- ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Gary M. Planken is an award-winning producer and director of both fiction and documentary films including Let Me Out, which was awarded Best Psychological Drama Award at the 2009 NY Film Festival. Prior to that, his documentary film The World's Largest Portraits received the Honorary Award at the same festival just three years earlier.
Planken began making films in the mid-90's, during what some often refer to as the "digital film revolution." A self-taught filmmaker, his interest in breaking into the filmmaking scene was motivated and aided by his experiences in various creative fields, including music and music production, as well acting. He believes his early passion for music has helped him to understand the symbiotic relationship between music and film. "Both art forms are capable of taking the viewer on an emotional journey from the highest peaks to the lowest valleys," he says, "and it's a journey every filmmaker needs to understand."
Planken's most recent film, Extreme Artist, is an engrossing exploration into the inner workings of three individuals, who each create art forms of a highly extreme nature.

Film credits:
Extreme Artist (2009) - documentary
Let Me Out (2009) – drama; Best Psychological Drama, NY Film Festival
Indian Larry Memorial Field (2007) - documentary
The World's Largest Portraits (2006) – documentary; Honorary Award, NY Film Festival
Punk Smooth (2004) – short film
Netherland (2000) – drama; Best Feature Video, Long I