Newell, Krikoryan, & Coleman Collection
Cultural shifts in the '60s and '70s brought a wave of independent filmmakers to Chicago. This collection contains early works made by Paul Newell, Bob Coleman, and Varo Krikoryan, as well as Krikoryan's sister Karni, who collaborated on filmmaking projects as Chicagoland high school and college students. All four went on to have professional careers in different areas of the film industry. Newell and Coleman were both enrolled at Notre Dame Prep school in Niles, Illinois, which required all students to participate in a novel film study program. They later met Varo Krikoryan when he and Newell were attending Columbia College together.
Youth culture is a common theme throughout their work. You and Me follows a young man on a peculiar and nonsequitur-filled day in which he experiences religious services, neighborhood community, and high school parties without ever seeming to fit in. Night at the Sunset features various kinds of young ‘delinquents’ and other young attendees at a drive-in theater.
The cast of Night at the Sunset is notable for containing many actors from the original production of Grease at Kingston Mines Theater, as well as the acting director of the production, Russ Badger. (Paul Newell himself had been an actor in the original musical cast as the replacement for the role of Kenickie.) The film emulates some of the same '50s romanticism through the fashion, the drive-in theater, an Elvis impersonation dream sequence, and a sock hop-style scene in the finale. The throughline in all of these works is a love of Illinois and Chicago, with scenes filmed in Skokie, Lincoln Park, Near West Side, and Niles.
Toying with light, perspective, colors, and rotoscoping, their work showcases the importance of play and experimentation in filmmaking. Their efforts were recognized via several awards, such as a Silver Hugo from the Chicago International Film Festival, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Student Film contest, and an award from the Chicago Public Library.
Other contributors to works in the collection include Bob Orr, Davis Szabo, and Ray Cymosinki.
Collection Items
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Letter (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- All Hallows [Camera Original]
- All Hallows [Camera Original with Yellow Filter] Part I
- All Hallows [Camera Original with Yellow Filter] Part II
- Beatle Movie
- Chess Part I: History & General Moves
- Dancer 43
- Dancer 43
- Dancer 43
- Dancer 43: Transfer Master
- [Film Scraps]
- Flash Backs - Tape 2
- The Game: B&W Rev Orig
- The Game: Mag Track
- The Game: Pos Track
- Mattress
- A Night at the Sunset - Chess
- A Night at the Sunset - Chess: Edit Master
- A Night at the Sunset - Chess - Student Film
- A Night At The Sunset
- [Untitled U-Matic Tape]
- You and Me
Bob Coleman attended the Notre Dame Prep School. It was there that his love of film was sparked with lunchtime movie showings. He quickly became a creative collaborator with fellow student Paul Newell, and they worked frequently together on projects throughout high school.
After high school, Coleman and Newell remained close and continued to work together. Newell introduced Coleman to Varo Krikoryan, and as a trio they worked on the short film Night at the Sunset. Bob’s connection with Victor Duncan, Inc. allowed the filmmakers to access professional equipment though they were still students.
Following his time as a filmmaker, Bob transitioned to working in visual effects. As of 2026, his career in the film industry has spanned over 40 years.
Varo attended Columbia College alongside Paul Newell. Described by Newell and Coleman as a “make it happen” person, he produced several projects with them. Varo assisted with much of the casting and artistic direction of the trio’s creative ventures. Varo was commissioned by the International Chess Association in 1973 to make an instructional film about the history of the game of chess. He enlisted his sister Karni to animate the different chess pieces as historic characters from medieval Europe, whose abilities to move were relative to their ranking in societal hierarchy and battle. Karni and Varo continued to work together frequently, and both Krikoryans were involved in Paul Newell’s original play, ‘Burnt.’ Varo produced the show with Karni as the art director.
Varo settled in Los Angeles and worked on the Warner Brothers lot for many years. His enthusiasm for film permeated his personal and work life until his death in 2022.
Karni Krikoryan was a frequent collaborator with her brother Varo Krikoryan. She was the sole animator for Varo’s film Chess: History and General Moves. She worked with her brother out of their New York apartment during the production of this film. Karni and Varo also collaborated on the Beatles documentary, showcasing the first Beatles convention.
Karni went on to have a successful career in art, hosting gallery shows in New York and graphic design projects.
Paul Newell attended the Notre Dame Prep School alongside Bob Coleman. Paul attended the lunchtime screenings that the high school would hold of influential films, and fell in love with the medium there. This coincided with Notre Dame’s implementation of a film studies course, and it was there that he met Bob and the two began their work as creative partners. The program gave students access to a 16mm camera. While attending Notre Dame, Paul directed the short film ‘You and Me,’ which won several student awards and earned him a partial scholarship to the Columbia College of Art and Design. Paul completed his degree between Columbia College and the University of Iowa, where he was active in the theater department.
It was during this time that Paul starred in the original production of ‘Grease’ at Kingston Mines Theater as a replacement for Kenickie. Many of the original cast members also acted in several of Newell’s creative projects, such as a mock commercial ‘The Dry Look,’ and the short film ‘Night at the Sunset,’ which won a Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival.
After college, Newell transitioned to a theater focus. He continued to collaborate with Varo and Karni in Los Angeles, where Varo produced 'Burnt,' a play written and directed by Newell with art direction by Karni.
As of 2026, Newell owns the Full Nelson Theater production company with Mike Cornell.