Louis Antonelli was 12 years old and an amateur photographer when he first met KISS guitarist Paul Stanley. It was 1974 and KISS was appearing at a Mt. Prospect record store.
“Paul gave me a lot of encouragement,” recalled Antonelli. “He looked at me and said ?promise me that you’re going to be the best that you can be.'”
Antonelli drew inspiraton from his encounter with the musician, and as KISS grew into international icons, Antonelli became a professional filmmaker, directing features, commercials and music videos for artists including the Ramones and Metallica.
Thirty-two years later Antonelli has come full circle with the production of “Paul Stanley ? Live To Win Live!”, a feature-length concert film documenting Stanley’s second solo tour that culminated in a November performance at House of Blues Chicago.
Over the years Antonelli had become friends with KISS drummer Eric Singer, who introduced him to Keith Leroux, who runs KISS Online and Signatures Network, and who helped set up the project through Stanley’s management company Doc McGhee Entertainment.
“It’s been one of my dreams to direct a KISS concert in IMAX,” Antonelli said. “KISS management said ?see what you can do with this, and we’ll go from there.'”
The 12-camera DV-cam shoot of the House of Blues show is the heart of “Live to Win Live!”, book-ended by black and white film that Antonelli shot in New York telling Stanley’s life story.
Antonelli is director, producer and editor of “Live to Win Live!” His company is Quadrama Films.
Chris Sheppard of Chicago Recording Company engineered the concert on a mobile 48-track recorder. McGhee is executive producer. Scott Wanner and co-editor Lester Cohn are co-producers.
DP Carlson of Foetus Films, who was a camera operator at the concert, is also directing a behind-the-scenes documentary on the production of the concert film.
Antonelli is presenting a cut of the film to Stanley and McGhee in mid-January to discuss plans for a prospective DVD release. Stanley’s solo album “Live to Win” was released by Universal Music.
Among various projects, Antonelli is also developing a documentary called “Lost in Brooklyn,” “a history of the 20th century told through the eyes of a little boy who died on Ellis Island in 1920, and how his family refound him 80 years later,” he said.
Email quadrama@aol.com.
