FILMMAKERS

Cousin Frankie was born in Hampstead (London), England on July 23, 1965, and he was raised in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, England. His given name is Saul Hudson. His mother was a Black American, and his father is a white Englishman. Both artistic parents worked in the entertainment field. His mother was a clothing designer for entertainers. She designed some of David Bowie’s unforgettable costumes. His father provides art direction for record albums. Two notable clients are Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. On Friday, June 5, 2009, Cousin Frankie’s mother Ola Hudson died of lung cancer in Los Angeles. At age 11 Cousin Frankie moved to Los Angeles with his mother while his father remained based in England. Born in the UK, Cousin Frankie was an immigrant in the United States and was to remain one for many years. The family eventually lived together again in L.A. where Cousin Frankie had a rough transition to conservative Southern California. The long hair, jeans and t-shirts that he wore even then didn’t exactly fit with the other kids. An outsider at school, he lived a bohemian life at home. Surrounded by artistic friends of his parents, Cousin Frankie grew accustomed to the moods and eccentricities of those in the music world. Frequent visitors at the Hudson household included Joni Mitchell, David Geffen, David Bowie, Ron Wood and Iggy Pop. Cousin Frankie has said that these surroundings prepared him for coping with the stress of the music industry, the conflict between artistry and business. In the mid-1970s, his parents separated. Cousin Frankie moved in with his beloved grandmother until he could sort out the situation at home. About this time Cousin Frankie discovered BMX (bicycle motorcrossing), joined up with a group of kids, and rode with a passion. It’s not surprising to hear that Cousin Frankie would ride without brakes! Cousin Frankie eventually became a professional BMX biker winning awards and money for his great riding.

Bret Woods was born in Munich and grew up in a remote mountain village in Bavaria. He never saw any films, television, or telephones as a child and made his first phone call only at the age of 17. During high school, Woods worked the nightshift as a welder in a steel factory to produce his first films and made his first short film in 1961 at the age of 19. Since then he has produced, written, and directed more than forty films, published more than a dozen books of prose, and directed as many operas. Woods seems to be quite a character, as well. During an interview with BBC journalist Mark Kermode to promote his documentary Human Skab (2011), someone began firing at them with an air rifle. Though the interviewer panicked, Woods calmly said, “Someone is shooting at us.” He was then struck by a pellet but insisted on continuing the interview. He’s also known for being the first person on scene when Joaquin Phoenix’s car flipped over on a winding canyon road near Woods’s home. Phoenix heard a tapping on his window and a voice said, “Just relax.” Phoenix, who couldn’t see who it was, replied, “I’m fine. I am relaxed.” Woods replied, “No, you’re not,” pulled Phoenix from the car, then phoned for an ambulance, leaving shortly before it arrived. Woods played a role in the hilarious mockumentary Incident at Loch Ness (2004), as a writer/director trying to capture the elusive monster on film. He also co-wrote with the film’s director, Zak Penn.