Joe Frantz | |
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Born | Joseph Frantz July 17, 1977 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Cinematographer, producer, director |
Years active | 1994–present |
Website | joefrantz.com |
Joseph Frantz is an American producer, cinematographer, director, and former member of Bam Margera's CKY crew. His body of works includes the CKY video series, Haggard: The Movie , [1] reality television shows such as Viva La Bam and Bam's Unholy Union , Jackass Number Two , Jackass 2.5 , Jackassworld.com: 24 Hour Takeover , Jackass 3D , and Jackass 3.5 , [2] and music videos for bands such as HIM, [3] CKY, [4] Clutch, and the 69 Eyes. [5]
Frantz is also a collaborative co-author of the book Dreamseller, which he wrote with MTV / Jackass personality Brandon Novak. [6] Frantz is a television documentary producer and cinematographer whose works have aired on National Geographic , The History Channel , Animal Planet , Discovery Channel , and The Travel Channel . [2]
Frantz is noted for serving as cinematographer for the CKY video series, a predecessor to the Jackass franchise. [2] The series was directed by Bam Margera and starred the CKY crew, as well as popular extreme sports icons such as Tony Hawk. As director of photography for CKY 3 and CKY4 , Frantz introduced high production quality 35-millimeter and 16-millimeter film sequences to the action sports genre, which was then primarily shot on various low quality videotape formats. Among the most noted film segments in the CKY videos are the "Shopping Cart Slams" and the "HeMan BeastMan" music video for the band Gnarkill (for which Frantz also crafted the stop-motion animation sequences).
In 2014, Frantz directed and produced the one-hour documentary CKY: The Greatest Hits , which highlights the most memorable moments and unreleased footage from the CKY videos, and features commentary from Bam Margera and the CKY crew, with special appearances by Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine of Jackass . [7]
Following the international success of the CKY videos, Bam Margera approached Frantz with the script for his independent motion picture directorial debut, a comedy titled Haggard: The Movie (2003). [8] Directed by, starring, and financed by Margera, Haggard co-stars Ryan Dunn and the CKY crew, and features cameos by skateboard legends Tony Hawk and Bucky Lasek. For the production of Haggard, Frantz developed a production method through which he could serve dual roles as both producer and director of photography, and shot the movie in super-16 millimeter film.
Directed by and starring Bam Margera and the cast of MTV's Viva La Bam , Minghags: The Movie (2009) is an homage to one of Margera's and Frantz's favorite genres, born out of the 1980s, the "Screwball Comedy" (such films as John Landis' Kentucky Fried Movie and Amazon Women on the Moon ). As co-director, executive producer, and director of photography, Frantz shot it in super-16 millimeter film, in the same colorful style as its predecessor, Haggard: The Movie. [9]
Bam Margera Presents: Where the ♯$&% Is Santa? (2008) is a modern-day Christmas saga, a reality comedy feature reminiscent of the MTV predecessor Viva La Bam , in which Bam Margera and Brandon Novak trek across Finland to find Santa Claus in order to make good on a bet with Jimmy Pop of the Bloodhound Gang. They are also joined by the Dudesons. The film features other cameos by Kat Von D, CKY, and Andy McCoy of Hanoi Rocks. Frantz served as the film's co-executive producer, writer, and director of photography, and appeared in a cameo role. [10]
Frantz is noted for his camera work in Jackass Number Two (2006), Jackass 2.5 (2007), Jackassworld.com: 24 Hour Takeover (2008) (in which Frantz made his first Jackass cameo appearance), Jackass 3D (2010), and Jackass 3.5 (2011). [2] Frantz is also noted for shooting the "lost" Jackass Number Two scene of Don Vito, the "Don Vito Tooth Pull" (2006), in which Vito had his tooth pulled out via a string attached to the bumper of a Lamborghini driven by Bam Margera and Johnny Knoxville. The footage quickly became the "big stunt" in the official Jackass Number Two trailer. Due to legal allegations centered around Don Vito, [11] the footage was omitted from the film, and it is rumored that Frantz still owns Vito's tooth.[ citation needed ] A few seconds of the lost footage can be seen in the original Jackass Number Two trailer. [12] He was asked to work on Jackass Forever (2022), and Jackass 4.5 (2022), but declined the offer. [13]
The Jackass spin-off Viva La Bam , MTV's scripted-reality series starred Bam Margera and his friends from Jackass and the CKY videos, known as the "CKY crew". The program was shot from 2003 to 2006 (from pilot to the "Viva La Spring Break" special). Each episode presented a theme or mission, and took the cast and crew on journeys across the United States, South America, Europe, and Scandinavia. The show also often featured appearances of Margera's favorite bands and celebrity friends such as HIM, CKY, Clutch, Slayer, Gwar, The Bloodhound Gang, Johnny Knoxville, and Tony Hawk. [14]
For Viva La Bam's five-season duration, Frantz served as director of photography and contributed to the aesthetic of the show by shooting scenes and montages in super-16 and 35-millimeter film, using a variety of experimental cinematographic in-camera techniques (such as stop-motion), producing the only motion picture film presented on a reality program in the history of television.[ citation needed ]
Frantz was producer and director of photography of the Jackass / Viva La Bam spinoff Bam's Unholy Union (2007). The series chronicled the marriage of Bam Margera to his high school sweetheart Melissa "Missy" Rothstein, and featured Ryan Dunn, Brandon DiCamillo, Brandon Novak, Rake Yohn, and Frantz in a cameo role. [15]
MTV's Blastazoid was the featured show on MTV's highly advertised "Gamers Week". [16] The half-hour special was created by MTV's internal division with Joe Frantz and Brandon DiCamillo, who were signed on as producers to head up the project shortly after approaching MTV with their idea to create a "Live-Action Donkey Kong"; a five-story, life-sized version of the classic arcade game. [17]
Blastazoid chronicled the lives of hosts Frantz, DiCamillo, and Rake Yohn, as they brought "Live-Action Donkey Kong" to life. It also showcased user-created gaming, fan, and tribute footage found on the internet. Although MTV's Blastazoid Special ended with a trailer for a "Live-Action Frogger" episode, the teaser was a spoof and Blastazoid had never been intended for a series. [16]
Frantz has served as both producer and director of photography with director Bam Margera on four music videos for Finnish band HIM:
The international success of the HIM videos initiated the production of a series of documentary features by Margera and Frantz:
Interspersed with Margera's signature antics, the documentaries highlight the history of the band and depict challenges of the video productions.
In 1999, Frantz served as producer and director of photography with director Bam Margera for the CKY video "96 Quite Bitter Beings" (1999). The video was a success on MTV's Total Request Live , [18] and the Margera / Frantz team has since released a total of thirteen CKY music videos, the most popular of which were played on MTV: "Flesh into Gear" (2001), "Attached at the Hip" (2002), "A#1 Roller Rager" (2009), and the half-hour music documentary The Making of "A#1 Roller Rager". [19] In addition, Margera and Frantz created the DVD release of Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild: The Video Album (2003), [20] which features twelve music videos and behind-the-scenes documentary features.
Frantz has served as both producer and director of photography with director Bam Margera on three music videos for the Finnish band 69 Eyes: "Lost Boys" (2005), [21] "Dead Girls Are Easy" (2009), and "Dead and Gone" (2009). [5] The videos received heavy rotation on music video channels such as Kerrang! TV, and The Box, throughout Europe, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom.[ citation needed ]
In 2010, under the direction of Caesar Augustus, Frantz produced reggae legend Barrington Levy's "NO WAR" music video. It was shot in Frantz's hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and features Kardinal Offishal, Ninjaman, Louie Rankin, and Wayne Wonder. The video thematically encompasses unity of the underclass in urban culture. [22]
Frantz directed the Bloodhound Gang's music video "Screwing You on the Beach at Night" (2008), which is a visual parody of the classic black-and-white Chris Isaak "Wicked Game" video. [23] Frantz reconstructed the "Wicked Game" video shot-per-shot, using the same camera angles, lenses, and shot composition as the original. [4] Bloodhound Gang frontman Jimmy Pop's performance is a spoof of Chris Isaak's notably sexy performance, [24] in which Jimmy plays a drooling, cross-eyed, girl-chasing simpleton.
Viking Skull's signature lifestyle of "drinking and rocking" [25] is depicted in the videos directed by Bam Margera with Frantz as producer and director of photography: "Blackened Sunrise" (2007) [26] and "Hair of the Dog" (2009). [27]
Frantz teamed up with director Bam Margera to produce and film the music video for hard rock band Clutch's "The Mob Goes Wild" (2004). The video features antics from Ryan Dunn and Brandon DiCamillo of Jackass .
As a lifelong friend of rapper Vinnie Paz, Frantz directed the first video of Paz's band Jedi Mind Tricks called "I Who Have Nothing" (1996), which features experimental in-camera animation and effects shot on a 16-millimeter Bolex camera. [28] When frontman Paz pursued his solo career, Frantz served as director and cinematographer for Paz's debut video "Keep Movin' On" (2010). The video features cameos from several of Frantz's friends and associates: Philadelphia personality Tony Luke Jr., Scott Vogel of the hardcore band Terror, and Gina Lynn of the adult film world. Frantz followed the release with the Vinnie Paz documentary "Keep Movin' On: A Portrait of Vinnie Paz". [29]
The CD/DVD sets Viva La Bands (2005) and Viva La Bands, Volume 2 (2007) were released by skater/ Jackass alumnus Bam Margera and had international distribution. The CDs are compilations of songs from Margera's favorite bands. The DVD features include popular music videos, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and the "lost episode" of Viva La Bam , titled "Iceland Waterfall", [30] which were directed by Margera and produced and filmed by Frantz. [31]
Frantz is a collaborative co-author of the book Dreamseller, which he wrote with MTV / Jackass personality Brandon Novak. [32] This "cautionary tale" chronicles Novak's career as a young professional skateboarder, descent into heroin addiction, and subsequent rise to MTV fame. [33] Frantz documented the life of Novak in "Dreamseller: The Documentary Series. The film outlines Novak's career, and the effects of drug addiction on relationships, and features interviews with Novak's mother, as well as Bam Margera, Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, and Ryan Dunn, who comment on their relationships with Novak and his history of drug abuse. [34] In December 2007, on an episode of Radio Bam on Sirius Radio, Frantz accuses Novak of being high, frisks him, and uncovers hidden drugs. Consequently, Margera, Frantz, and company kicked Novak out of Margera's studio and sent him home. [35] In March 2009, in an attempt to dissuade young people from trying drugs, Frantz interviewed Novak who was then committed to a mental institution for recovery from prescription drug addiction. [36] Frantz and Novak have started writing the second book in the Dreamseller series, which is centered around Novak's relationship with his father, now deceased. [37]
Frantz was a regular guest host on the Sirius Satellite Radio program Radio Bam until its end in 2013. The show featured Bam Margera and guests.
Since 2018, Frantz is the co-host of The Novak and Frantz Show on the Might Be News Network with fellow CKY crew member Brandon Novak. On the show, they discuss sobriety, film-making, current events, and their Jackass careers. They have had Chris Raab, Rake Yohn, Phil Margera, and April Margera as guests.
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Crumb | Himself (uncredited) | Documentary |
1997 | Chasing Amy | Production assistant | |
1998 | Toy Machine: Jump Off A Building | Camera operator | |
1999 | CKY | Himself | Producer |
2000 | CKY2K | Himself | Producer Cinematographer |
2001 | CKY3 | Himself | Producer Cinematographer |
2001 | CKY Documentary | Producer | |
2002 | CKY4: The Latest & Greatest | Himself | Producer Cinematographer |
2003 | Haggard: The Movie | Producer Cinematographer Camera operator | |
2006 | Jackass Number Two | Camera operator | |
2007 | Jackass 2.5 | Camera operator | |
2008 | Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$%& Is Santa? | Himself | Director of cinematography Producer Writer |
2009 | Minghags | Professor Nefer and Scotty Ledouche's Cohort | Writer Executive producer Cinematographer Editor |
2010 | Jackass 3D | Camera operator | |
2011 | Jackass 3.5 | Camera operator | |
2011 | Skittin Across America: Skit A-Palooza | Himself | |
2013 | blockheaDs the Movie | Cinematographer | |
2017 | The Fast Food King | Documentary Cinematographer | |
TBD | The Brandon Novak Story | Himself | Documentary Cinematographer Executive producer Editor |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000-2001 | Jackass | Camera operator for CKY clips | |
2003-2006 | Viva La Bam | Himself | Cinematographer |
2006 | Blastazoid | Himself | Co-creator Writer Producer Director |
2007 | Bam's Unholy Union | Himself | Producer Cinematographer |
2008 | Jackassworld.com: 24 Hour Takeover | Himself | TV special Camera operator |
2008 | Bamimation | Himself (voice) | Co-creator Writer Executive producer |
2010 | Bam's World Domination | Himself | TV special Director Executive producer Cinematographer |
2011 | A Tribute to Ryan Dunn | Himself | TV documentary |
2013-2014 | Diggers | Producer | |
2014 | CKY: The Greatest Hits | Himself | TV special Director Writer Executive producer |
2014-2015 | Filthy Riches | Cinematographer Field producer | |
2017 | Epicly Later'd: Bam Margera | TV documentary Cinematographer | |
2018 | Drunk History: Germany | TV special Director Writer Producer |
Frantz's first gig in the film industry was as a production assistant on Chasing Amy (1997). It was short-lived, as on his first day, he accidentally shut down the set for an hour during a key scene by triggering an alarm on a nearby building. [38]
Viva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends and family. The show is a spin-off from MTV's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast appeared. Each episode had a specific theme, mission, or challenge which was accomplished by performing pranks, skateboarding, and enlisting the help of friends, relatives, and/or experts. Although partly improvised, the show was supported by a greater degree of planning and organization.
Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera is an American former professional skateboarder, stunt performer, television personality, and filmmaker. He rose to prominence in the early 2000s as one of the stars of the MTV reality stunt show Jackass and subsequent sequels. He also created the Jackass spin-off shows Viva La Bam (2003–2006), Bam's Unholy Union (2007), Bam's World Domination (2010), and Bam's Bad Ass Game Show (2014), and co-wrote and directed the films Haggard (2003), and Minghags (2009).
Jesse Margera is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band CKY, which he co-founded in 1998. Prior to CKY, Margera performed in the band Foreign Objects with former CKY vocalist and guitarist Deron Miller, and he has since worked with Gnarkill, Viking Skull, The Company Band, Fuckface Unstoppable, and Sovereign Eagle. Margera has also appeared in the CKY video series and the Viva La Bam and Jackass television series alongside his brother Bam.
Jackass is an American reality comedy TV series created by Jeff Tremaine, Spike Jonze, and Johnny Knoxville. It originally aired as a three short seasons on MTV between October 2000 and August 2001, with reruns extending into 2002. The show featured a cast of nine friends carrying out stunts and pranks on each other and the public. The cast included Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Steve-O, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey, Jason "Wee Man" Acuña, and Preston Lacy.
The CKY video series is a series of videos produced by Bam Margera and Brandon DiCamillo and other residents of West Chester, Pennsylvania. "CKY" stands for "Camp Kill Yourself". The series was part of the basis for what eventually became Jackass.
The Camp Kill Yourself crew was a group of friends and relatives centered around television personality and skateboarder Bam Margera, many of whom are from or located in and around West Chester, Pennsylvania. The crew was active from Landspeed presents: CKY (1999) to Minghags: The Movie (2009). Some members of the crew were skateboarders, while others were involved either on-camera or behind-the-scenes in Margera's various projects such as the CKY videos, Jackass, Viva La Bam, Haggard: The Movie, Bam's Unholy Union, Minghags: The Movie, and Radio Bam.
Ryan Matthew Dunn was an American stunt performer, television personality, and actor. He was one of the stars of the MTV reality stunt show Jackass and its film franchise.
Brandon DiCamillo is an American former television personality, actor, stunt performer and filmmaker. He was a founding member of the CKY crew and rose to fame through appearances in the CKY video series and MTV's Jackass, Viva La Bam, and Bam's Unholy Union series.
April Margera is an American reality television personality who has appeared on MTV's Viva La Bam and Jackass, as well as the CKY videos, Haggard, Minghags and Bam's Unholy Union.
Brandon Thomas Novak is an American motivational speaker, author, skateboarder and CKY crew member. He also had appearances in the Viva La Bam reality comedy series and the Jackass films.
Vincent Roy Margera, commonly known as Don Vito, was an American reality television personality. He was known for his appearances in Viva La Bam, Jackass, Haggard, and the CKY series alongside his nephew Bam and brother Phil.
James Moyer Franks, better known by his stage name Jimmy Pop, is an American musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and one of the founding members of the rap rock band Bloodhound Gang.
Haggard: The Movie is a 2003 American independent comedy film based on the story of how reality television personality Ryan Dunn's girlfriend may have cheated on him. The film was financed, directed and produced by Dunn's Jackass co-star and longtime friend Bam Margera.
Jackass Number Two is a 2006 American reality slapstick comedy film directed by Jeff Tremaine, and produced by Tremaine, Spike Jonze, and Johnny Knoxville. It is the sequel to Jackass: The Movie (2002), both based upon the MTV series Jackass. Like its predecessor and the original television show, the film is a compilation of stunts, pranks and skits, starring the regular Jackass cast of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Dave England, Ryan Dunn, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Steve-O, Preston Lacy, and Ehren McGhehey.
Minghags, previously known as Kiss a Good Man's Ass, is a 2009 film by Jackass star and professional skateboarder Bam Margera.
Phil Margera is an American reality television personality known for appearing on Viva La Bam, the CKY videos and the Jackass television series and movies. He is the father of CKY drummer Jesse Margera and Jackass star and professional skateboarder Bam Margera.
"Afterworld" is a song by American rock band CKY. Written by Chad I Ginsburg and Deron Miller, it was originally featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 film Jackass 3D, and was later included on the band's 2011 compilation album B-Sides & Rarities. The song is the band's first to feature Ginsburg on lead vocals, and it was released as a single on September 30, 2010.
Seth William Meisterman is an American artist, best known for his work as art director / production designer for the Jackass series of movies.
Radio Bam was a Sirius XM radio station hosted by professional skateboarder and Jackass cast member Bam Margera that aired on Mondays at 7 pm, straight after The Jason Ellis Show. The show's supporting cast was originally made up of Margera's fellow CKY crew members Brandon DiCamillo and Brandon Novak, who appeared on most episodes of the show's early years, with frequent guest appearances from Ryan Dunn, Rake Yohn and Chris Raab, as well as Bam's parents April Margera and Phil Margera, uncle Don Vito, and occasional appearances from the Jackass crew.
Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild: The Video Album is the first video album by American rock band CKY. Directed by Bam Margera and produced by Joe Frantz, it was released on November 18, 2003 via Island Records. The album features music videos for all ten tracks from the band's second studio album Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild, as well as behind-the-scenes features, older music videos and a documentary.