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ERIC RADDATZ
He's a local indie filmmaker, he's just completing his second feature film shot in Southwest Florida and he's got a Bacon number of 1. Which means if you were to play the game Six Degrees of Separation from Kevin Bacon with him, he'd score the highest.
Eric Raddatz, who wet his feet in the silver screen while working on the set of "Stir of Echoes" as an extra alongside the well known actor, has since which given several local performers a Bacon number of 2, producing, writing and directing from his home in Cape Coral the indie films "A Day to Love and Die" and most currently "Barely a Chance," set to premiere in Fort Myers this summer. 
"Making movies, particularly smaller movies in a smaller town, creates opportunities for upcomers to cut their teeth while allowing me to cut my teeth producing," says Raddatz, whose first film was screened at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival and picked up for international distribution last year.
Among this list of talent 'cutting their teeth' while gaining a Bacon number of 2 in his films are some 'unknowns, some well-knowns and some sure-to-be-knowns,' Raddatz assures. "I felt it important to paint a moving picture of Lee and Collier Counties by using more than just popular locations and landmarks. Casting a passionate local crew is what flavors it Southwest Florida." From local celebrities like Barbara Mann, Marcus Jansen, Mayela Rosales, Heather Brooks, David Plazas and Doug MacGregor to upcoming stars like Kelsey Merritt, Keegan Shayne, Kathleen Moye, Jessica DiTomasu, Rebecca Carufe, Steve Vallo, John BelCastro, Bob Encarnacion and Scott Thompson, the premiere "will boast some of the top talent the area has to offer," Raddatz preaches.
"Making 'Barely a Chance' was so much fun, it was as if it wasn't even work. Get this many talented and artistic people together, passionate about a production and I believe it is a recipe for success -- and a non-stop party. It is already a success to me, actually, whether or not it is a box office success. We have told a story, come together as a team and successfully produced a piece that has made us all happier and me proud as can be to take on the indie circuit in '07-'08. Hopefully we get picked up for distribution again, but if not, this one was so much fun to make."
"Barely a Chance" is a film Raddatz wrote in 2004 about a man whose wife leaves him and is forced to reenter the dating world with skills leftover from his partying days from the 1990s. "It's a story about being true to yourself. Some people try and develop a trendy cool that is not inherently them. The protagonist struggles to accept and appreciate that those who cannot love him for what he truly is, should not occupy his time or attempts to gain his friendship. It also explores the idea of only one relationship fulfilling all or our emotional needs. Of course we had to do it in under 15 minutes so we didn't get insanely deep. Still I think the message holds true," Raddatz says.
Eric's film resume boasts working with some other greats aside from Bacon. His movie credentials include him working with Matt Damon, Eva Mendes, the Farrelly brothers, Paris Hilton, Carmen Electra, Tara Reid, and Greg Kinnear to name just a few. "These stars in Hollywood are just regular people like us. Some spend their whole life pursuing high-profile careers without taking time to appreciate the in-between. Southwest Florida offers a real roots experience I feel, with nine-to-fivers in other fields coming together and releasing some creative energy on their days off. It really comes through in the final product when you are having fun. I really appreciate all of the support and collaborative cooperation my fellow friends in the field have shown. The artistic unity here is unbelievable. I think because it has not become as profitable and thus prone to greediness yet. Give it time though, this could definitely be the next or 'New Hollywood' as I like to call it."
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