DAVID ELLEFSON: How I Came To Be Involved As Co-Producer On NICK MENZA Documentary

Screaming Butterfly Entertainment recently announced a partnership with former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and his Ellefson Films on the upcoming feature-length documentary "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza". Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late MEGADETH drummer's life. The film is being produced/directed and edited by Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment.

Speaking to Rock You Radio about how he came to be involved with the project, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a labor of love, the whole thing. We're doing it, basically, to just try to raise money. The funds will then go to his family; he's got two young boys.

"Nick just grew up in a very loving, warm — and it's like that today; it's a very warm family and they're very inviting," he continued. "So I really appreciate them allowing this film to happen because there have been a couple of, I think, ideas — I don't wanna call 'em false starts — but a couple of intentions to get it going, and now it's finally going; it's moving. So I'm glad to be invited in to just kind of fire the gun, get it across the starting line and let's get the horses going.

"Holly Mollohan is the director and producer. I originally was gonna… They called me and said, 'Would you wanna narrate it?' I said, 'Yeah,' but I said, 'Look, if I'm gonna get involved, I wanna be all in. Otherwise, it's just sort of a session I do on the side,'" Ellefson explained. "And quite honestly, the deeper I got into it, I quickly became the guy and the monkey in the middle to kind of bring all the parts and all the people together and really make it all happen so that it was connected, that it's congruent and get everything marching in the same direction. So that's where I came in as a co-producer on it."

"This Was My Life" will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life Including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic 'Rust In Peace' lineup."

"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with.

The cover photo for the film was shot by Los Angeles music photographer Alex Solca and designed by Brazilian artwork designer Alcides Burn of Burn Artworks.

Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.