Welcome to Holden Village
Shot in October of 2011 and showcased in this NPR.org story, this short film captures life in this unique, isolated, wilderness mountain village in the Washington Cascades.
Homeless in Austin – 2009
Shot in January of 2009, this 48 minute autobiography film tells the story of Luciano Mendez, a man who has been without a home for many years, often living on the streets of Austin, Texas.
His story is familiar–a childhood fraught with the pain of a broken home, violence, alcohol abuse, and self destructive behavior. He lost his mother and father to cancer; his daughter grew up without him. He has never held a job for long, forever challenged by alcohol and drugs.
Luciano also speaks of forgiveness at the side of his mother’s deathbed, acceptance of his brother, and love through the pain. Luciano shares moments of powerful insight to his own behavior as he moves to change over time.
- Produced by the Staats Bros.
- Interview and videography by Kai Staats.
- Edited by Jae Staats.
CE-10 for Yellow Dog Linux on Sony PS3 – 2009
This promotional video showcases the CE-10 video encoder developed by Fixstars of Tokyo, Japan. The CE-10 ran on the Yellow Dog Linux operating system on the Sony PS3.
- Produced by Bivás Biswas for Fixstars
- Written and Directed by Kai Staats
Yellow Dog Linux on the Sony PS3 – 2007
This promotional video showcases Yellow Dog Linux dual-booting on the Sony PS3.
- Produced and Directed by Bivás Biswas for Terra Soft Solutions
- Written by Kai Staats
Sweet Memory – 2007
A nagging wife makes life miserable for Charlie Hill … but her nagging may never end.
Short film for the Phoenix Horror Challenge
- Produced by the Staats Bros.
- Directed by Kai Staats. Screenplay, shot, edited by Jae Staats
- Set support by Jason Francois
- Starring Tim Avent, Kimber-Leigh, and Rylan Ryker
Vinnie’s Babe – 2004
A Gangster, a Dame and a Hit Man.
- Produced by the Staats Bros.
- Directed by Kai and Jae Staats
- Story, Edited by Jae Staats
- Created for a Phoenix Film Festival 48 Hour Film Challenge, June 2004.
- Theme: “Escape,” Prop: Camera, Mandatory line: “I thought I’d be the first one to go.”
- 10 hours shooting, 6 actors, 4 locations.
- Placed 5th out of 53 entries. Won Best Story/Script.
- Accumulated 7400 views in just 7 days on Ifilm.com
- Reached #7 most watched film out of 1300 shorts on Ifilm.com as of March 2006.
Stalked! – 2003
Not everything is as it seems when a man is asked to stalk a woman, by the woman’s friend, only to discover too late he is caught in a frightening, dangerous game.
- Produced by the Staats Bros.
- Reached #3 most viewed short on Ifilm.com, June 2004.
- Accumulated 11,225 views in one month.
- Premiered at Modified Arts Film Festival in the fall of 2003.
- Featured in Midtowm Messenger.
Five Minutes To Live – 2001
If you left your office for lunch, as you do every day, but are knocked unconscious in the elevator and awakes in an alley, a note on your chest which reads, “You have five minutes to live,” –what would you do?
- Produced by the Staats Bros.
- Second short film for the Staats Bros.
- Featured on Ifilm.com from June 2001-02!
- Viewed over 5,000 times
The Steamer Cleaner – 2001
A door-to-door salesman has an unusually bad day … and then it gets strange.
- Produced by the Staats Bros.
- Debut short film for the Staats Bros.
- Original score by Karen Bea, first chair viola, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra
- Featured on Ifilm.com, February 2001-02
- Read a review by the Phoenix New Times!