How I Told the Film Crew I Was Jewish

Camerman Doug Caswell, Soundman Doug Kay, and Producer/Director Jamie Kastner of Cave 7 Productions
Last week I was visited by three Canadians, and this time they were not here to make me take yet another survey about maple syrup. Actually, these fine fellows from Cave 7 Productions were in New York to interview local Jews for a new feature documentary, The Identity Project/ HOW I TOLD THE WORLD I WAS JEWISH, AND FOUND OUT WHAT IT FELT LIKE (working title). Producer and Director Jamie Kastner interviewed me in my apartment here in Park Slope, Brooklyn, asking questions about the new Jewish Renaissance, and how I identify with the movement. Being interviewed for film was a totally new experience for me, and I have to admit that I was a little camera shy. We talked about my approach to Judaism through cartoons--that was the easy part. We also spoke briefly about my ex-sweetheart, who was a significant source of inspiration for my cartoons, and that was a bit tougher. I am humbled to be considered even just a minor player in the New Jewish movement, and even if my bit gets cut from the film, I am honored to have had the opportunity to meet with Kastner and his crew.

Cave 7 Productions is a Toronto-based boutique production company specializing in unique documentary films made for international audiences. Though a relatively new company, it has received considerable acclaim and forged solid relationships with a range of prestigious broadcasters around the world.

Currently in production: The Identity Project/ HOW I TOLD THE WORLD I WAS JEWISH, AND FOUND OUT WHAT IT FELT LIKE (working title), a feature documentary being made for BBC's Oscar-winning series Storyville, Sundance Channel (US) , TVOntario, CHUM, Canal D, SCN (Canada), YLE Finland, TV2 Denmark, SBS Australia, and Noga 8 Israel.

President of Cave 7 Productions, Jamie Kastner is producer/director of all the company's key projects to date. In addition, he recently served as writer/director and songwriter for Discovery Channel's Strange Tales of the Flesh (Barna Alper Productions) and co-writer for Comedy Gold (Insight Productions) a four-hour documentary for CBC on the history of comedy. For three seasons he directed and hosted a regular pop culture segment, kastnerkulture, on CBC-Newsworld's play. He has directed extensively for various current affairs and cultural programs at CBC, TVOntario and MuchMusic including Undercurrents, Studio 2, Big Life with Daniel Richler and On The Arts with Laurie Brown. He hosted and produced Mr. Jones a live pop culture program on TVO and was associate producer on two CBC-Witness documentaries: Chickens are People Too and Somebody's Gotta Do It. He has also worked extensively as a print journalist with the Toronto Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, NOW, eye, and Saturday Night magazines, and is currently a regular contributor to Canada's two national newspapers, The Globe and Mail and The National Post. He has also written and directed for theatre.

I also think he looks like South Park's Matt Stone.

Best of luck to Jamie Kastner and his crew on this amitious project!