Interview with Kevin B Ploth

Explore an exclusive interview with Kevin B. Ploth. Discover the creative process behind his latest projects, his "down the barrel" directing style, and why he believes the space between dreams and reality is where true art happens.

AFF journalist

What inspired you to tell the story of Michael Braun? At what point did you realize it was more than just a story about costumes?

My friend Dr. Marty Urban approached me with this idea and asked me to come up with a script, theme, shooting dates and put together a team.
I did my research on him and knew somethings about Michael Braun and found there was a documentary done on him back in 2017 that was more of a broad strokes story. I wanted to focus on him, his relationship to his wife, and to Macho Man. From the beginning and with the help of my Editor, David Diaz and Cinematographer Larry “Progress” Gress they created what I envisioned about how Michaels eyes , hands and his ever giving permission to make art pulsates from every thread and costume that has been well cared for.
Seeing a man touch and remembering something he has forgot for over thirty to forty years is an amazing thing to capture on film. So we got his eyes his hands and how he and Susan interacted with each other and with these amazing costumes.

As Michael says… “See you in the next world and don’t be late!”

It is a man’s legacy and the stitching will last and every thread has a story and emotion. As all costumers and fashion designers can attest to.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

This Stitching Will Last

The life story of legendary fashion designer Michael Braun, who is best known for making flamboyant stage clothing for pop culture icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Macho Man Randy Savage.

AFF journalist

The film’s title sounds like a metaphor. How do you interpret it? What exactly “lasts” — the stitches, the work, the creativity, the memory?

It is a metaphor a allegory of life the lie of life. As I said above every hole, stitch, paint….to each Velcro or “Sticky Buttons” as Jimi Hendrix would say to Michael. Has a story a voice. Even the theme song by Lisa Gatewood Szocik “Hands were made for stitching!” is about a quilt for HIV/AIDS and I felt it fit for the production and nails it home at the end where Michael sees his time on this earth. Powerful.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

AFF journalist

You've mentioned that you try not to interfere as an interviewer. Why is it important to you that the subjects tell their own stories?

The reason for me is I don’t want to coach or interfere to drive a story or narrative that is false or not be honest to the subject of the documentary.
A lot of documentaries past and present have staged or guided the story to sell it. I feel in my humble opinion that is wrong and disingenuous as a filmmaker. Good example is how Mathew Brady would stage the dead bodies of the fallen during the Civil War to “get the shot”.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

AFF journalist

What were the challenges of making a documentary like this, especially working with such a charismatic yet complex figure as Michael Braun?

Time and wanting more time with Michael and his wife Susan. We are planning a sequel to this documentary that will focus on his long standing relationship with Jimi Hendrix with a few added guests and shoot in Tampa, Florida.

Michael was so giving and it helped when we had diner together the night before and it was our first time meeting. He and I connected as did his wife. Of all the documentary’s and press on him they both my and Marty’s project was the best and on track. He gave me permission and allowed to follow. In most cases you don’t always get that collaboration.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

AFF journalist

What surprised you most during the filmmaking process — either in working with Michael or in shaping the story afterward?

We found that letting Michael be Michael was the key. Plus having a great Cinematographer in Larry Gress he also amplified the sound when needed. Then editing under David Diaz of Buenos Diaz Media whom is a great friend and lucky me my neighbor upstairs. Helped tremendously in capturing the vision and weaving a tight story that technically can be broken up into three separate shows or TV segments.

Well done by a dynamic team and Dr Marty Urban as the producer who gave us freedom to do what we do.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

SHADOW DOCKET

Two detectives are confronted by an ambitious lawyer…..and find that their facts don’t add up!

AFF journalist

Your new film Shadow Docket is a crime thriller with a legal twist. How did the idea come about — where detectives and an ambitious lawyer find their facts don’t line up?

Well it came out in a short sitting where me and my team from GIANT want to keep the creative ball rolling by doing short two minute storylines that move and have character driven dialogue.

I live black and white and my years working on Law & Order, Law & Order Criminal Intent and a bunch of ID TV shows rubbed off. I wanted to do better and feature three great actors whom have been around me a long time.

Michael Sean McGuiness (he and I did Othello back in 1991 for PART in Philadelphia when I was just 18 my first Equity show playing Roderigo to Michael’s Iago), then Ed Trucco and I go back to 2012 with few production here and there, Ed is also the Cinematographer on this, and Editor as well as playing Detective Harris. This is the second time Ed has edited and collaborated with me. James Henry and I go back to 2023 and he and I are both Army Veterans and James is a West Point Graduate and Tisch NYU Grad. He also did tours in the Middle East. All three captured the characters and were easy to direct. Michael the easiest all I had to have was Bacon and for Ed a constant pot of coffee….see how fun it can be.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

AFF journalist

The tension between detectives and a sharp lawyer sounds like more than just a procedural — almost like a parable about truth and manipulation. Did you intend for a deeper layer beneath the genre?

Very insightful on this question. I did and wanted to call out on the cliques of lawyer versus detective and unbalance the truth of law.

Plus we shot in a very very tight space using 35mm and Ed was able to get what I love “Down the Barrel!” Where the talent looks straight down the eye of the lens. I feel it touches the audience and holds them plus pushes the audience into the work.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

AFF journalist

You’re a veteran, actor, director, and producer. How does your military background influence your creative process? Do themes like responsibility, structure — or the desire to break structure —come through in your work?

It helps not only in being specific in my direction but meeting timelines and budgets. Staying “Time on Target!” And “Does the task met you or you met the task!” All military sound bites but true and effective. It also allows me to be flexible and adapt and survive. Where most industry types can not and are inflexible to new way of filming and producing.

That training helped me see the “graft” or waste from Table Reads…to over pampered talent old and young. The truth and hear it in the Variety interview with the two Schwarzenegger‘s last week. Be prepared, hit your marks and it is not the talents job to interpret what the writer wrote.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

Another selection for shadow Docket

AFF journalist

You founded ARTIMIS Theatrical Productions LLC to support veterans. Why is that mission personally important to you, and how do you see it come alive in real projects?

It is my mantra and core belief not only for veterans but first responders plus their family members to have belonging, other outlets and in art you have that as well as a voice. Plus they make better employees. On time, discipline, structured and know what is to be at the bottom.

“Help those who have helped serve you!” KBP is ARTIMIS’s phrase and mission.

You see a good example of it in Shadow Docket with the talented James Henry. Even in our pre-production THE GIANT we have eighty five percent cast and crew that are vetted Veterans.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer

AFF journalist

Do you see a common thread between «This Stitching Will Last», «Shadow Docket», and your other projects — something that connects these very different genres.

The people, are the same names in all of my work from cast and crew. The characters as well. Layered complex and driven. All little slices of me and times in my life I was one of them or did things like them either bad or good.

For me it was instilled by my parents that when we see something or someone always say… “That is me, that can be me!” Or “Buddha” “Buddha” ahhh “Buddha”. We all have a spark a light and it is up to the right people to ignite it and blast it upon the world.

Keep on Keeping on.

Kevin B Ploth

Director, writer