from Eric

I meant to send this months ago, but kept waiting until I had time to write a proper message. Your father was too important to neglect adding to the wonderful, kind words that many others have already posted. The loss of George Chase saddens me greatly. I was in his classes (all of them actually) between 1983-86. He is the most memorable teacher I ever had, and the most influential. Through his guidance, support and encouragement I decided at the tender age of 15 that filmmaking was going to be my career. He helped me greatly during my college search, telling me about the various film programs that were out there. (I think he was very pleased when I chose NYU.) I always wanted to return to Columbia High to visit him but, regretfully, never had an opportunity to do so.

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn filmmaking during high school, especially from him. I've always wondered whether he was the reason that Columbia had film classes. I don't believe too many other high schools had elective classes in filmmaking.

Mr. Chase is the one who helped me realize the importance of cinema not only as entertainment but as self-expression. I began his classes as a Spielberg wannabe and ended as a Roman Polanski wannabe (I don't know how many times we watched Two Men and a Wardrobe, but that film had a huge impact on how I perceived the art of film). I'll never forget--the day after winning first place in the 1985 N.J. Young Filmmakers Festival he made sure that it was announced over the school P.A. system. It was a thrilling surprise for me, and one of my proudest high school moments. And I owe it to him.

The fact that, after all these years, I still miss him, is a testament to his character, his compassion, and the strong bonds he formed with people. That's what makes a person special and memorable, and he is no exception.

All the best to your family.

Sincerely,

Eric Schneider
Los Angeles

from Tim D.

I recently heard the very sad news of George passing. All i can do is express my deepest sorrow and to tell you all that he will be missed. I dock my boat in the same marina as George. I spend alot of time just sitting on the front deck of my boat,often greeting eveyone who passes by, but i truly looked forward to seeing George with his freindly greeting and honest smile. At times he would just say hello and continue walking to the slip where his boat was docked, as if he was on some type of mision. other times he would stop to talk and he would tell me of the progress of a video he was working on or to lend me a video that had been completed. always he would converse with me with such enthusiasm. although i did not know him very well, i will miss seeing and talking with him.

My deepest sympathy
Tim DiStefano

from Tim

Your Dad was a great teacher, and a strong, positive influence on me. I throughly enjoyed his film class. I made a film about skate boarding that my kids still watch today! It was my favorite class. In my Senior yearbook he took his black ad white photo and used markers to " fill in" the color of his face. What a talent. I will always remember him riding his old motorcycle into the teachers parking lot. I ride an old bike now, and think of him as I fir it up.

A great man you should be proud of. We will all miss him.

from James

As many, I was so saddened by your dad's passing. My work has been influenced so much from his gentle touch.

In reviewing the emails that George and I shared this past year up until his passing, I couldn't help but refer to one of his last entries to me where he mentioned three projects that he was working on at the time of his death.
George wrote...

"The one that seems to take priority is something called "Beaton’s and Quest". It involves one of the last wooden boat building centers in NJ and the rebuilding of a boat that had a very honorable past, and it also archives a very special boat builder. The shooting is in the tenth month and I'm starting to try to figure out how I might edit the almost three hours of spittle. My second project involves the lease houses and the people who held the leases at Island Beach State Park. There is much work in gathering stories and pictures and film about the first half of the twentieth century and again I believe it is so important to archive these people and their stories for future generations to have something we (and they) can attach themselves too."

My video production company GALILEO PRODUCTION, LLC www.galileoproductions.com is located here in Northern, NJ in Randolph just outside of Morristown. I'd be honored and privledged to be able to see some of the last footage George shot from these two projects if you ever have a moment and would trust me to see what is there. George's passion for sailing as you know was part of his inspiration in the "Beaton's" project but how wonderful it would be to see it and maybe even dabble at understanding what HIS vision was in helping to complete the project for him. I'm an award winning AVID editor with studios here in NJ and it would be a wonderful way to pay homage to an extraordinary man who deserved to have his filmmatic vision realized. I know we've never met, but I'd love to meet you and your mom, family some time soon to discuss what might be done with the many projects George had so they don't collect dust on some garage shelf where no one ever sees them or has the chance to carry out what he intended. If no one has approached you already, knowing Steve Stoke, John Schnall and myself were all his disciples, would you get back in touch with me so we can discuss it. It might be a way to also bring closure to a life so young that ended without warning when there was just so much more to give. It comes deep from my heart to offer my services in helping complete George's dream. Who knows what might happen after it is all complete but at least George's work won't go overlooked. He deserves that in the least.

I hope to hear back from you. Hoping you're well and the family is surviving and hanging in there. My prayers are with you all...

Regards,

James Ford Nussabaum
Executive Producer
GALILEO PRODUCTIONS, LLC
www.galileoproductions.com
www.benefit4thecaves.com
p/f: 973.328.1163
c: 973-309-1133

Peace and love.

from Michael I.

Inspiration. No other word better describes all your father had given to me and to so many others. I was a film student of his in the ‘70s.He not only captured my attention, but helped set me on a course that led me to declare film and photography as my major at Bard college.It was my portfolio of photography and film that gained me a scholarship and admission into that program and a program at Marist where I went on to produce documentaries.I later graduated and went on to work at ABC-TV and then on to IBM where I worked in their photography and film making unit, which eventually led me to the development computer-based multimedia and a long career developing advanced publishing technology for the emerging web. I now lead the design and development of the most advanced computer-based publishing technology in the world - and it all started in a corner classroom with creaky floors in the old wing of Columbia in your father’s classroom.

I attribute my success to always being able to see the big picture.
It was in classes like your father’s that opened eyes and minds; he helped his students to develop the ability to see the vistas that lay before us - not only in our work, but in life. We are a product of the people that have influenced and touched our lives in profound ways; they make up the very fabric of who we are today. Your father was one of those very special people.

Michael J. Iantosca
North Carolina
Columbia '77

from Stan

George Chase had a huge impact on my life. After one film making class with him I returned every semester as independent study (I am not sure if that is the correct name for it – but you get the idea) to keep making films. I applied to film schools but I had very poor SAT scores (I have dyslexia). I was told by certain schools that I had no chance of being accepted. But I sent my films from George’s classes and all five schools I had applied to accepted me.

I went on to film school and a career in various parts of the film business from Location Managing and Assistant Directing Hollywood Movies to National Commercials and my own short films that have played all over the world. I now have my own company making corporate films for some of the largest companies in the world. George passed on a love of this form of story telling and I will always be grateful that I met him.

I remember he once asked me to come back to Columbia High School and show some samples of my work and talk to his students. At the end of one of the classes I looked over to George. He had this funny little grin on his face. I somehow knew it meant that he was proud of me. That I had once been a high school kid and now I was an adult, out in the world making my way. I smiled back.

from Alex

I knew Mr. Chase very well. If any of you remember, Eric Reiss was my boyfriend and I was friends with Fred Paskiewitz. Both were Mr. Chase's most famous students. The one's I think his whole life he felt most proud of. We were all in Mr. Chases's very first film class. I only took it to be with Eric, it was an easy credit and was close enough to theatre to keep me happy. I annoyed Mr. Chase to no end. I use to be disruptive during the bazillionth showing of Grapes of Wrath, ughhhh and Potemkin. He use to just come unglued and chase me out of the class. I eventually completed a tiny animation about a flower that died from a nuclear blast (or some other silly ending just to complete it) and he gave me an A simply because I finally completed something in his class. Since I was a senior, I'm quite sure he was delirious that he would never see me again.

Both Eric & I went away to LA to CalArts, and Fred eventually moved out there. I got the oppurtunity to see Mr. Chase twice over the years since we graduated in '73. Right after I returned from CalArts before I married my first husband, and in 1993 when I went back for my 20the reunion. He hadn't changed at all. He was still wearing his tweed jacket, argyle sweater vest and Wallabee's ! It took me a while to get thim to remember me. But As soon as I mentioned Eric and Fred his eyes lit up. Both Eric & Fred won state fimmaking contests under his tultelage. It was so obvius to me that he was happiest and proudest talking about this "kids" that made it.

We chatted a bit, and when I left to leave he chuckled, "You were alwyas a looker. I knew you'd make it some how in life Randee, espeically after your anti-war animation."

I was floored. Knock me over with a feather. I had completely forgot about the damn thing, and was so amazed that he remembered it. And that he remembered it as an anti-war animation was just incredible. As I turned to leave...he got up and gave me a hug and told me to tell Eric & Fred he said hi and to cme and visit him.

Mr. Chase was an incredilble man. He was one of those teachers that leave thier handprint on so many of their student's lives. Like Janet Hicks, Mr. Trent, Dr. George, and Mr. Domrecki for me. Other's in SOJH were Mrs. Higgins and Mrs. Weintraub...with her preposition poem !

All of us were very privledged to have spent some time with these incredible men & women.

George Chase was one of them.

I'm gonna go find Eric & Fred and get them to sign this wall.

Much love,

Alex

aka Randee Speicher