The hosts of They Shoot Films aren't film critics (though they are often critical) or gushing movie enthusiasts (though they are often enthusiastic). Ken Mercer and FT Kosempa discuss films from the perspective of people who have actually written, directed, acted, edited... and suffered the unpleasant side effect of too many peanut M&M's from the craft service table.
Ken Mercer was born in Newark, New Jersey. He has written for newspaper, magazine, radio, television and feature films. He is the author of two novels: "Slow Fire" and "East on Sunset," both published by St. Martin’s Press.
In 1981, he was cast as a used car salesman in a feature film that was being shot by a director named FT Kosempa. FT assured Ken that it was not a case of typecasting.
As a director, he has been fortunate to work with cinematographers such as Allen Daviau and Curtis Clark, and production companies such as Propaganda Films. He is represented by Jeff Gerecke at G Agency (books) and Amy Schiffman at Echo Lake Entertainment (film).
Ken currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.
FT Kosempa was born in DuBois, Pennsylvania. From the age of eight, the young FT was obsessed with watching the films of foreign directors such as Jean Renoir, Akira Kurosawa, and Ingmar Bergman.
As a consequence, he grew up without any friends.
FT studied film at Columbia University with Stefan Sharff and acting in New York City with Gordon Phillips. An award-winning director, he has also worked as a film editor, cinematographer, screenwriter, and is the writer-director of the feature film "Untitled VIII" (1982). As a fine art photographer, his work is represented by the Duncan Miller Gallery in Los Angeles.
FT currently resides near Woodstock, New York.