie!

I mention Kathy first because, after collaborating with her at length, and after seeing her work, I am an unabashed fan. She's lovely and talented actress who I believe will find great success. She has displayed great instincts and a willingness to collaborate on developing the character of Eliyso. And I look forward to working with her on Topworld as well as other future movie projects........

Many people know that famed author Ray Bradbury is a literary hero of mine. What some of you don’t realize it that I actually email him and his daughter Alexandra once in awhile--and he does respond. I, of course, told him about Topworld:

Hello Alexandra!

Long time, huh? I wanted to write and see how you and your dad are doing. I know busy and hope you don't mind inquiring. Your dad's work has meant a lot to me and I know you mean the universe to him.

You may actually hear more about me in the months to come; I'm in preproduction with regard to the filming of a movie! Yeah, my award-winning screenplay, TOPWORLD, is in the making. So...remember that title!

Take care and do let your dad know you're both in my thoughts and prayers!

Kevin Kraft

He wrote back:

Dear Kevin:

Thanks so much for your kind words. All is going well here and I'm in good health. I just got back from a trip to Washington DC and a visit to the white house. I'll send a copy of the news from the Washington Post.

I'm happy to hear about your preproduction plans for TOPWORLD and will keep my eyes open for news about it.

Alexandra and I send our good wishes,

Ray B.

A great honor for me would be to be able to invite Mr. Bradbury to the premiere of Topworld and finally meet him. He is, after all, quite responsible for fueling my vivid imagination in my youth...and now in my youthfulness.......

As some of you may know, legendary singer Gary Puckett’s hit song, “Young Girl” is featured in Topworld. So it was necessary, of course, to contact him(through his wife and manager, Lorrie Puckett) to find out if it was all right:

Lorrie,

>

> I am an independent filmmaker who will be shooting a movie next year.

The script

> calls specifically for a sound bite from the chorus of Garry's "Young

> Girl," and I was wondering who controls the song rights to the recording

> that I could contact about using it and what it would take (cost). Can you

help me?

>

> Kevin M. Kraft, CEO, T E K  Productions

>

She replied:

Hi Kevin,

Sony/CBS owns the rights to the original recording. I have also been

informed over the years that it is quite expensive to work with them.  Gary

has also re-recorded  "Young Girl"  and he owns this version so perhaps we

could work something out, You will have to pay publishing either way but I

don't believe that is a large expense.

I wish you much success with your movie. Please let me know if your'e

interested in the above mentioned.

Awaiting your reply.

Lorrie

Since then we have become fast friends. And not only are the Pucketts very interested in helping with music for Topworld, including Gary and I trading vocals (as if I could keep up with him!) on "Tell the World Not to Turn" on the Topworld soundtrack, but Gary will play the part of "Dr. Laufman," if all goes according to plan! I am very honored to be working with Mr. Puckett on this and hopefully future projects!

Daryl Evarts, my childhood friend, is the man who opened the first door to getting Topworld made. After I contacted him and sent him the screenplay to read, he wrote back:

I read your script and loved it!!  I call a man by the name of Beryl Wolk.  Go to berylsworld.com to see who I am talking about.  He is one of the biggest promoters of hollywood movies.  I was told to have you email your script to berylwolk@aol.com  Tell him you are a friend of mine and Joel Griffing.  He will read it and see what he can do.  If you want to talk call me at 607-368-2324 or 607-566-2324 and I can fill you in.  See ya

Daryl

A couple months or so later, this arrived:

Kevin,

sorry I could not get ahold of you yesterday as I promised, dealing with a few major projects right now........

Your friend Daryl had sent your script to Beryl Wolk in Jenkintown Philadelphia for review for (I think) potential funding....... 

So that you know, my background in film/television is extensive (a brief bio is also attached) and my companies have been involved with packaging of projects for film finance as well.  Beryl's company has begun receiving a two hundred million dollar investment that will be put toward a number of business ventures and he is allowing me to bring in film projects that have a package attached.

Most film finance companies need this (just like a business plan for that world) and gives the best light for a project.  How do you get the components of a package together? what are in each package, well here is what they need:

A certified budget (prepared by an industry professional who has been bonded

Industry recognized Agent or agency that reps your project.

Letters of intent from a director or their rep.

Letter of intent from a actors agent or rep.

Producer attached with credits of financial success and background.

Cast list (the wish list as it is referred)

Letter of intent for DISTRIBUTION (the most important element to get money)

Compared returns from other projects in same genre

*possible breakdown, but not always needed (even though a hand breakdown is completed for the budget)

then you can present the project (not just a script) for finance, otherwise you can only try to sell it along with the other 100,000 scripts per month coming into the industry.

Not being a downer, just laying out what you will need.....  I just finished a package for a company out of Nashville that received their letter of finance yesterday.

Here are some numbers to consider, a professional agency that would package will charge around 40,000 dollars to bring all of this into format.

A director's guild of america production manager/upm, first assistant director will charge around 3-5,000 dollars to prepare a budget/breakdwon and maybe a letter of interest from a director.

Like any business there are costs associated with getting things into play.

On a personal note, Beryl asked me to take a look at your script (which is very good I might add) and see if I can help you out.

I would be willing to put together the budget, letter from a agent, director list, cast list, compare film box office receipt for you as well as put my bio attached as a producer for a very small fee.

I know you are a working guy, and not floating in money, but the people that I worked for out of Nashville had similiar money limitations, but will acquire their 1.5 million dollars by year's end.....

You think about what is fair and if you can or want to do something like this..... we can meet to discuss and go over the entire deal....

Let's talk later,

Jeffrey B. Mallian

So! We had a producer!!! And, more importantly, a new friend. And he has so far proven himself a great one! Jeff has been spanning the globe, virtually, working deep behind the scenes for our benefit--and doing it mostly for free, because he believes in the project that strongly!!! WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR JEFF!!!!

Even more--Beryl Wolk!!!!!! Just look him up on the Web to find out who this marketing wizard is. Indeed, I consider him to be sort of like The Wizard of Oz.........

There aren’t a whole lot of actors or actresses who come to mind as people I would love to work with one day. Certain Kathy Lee (mentioned above) is one. Another is an exceptional actress named Holliston Coleman, (mentioned on the Proving Ground page under Projects in Development. Impressed with her talent since seeing her in Bless the Child, I visited one of her online websites and left a message for her webmaster:

 Hello,
I am an independent filmmaker interested in contacting Holliston for
possible movie work. Are you able to tell me how to reach her, the
information of her agent perhaps?

Kevin M. Kraft. CEO, T E K Productions

I didn’t really expect it to go anywhere. She’s an accomplished actress. I was certain I’d be ignored.

Boy, was I wrong. I heard from three different people: the creator of her website, an associate, then her father, then...Holli herself. (I call her Holli, did you notice?)

Hello,

This is Holli, it is nice to meet you. You can contact me here, I just haven't been on lately. Okay, bye!

Holli

Since then an email stream has been established between me and the Colemans, mainly her parents. Her younger brother Bobby is also an actor.

I’ve had a rich exchange with Bob, Sr. and Doris. This has only increased with the very rapid creation of Proving Ground: From the Adventures of Captain Redlocks, written specifically for Holli, after having heard some of the Colemans’ stories describing their frustration with the lack of appropriate scripts for their kids to accept. After I sent the first rough draft to Bob, he wrote this:

Wow!! That was a fun ride!!

Once I started, I couldn't stop -- it keeps drawing you in to see what's gonna happen next.

The only thing I didn't like was the subtitle, which as I recall (I don't have it with me) said something like "The First AND LAST Adventure of Captain Redlocks". I didn't like the LAST part -- I want more adventures!

Thanks for sharing it with us. It would be a blast to see it produced. Doris told me you sent an email saying it all just flowed out of you very quickly. I'm amazed and impressed. I've always wished for the ability of storytelling, but ... you've really got it.

It'll be fun to see what God has in store for all of us. Let's keep praying.

Bob

How great! They seem like a great family, and I look forward to working with them to bring Proving Ground: From the Adventures of Captain Redlocks to fruition......

Actress Ashley Cafagna Tesoro (Saved By the Bell) and her husband have a production company that declined my offer to co-produce Topworld with me, although they enjoyed it. But I sent them my script Riverhorse, hoping they might consider producing it. Again I tailored it for Ashley. (Seems my modus operandi will become writing material for specific talent!) They’re reponse:

To Mr. Kevin M Kaft,

My wife and I have recently reviewed your screenplay titled "RiverHorse". We both think that you have a great concept and hope to be able to work with you to further develop the script and possibly produce the film as well with Ashley Cafagna-Tesoro as the lead role.   We are currently involved in producing a feature film and will not have the time to work on another project for at least 6-8 months.  Thank you for submitting your script to us and we will contact you when we make our final decision concerning our involvement with your script.

Sincerely,

Anthony J. Tesoro

Chairman

Tesoro Entertainment

I hope this prospect goes well!