This year’s HOLIDAY ON ICE reunion in Las Vegas will feature a tribute to the one and only Mr. Tom Collins. Tom Collins started out as a skater who became a manger under the legendary HOI President Morris Chalfen and who helped him create the exhibition style figure-skating shows and bring them to a huge audience with CHAMPIONS ON ICE. Tom’s show helped Scott Hamilton to form the idea for STARS ON ICE and pretty soon the whole skating world has six degrees of separation between it’s players. Amazing.

Next week we will gather in Las Vegas to honor Tom Collins. We also honor Tom as Tom’s generous gift helped The Fabulous Ice Age at a really critical time of editing and production. So we honor you Tom Collins! Woo hoo!

Here is a letter I got right before the premiere:

Sorry that I cannot be at the World Premier, Congratulations and
Here’s to a Great Success with your Film.  You deserve the best,
you have been so dedicated to bringing your dream to life, and I know
Roy is so proud of you and appreciates the love you have put into this
project, which is great for the entire Ice Skating World, Thank You, I will
be in touch, have a wonderful evening on the 14th.

Take Care, Richard Dwyer

Keri Pickett and Al Milgrom

The one and only Champions On Ice creator Tom Collins attended the MSPIFF Best of Fest showing and that was the first time he had ever seen the film. I was on pins and needles but it seemed he really liked it as I hear he would love for it to be shown at the 70th anniversary of Holiday on Ice which is happening in Las Vegas in ten days. So that is a good review!

I sold out the second screening of my film. I feel terrible in a good kind of way. I do really wish that everyone had gotten in and really in the end there were a few empty seats and I just know I could have squeezed in those last few friends. It killed me to see friends I had invited turned away. I was super honored to have the one and only Al Milgrom attend the screening. The Film Society was single handedly built by Al and over the years he brought in legends in film direction. His review is that it moves a litte too fast in the first 20 minutes but other than that he thinks it is very enjoyable and salable. Sounds good to me.

AUDIENCE REVIEWS:

Keri Pickett and Maggie

The documentary is an insiders’ view of the fabulous era of traveling ice shows. The story is told with great skill and coherence through the recollections of some of the sport’s all-time greatest skaters. Keri, we loved every minute of this beautiful film. It is no less a loving tribute to Roy Blakey and his unending dedication to the shows. – Steve Sikora, Design Guys

I know it is the Fabulous Ice age, but it was so terrific that I have to call it
Fantastic!  We truly loved every minute of your creation and think you have done
a brilliant job in documenting both a wonderful era of entertainment and an
amazing part of Roy's life. Well done, well done, well done! - Katy Klas

Another observation about the show and why it was emotional for me: An elderly man sat in front of us and he was lithe and trim, but clearly had memory issues. His daughter/niece had brought him to the show, and when you asked former show skaters to raise their hands she raised his. I could not see his face to see if he remembered much during the show, but your documentary clearly meant a lot to the younger woman who was accompanying him. I know I wasn’t the only person in the audience who was blowing her nose and wiping her eyes. You rock. – Nancy Johnson

I have seen very few films so effectively and entertainingly combine history,
humor, excitement, pathos, and wonderment. I say Bravo!! to your dedication that
produced not only a film about theatrical ice skate but also a biography and
social history. - Mark Clark

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who helped me tell this story! So many people helped!!!! I DID IT! I still am numb as there is still so much to do but at least I have achieved my goal and I made a film that is entertaining and that has a heart. People genuinely seem to love the film! I am still unsettled as I figure out the best path of distribution for my film. Tomorrow night is the BEST OF FEST screening at 7 PM and I sure hope a bunch of people come down to support my Minnesota-Made film!

Here is the link to the page which has a link to a pdf file of the entire list of film polled.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press article is wonderful and I am thrilled to have the home town support! Fitting that we might get snow later this week!

The article is so appreciated – well – with one exception – Chris Hewitt calls Roy Blakey – RAY! Well, my Uncle Roy is a Ray – a ray of light as in a star…

Here is the link.

Please attend! My April 14th, 2013 premiere was sold-out and many people did not get to see the  film.

Please come to my Best of Fest screening as my uncle Roy and I would love to see you there!

The Minnesota-Made Movie About the Rich World History of Theatrical Ice Skating Will Screen Again Thursday, May 2 at 7 PM at St. Anthony Main Theatre

FABULOUS ICE AGE  NAMED “BEST OF FEST” AT MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AFTER SOLD OUT PREMIERE, A STANDING OVATION AND MEDIA ACCOLADES

WHO:
A little-known history of the world of theatrical ice skating dating back 100 years has been named among the BEST OF FEST films during The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, (MSPIFF) and after a sold out premier April 14, a standing ovation and numerous media accolades, the Minnesota-made documentary will have a second public screening May 2, 2013, marking the festival closing.

More than seven years in the making, THE FABULOUS ICE AGE  is the first film by renowned Twin Cities professional photographer and author Keri Pickett. The engaging documentary film was inspired by former Tank Show and Holiday on Ice skater, photographer and Pickett’s uncle, Roy Blakey, who skated professionally for 15 years. Over his lifetime, Blakey also amassed the largest collection of Theatrical Ice Skating memorabilia anywhere in the world, housed here in Minneapolis at The IceStage Archive.

WHAT:
Blakey’s story and immense collection are featured in the film, which reveals even deeper Minnesota ties to the creators and business magnates of one of the most popular entertainment genres ever exported from this country to the rest of world — including behind the Iron curtain at the height of the Cold War. Between the frames, the movie wonders what will become of this amazing collection once the 82-year old collector and former skater is gone.

LINKS:
●    FILM TRAILOR:

http://fabulousiceage.com/trailer/

●    SEE MORE ABOUT ROY BLAKEY’S ICESTAGE ARCHIVE:

http://fabulousiceage.com/i-am-forever-grateful-to-roy-for-helping-inspire-me-both-as-a-photographer-and-as-a-filmmaker/

MEDIA ACCOLADES AND FEATURES:
●    ”Vintage clips give Keri Pickett’s documentary a dreamlike quality as she lovingly presents a host of characters, from ice-show icons Richard Dwyer and Gloria Nord to Olympians Dick Button and Scott Hamilton.” — STAR TRIBUNE

●    ”The film highlights the history of this frozen form of entertainment — which led to the World Champion and Disney-driven events we see today — which took off in the U.S. and internationally from origins in the Twin Cities.” — MPR
‘
●    ”Minneapolis filmmaker Keri Pickett’s documentary sometimes seems like it’s about the ebbs and flows of figure skating popularity and sometimes seems like it’s about whatever happened to defunct shows such as the Ice Capades and Holiday on Ice. But when it sticks with Pickett’s uncle, former skater/fellow photographer Roy Blakey, and his astonishing archive of skating memorabilia, it feels just right.” — PIONEER PRESS

●    ”The film features never-before-seen footage, photographs and rare archival material that introduces its viewers to a handful of performers, producers and entrepreneurs who helped turn ice skating shows into prime family theatre.” –SKATING MAGAZINE

●    Other Coverage includes MINNESOTA MONTHLY, FOX 9 NEWS, KARE 11 SATURDAY, ICE NETWORK.COM, WCCO-AM, OTHERS
WHERE:
The St. Anthony Main Theatre (115 SE Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55414, phone 612-331-4724).

WHEN:
This Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. General Admission Tickets are $12.00 ($10.00 for Film Society Members) and can be purchased at the theater, or in advance online: http://www.mspfilmfest.org/MMXIII/content/get-tickets

WHY:
Keri Pickett’s The Fabulous Ice Age chronicles the era of the great American touring ice shows, their dazzling production numbers and variety acts, and how they dominated family entertainment for decades, plus one skaters’ quest to keep this profound history from being forgotten. Spanning a century of theatrical ice skating — including the contemporary DISNEY ON ICE shows –  this story focuses on the formation of touring ice shows like Ice Follies, Ice Capades, Holiday on Ice and Arthur Wirtz/Sonja Henie shows- before evolving into today’s skating exhibition shows such as Tom Collin’s Champions on Ice and Scott Hamilton’s Stars On Ice. This documentary shows how our LOCAL pioneers have had an INTERNATIONAL impact.
CONTACT:
For more information – or to interview Keri Pickett and Roy Blakey about The Fabulous Ice Age — please contact Martin Keller, Media Savant Communications Co., 612-729-8585, mkeller@mediasavantcom.com

###

FABULOUS ICE AGE BEST OF FEST ANNOUNCEMENT FINALAPRL 25, 2013

As a first time Producer and Director I have been fortunate to have great support along the way starting with my uncle, who is the expert and his lifetime of work collecting the archive is the reason I created the film… it is a documentary filmmaker’s dream come true to have all that research and knowledge and great material with one person in one place… my own back yard!

Much of my work is family focused. My first book, Love in the 90s, is about Roy Blakeys’ parents lifelong love story and now my first film features Roy! Here is a link to see my photographs of my grandparents at the end of their life and you can listen to a part of my grandparents story. I made this years ago so it is very very simple. Love in the 90s photographs by Keri Pickett along with excerpts of the book on tape – an audio book –  read by Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker.

My goal now is to get a distribution deal. So I am trying to get educated. I am looking at information from both Jon Reiss and Peter Broderick – trying to find a guru to help guide me through the next steps! I wish I could afford to talk to everyone! This is all an education. This next Sunday at the MSPIFF the panel discussion will be on distribution and Tim Grady from Adopt films will be on the panel along with Dan Satorius – my fabulous legal representative!

As a first time filmmaker I am thrilled to have so many people talking about my film and learning about this history from my film. People are still gushing about the premiere and I am feeling good too. So in a series of firsts – we are number two for MSPIFF audience favorites!

Audience Poll

http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=239cc9e79704b39b2bc0206f7&id=6484021d8d&e=62254dd52e

Kevin Brown at Smart Set is a dream to work with and he can make every project sing! They are a full service operation with graphic design and also printing capacities. I am so grateful for all of his help making ‘The Fabulous Ice Age’ reflect the beauty of the story.

Producer/Director Keri Pickett

As a filmmaker with an officially selected film in the festival I have a badge that gets me into any film plus one! That is like two MSPIFF gold passes with a value of $800.00. Note to self – this is a real perk! Now to fit in viewing some films between trying to keep my film up and in the forefront of people’s minds.

Last night I was able to see a film called ‘Twenty Feet from Stardom’ directed by Morgan Neville along with star, Merry Clayton, who were both in the house for the Q&A. I got to sit near him and bask in his glory as it was a beautifully produced, great film and wonderful to see how a film can positively impact the people in the film with record re-releases and new gigs. The story was both historical and timely as one of the stars of the film, Judith Hill, is now on ‘The Voice’.

The location of the #MSPIFF is so beautiful! Yesterday the trees all had this amazing snow on the trees. A beautiful spring day in Minneapolis. Diggin’ the whole premiere vibe!