Orinda native Greg Garthe, a filmmaker and photographer, created “Growing Up Movies,” a supernatural comedy inspired by a homemade film he and his friends shot as children. Garthe, whose career includes work on “Wedding Crashers” and “The Judge,” will host a free screening of the 44-minute pilot at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the Orinda Theatre, followed by a Q&A. Visit growingupmovies.com.
Greg Garthe knew he wanted to be a filmmaker when he was six years old. Growing up in Orinda, he eventually turned the neighborhood woods, creeks and backyards into makeshift movie sets, enlisting friends to star in homemade productions.
Now, decades after those childhood adventures, Garthe is returning to the Bay Area with a new streaming project that revisits those early filmmaking days and encourages adults to reconnect with their own creativity.
His new series, “Growing Up Movies,” grew out of a short film he and his friends made when they were 12. Rather than simply revisiting the original footage, Garthe developed a new story around it, creating a sequel that blends childhood memories with a contemporary supernatural comedy.
“I had the idea to take original footage from a kids’ homemade movie and build a new story around the old story decades later,” Garthe said. “So it’s like a sequel to that original amateur short film, where we kids were taking ourselves seriously as filmmakers.”
Garthe attended Orinda Intermediate School and Miramonte High School after moving to Orinda with his parents in the late 1980s. Before he had a video camera, he drew concepts for the movies he imagined making.
Once he acquired a camera, he and his friends began shooting their own narrative films throughout the community.
“I always loved chase scenes through woods, forests, and jungles, so the terrain in Orinda offered great location shooting,” he said, recalling the occasional poison oak outbreaks that accompanied their treks through the woods and creeks in pursuit of the perfect shot.
Those early productions helped set the stage for a professional career spanning film, television, music videos, commercials, documentaries and live events.
Garthe spent approximately 15 years working for a studio director, taking on numerous roles during a series of productions. His first film was “Shanghai Knights,” starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. The production took seven months in Prague, with additional filming in London and Calgary.
He also worked on “Wedding Crashers,” the 2005 comedy that became a fan favorite, and “The Judge,” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. Garthe said “The Judge” was his favorite project from the years he worked with a production company at Warner Bros.
His career also included a television production for AMC in New Orleans and work at two Super Bowls.
Directing Christopher Lloyd in his first feature film as a director, “Last Call,” was particularly meaningful.
“I grew up watching Chris in ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ and others,” Garthe said. “Directing him was like a childhood dream come true.”
With “Growing Up Movies,” Garthe hopes to inspire others to rediscover the imaginative spirit they had as children. The pilot took five days to shoot, followed by months of postproduction as he developed the show’s distinctive style and look.
For now, the 44-minute pilot stands alone as a proof of concept. Garthe hopes to connect with other adults who made narrative movies as children and still have their original recordings, potentially incorporating their stories into future episodes.
The pilot is a zany supernatural comedy, he said, with outrageous jokes, including some rated R. The project will be available free on streaming platforms and YouTube.
Alongside filmmaking, Garthe has spent 25 years working professionally in photography and video. His work includes scenic landscapes, wildlife in natural habitats and cityscapes from around the world.
“For me, the act of capturing a fleeting moment in time is the essence of photography,” he said. “Sometimes, it is sought after, or it may be stumbled upon by pure luck.”
He believes a powerful photograph can evoke genuine emotion and bring memories back to life, making moments feel as though they happened yesterday.
Garthe and his wife, Bianca, whom he calls his “muse,” recently returned to the Bay Area full time after more than 30 years in Southern California. He hopes to contribute to the local creative community, including through involvement with the Lamorinda Arts Council and participation in local events.
For Garthe, “Growing Up Movies” is more than a filmmaking project. It is an invitation to revisit the imagination and enthusiasm that can get lost amid adult responsibilities.
“Growing Up Movies” is my gift to the world,” he said, “and I hope that it inspires other adults to tap back into their inner kid-like creativity.”
The special free screening of “Growing Up Movies” runs Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m. at the Orinda Theatre, followed by a Q&A session with Garthe. Visit growingupmovies.com. His gallery display titled, “All Natural Images” will show at the Orinda Library Gallery Nov. 30 – Dec. 30; visit allnaturalimages.com.
