UW grad’s short film has television premiere

“Picture This,” an experimental short film by James Miklaszewski, a 1998 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in radio, TV and film, will be shown on two Wisconsin television stations in September.

The film will air as part of a one-hour variety show, “African American Filmmakers Showcase,” on WKOW, Madison’s ABC affiliate, at 12:35 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 14, and on WJJA, an independent station in the Milwaukee area, at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 26.

“Picture This,” Miklaszewski’s directorial debut, has been included in a 13-city tour of Europe and has aired at Los Angeles film festivals. Taking an experimental look at relationships, Miklaszewski shot the film using a 35mm still photography camera. The nearly 10-minute film includes almost 700 still photos, which creates a stop-action effect at times.

While attending classes at the UW, Miklaszewski wrote movie reviews for the Badger Herald, co-hosted a telethon on public television and served as executive producer for a 45-minute Wisconsin Video Yearbook.

After moving to Los Angeles, he created opportunities to write, produce, direct and act in numerous short films and features. He started his own production company, Flaneur Films, with his partner, Abe Brown, after attending the American Film Institute’s prestigious MFA Producing Program. He currently works at the MGM Worldwide Television Group as an executive assistant.

His advice to someone who wants to make it in Hollywood? “Decide on a career early on and stick with it — that is, until you get an offer for a paying job, do whatever you can to pay the rent,” he says.

“Unfortunately,” he adds, there are no rules in “Hollyweird.”

Although not originally from Wisconsin, Miklaszewski is the son of the NBC News correspondent Jim Miklaszewski, a Milwaukee native.