Musser is the name of the International House on the Ursinus College campus in Collegeville, Pennsylvania (USA). At this house, students from across the world live together.

From 2001 through 2003, Jeff lived in Musser and began recording events with a Hi8 camcorder for a documentary about living in Musser.

This was a time before it was common to have a cell phone and prior to YouTube and Facebook’s existence!

The documentary was never completed…until now in a web series format! This web series also celebrates Jeff’s 10th year of making films.

From over 200 hours of footage, these images are my personal “cave drawings” of early filmmaking. Imagine Frederick Wiseman meets Ross McElwee.

For all episodes, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA5F5A39EA5BD908E

NOW IN PRODUCTION
“Untitled Mark Hewitt Jiu-Jitsu Documentary”
This film is about Jeff’s best friend since kindergarten who underwent a profound physical transformation.

NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
“Untitled WWII-POW Documentary”
This film follows the 93 year-old World War II Army veteran Harvey Conn in the present day, as he recounts the journey of his life: from growing up with Native Americans in the Michigan wilderness, to Harvey’s capture and imprisonment in Germany during WWII. Jeff has known Harvey since May 2010.

NOVEMBER 2011
NOW BEING SUBMITTED TO FILM FESTIVALS
Directed/produced/shot an experimental-documentary titled “King David: An Introduction.” The film is about an ex-gangster (David) from NYC, whom Jeff met 5 years ago while attending film school in North Carolina.

A full-length documentary is in development.

OCTOBER 2011
The Noyes Museum in Oceanville, NJ (just outside of Atlantic City) screened Jeff’s first independent film made outside of film school — “Among Garbage & Flowers” (2004), and also showed Jeff’s award-winning thesis film from film school, “The Sheriff” (2007). Shannon Clapper (featured in “Among Garbage & Flowers") was in attendance with Jeff in front of a packed house of 60 people! Spirited Q & A’s were conducted for both films.

OCTOBER 2011
Film Festival Premiere of “The Tao of Bear Creek” at the 11th New Jersey State Cape May Film Festival in Cape May, NJ.
Director/producer/cinematographer/editor.

This film is a short documentary featuring Erik Nepsky that fuses the teachings of Taoism with the Bear Creek Preserve in Telluride, Colorado. Erik is an Eastern philosophy professor, 2nd degree Kenpo Karate black belt, and a Telluride local for 37 years. Jeff has known Erik for almost 5 years.

SEPTEMBER 2011
Television World Premiere for “The Tao of Bear Creek” on Plum TV in Telluride, Colorado.
The film screened for one week before Werner Herzog’s documentary “Grizzly Man.”

JANUARY 2011
Founder and moderator for the bi-monthly Free Film Series at the Monroe Township Public Library in Williamstown, NJ.

Launched in January 2011, Jeff programs all screenings, introduces all films, distributes handout information during screenings, leads post-screening discussions, creates promo flyers, locally promotes each film, and acts as liaison between film producers/distribution companies and the library, for negotiating screening fees.

Website with details for all screenings:
http://freelibraryfilms.wordpress.com/

Monday, DECEMBER 19 at 6:30PM

ESSENE
(86 minutes. Documentary. 1972)

Famously known for his controversial documentary Titicut Follies (1967) that was banned from 1967 until 1991, Frederick Wiseman directs Essene, an exclusive fly-on-the-wall portrait of daily life in a Michigan-based Benedictine monastery.

In the Order, where the focus of life is the relationship of individual work and worship to the community as a whole, the brethren must cope with the same issues that arise in any community: rules, work, worship, values, love, and play. Not available through Netflix.

“Essene is one of the best religious films ever made. Fred Wiseman’s cinema verite look at life inside a monastery also studies the essential meanings inherent in any institutional framework. It is a fluid, extraordinarily honest and non-theatrical experience. Wiseman conveys humility without resorting to humble expressions; he has an awareness of profound piety without mock spirituality. Essene raises the question of God urgently and eloquently.”
— Malcolm Boyd, The New York Times

Venue:
Free Public Library of Monroe Township
713 Marsha Ave (down the street from the Amish Farmers Market)
Meeting Room B (which can hold 50 people)
Williamstown, NJ 08094

*Must be over 18 years-old
*FREE to the public (members and non-members of the library)
*Introduction by award-winning filmmaker Jeff M. Giordano
*An open-discussion follows the screening
*Free light refreshments
*Digitally projected from DVD

For all screening information, visit the newly launched website: FreeLibraryFilms.Wordpress.com

Monday, DECEMBER 5 at 6:30PM

I’M DANGEROUS WITH LOVE
(84 minutes. Documentary. 2010)

Dimitri Mugianis ends his 20-year heroin addiction
with a single dose of the hallucinogenic plant ibogaine.
West-African shamans have used ibogaine in their rituals
for centuries, but in the USA it is a Schedule 1 Controlled
Substance. No longer a drug user, Dimitri illegally takes
addicts through the same detox that he claims saved his life.
This film is not for the squeamish.
Directed by Michel Negroponte
Not available through Netflix or Redbox!

Venue:
Free Public Library of Monroe Township
713 Marsha Ave (down the street from the Amish Farmers Market)
Meeting Room B (which can hold 50 people)
Williamstown, NJ 08094

*Must be over 18 years-old
*FREE to the public (members and non-members of the library)
*Introduction by award-winning filmmaker Jeff M. Giordano
*An open-discussion follows the screening
*Free light refreshments
*Digitally projected from DVD

Website: FreeLibraryFilms.Wordpress.com

Copy this link for all past and current episodes:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA5F5A39EA5BD908E

Jeff has finished post-production for a short experimental-documentary titled
“King David: An Introduction.” The film is about about an ex-gangster (David) from NYC who works for the Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind in North Carolina. Jeff met David in 2006 while doing research for his thesis film ("The Sheriff") at film school.

Morgan Z. Schultz edited “King David: An Introduction.”
Jeff is producer/director/cinematographer for the film.

Later, Jeff will make a full-length documentary about David.

In Other News –
Life at Musser: Episode #18 is live.
Copy and paste the link if it doesn’t cooperate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeOWpfg5oYw