Keith Gruchala

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American born Cinematographer Keith Gruchala has shot feature films, commercials and music videos all over the world. Raised in San Francisco, California, he made his first film at the age of 12 years old on a catamaran sailboat using a super 8 camera. Now you'll find him working mainly in Hollywood, though he has lensed projects in Mexico, India, Canada, and all over Europe including the further eastern countries of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. He's collaborated with companies such as American Zoetrope, been featured in respected trade magazines like American Cinematographer and Kodak's 'In Camera', and worked with nearly every international ad agency from JW Thompson in Kiev to Lintas in Bombay to Leo Burnett in Prague. As a freelancer he has worked with dozens of independent producers around the world and prided himself on being able to work successfully in even the most difficult situations, where the infra-structure for production may leave something to be desired. Having earned his degree from the greatly respected Brooks Institute of Photography more than 15 years ago. His early professional efforts focused on special effects for which his technical background gave him a good working knowledge. At one point he helped build a motion control system and green screen stage in Eastern Europe to service foreign productions coming into Prague for features. Keith has recently finished shooting the feature "The Bridge to Nowhere" Starring Vingh Rhames, Blair Underwood, Bijou Phillips, and Danny Masterson. Two of his latest features have just been released; "Pomegranates" done in conjunction with American Zoetrope and the Warner Video comedy release of "The Last Stand" Starring Anthony Anderson, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Laz Alonzo, and Tami Roman. He also recently finished the feature "Nothing But Life", an unusual collaboration with the Indian director Rajiv Anchal (a former foreign Academy Award contender). This has led to him being currently in demand in Bombay, shooting dozens of commercials for local agencies in what is now known popularly as 'Bollywood'.

Narrative Cinema
"The Bridge to Nowhere" Starring Vingh Rhames, Blair Underwood, Bijou Phillips, and Danny Masterson.
"The Hit"- HD Short (in post)
"Black Eyed Sue" - HD Short- Silverlake film festival
F.S.H.A.
Peter Alton (323) 702-9038
"The Last Stand" - HD Feature Dist. with Warner Bros. Ent.
Open Road Films
Casey Suchan (323) 464-6034
"Nothing But Life" - HD Feature- winner New Delhi film Festival
Golden Wings Cinema
Naveen Chathapuram (630)781-9868
"Beyond the Soul"- *Sept. issue Amer. Cinematography
Golden Wings Cinema
Thamby Antony (650) 218-6821
"Pomegranates" Feature starring Michael Gorjian
American Zoetrope/Sonnet
Anahid Nazarian (415) 385-0907
"Les Superficiales" -Short featured at Deauville film fest.
Canal plus / F.S.H.A
Peter Alton (323) 702-9038
"Crimson & Clover" - Black Comedy feature
GutenFlicker Pictures
Alex Gutenmakher (310) 892-3133
"The Experiment" short thriller for cable/ internet
The End/ Galaxy On-Line
Taylor Pinson (323) 273-2752
"Escape Velocity"-Sci-fi chan. U.S.& Canada
North American Pictures
Michael Rogers (4202) 67071389
"Act of War"-Action Thrill-TNT chan.& Inter.dist.
North American Pictures
Gary Beach (310) 279-8624

Commercial TV
LG Plasma screen HDTV- 2X 30 sec. Commercials
Steelhead Advertising
Maseratti/Motorola/Pinninfarina- doc. "Concours d'elegance"
Radiant Images
Nextel/Motorola Nascar industrial- Nascar Images
Radiant Images
"MRF Tires"- pro Rallycar race in the Himalayas
Green Apple prod./Madras
"Metro Meet" - Fossil watches - Eastern Europe BBDO
F.S.H.A.
Peter Alton (323) 223-0443
"Neighbor"-winner D&AD- New Directors Competition
Open Road Films
Casey Suchan (323) 377-6151
"Eye Test" 30sec. for TetraPak milk-Leo Burnett
Radioaktive prod.
Johann Wolf (805) 500-0432
"Strong Bones"-30sec-TetraPak milk-Leo Burnett
Radioaktive prod.
Roman Kindrachuk(380)442123298

Featured in "American Cinematographer" Mag., Kodak's "In Camera"

LA411 listing

DD&AD awards
NY Ind. Film & video Fest.
Student Academy award contender
Canne, Tribecca, Montreal, L.A. shorts, Karlovy Vary, Silverlake, Delhi Int'l., Warsaw Documentary, Marina Del Rey Film Festivals

B.S. Brooks Institute of Photography

HD expert owner/Op.(varicam, F900) 16mm owner/op. Steadicam owner/op. Green Screen, motion control, SFX, Action special rigging expert.

California - Southern

Russian: C
French: C
Czech F

IATSE

Work Permit (EU)
Basic Driving (PLG)