Over 175 Gala festival attendees got to hear Larisa discuss past and current roles as well as a little bit of personal talk. She also starred in the ITSA Film Festival Award-Winning film for the festival, Born Yesterday, directed by Nathan Larkin-Connelly.

Larisa Oleynik as 2012 3rd Annual ITSA Film Festival guest panel speaker. Left to Right: Actress Larisa Oleynik, Producer/Director – Nathan Larkin-Connolly, Producer/Director/Actor – Brett Stimely, Producer/Director – Ari Costa
Photo © 2012 Jennifer Rapoza Photography

Larisa Oleynik featured with cast and crew of Born Yesterday.
Photo © 2012 Dave and Dianne Photography

Photo © 2012 Jennifer Rapoza Photography

Photo © 2012 Jennifer Rapoza Photography

Photo © 2012 Jennifer Rapoza Photography

1.       Is the process of making a film one of self-discovery for you?

I would say at this stage it probably still is. Often I am forced to go from one extreme to the other (for example in a 48 hour film contest).

2.       What age were you when filmmaking went from a hobby to something else?

Initially I thought it was when I was about 13 when I decided that I would love to do film making as a professional craft, but I don’t think it was until I was about 17 that I really took this seriously.

3.       What limitations do you have when working on a film? Or what area would you like to learn more about?

Probably the biggest limitation I have currently when working on my films is that I do everything myself; literally everything except acting and holding the boom. While I enjoy this level of creative freedom sometimes it limits how much I can get done in a certain amount of time and it also means that occasionally I have a few continuity issues as I generally focus on a lot of other elements as I usually have a moving camera.

4.       How do you finance your films?

To put it simply, I don’t. Generally I try to avoid having to pay for anything in my film, but when I do, say for specialised props or music, it’s coming straight from my pocket.

5.       As a creative person, you have to be faithful to your own vision. Is there a time where you haven’t been true to your art and self-expression?

I don’t like stereotypical horror. An assignment that I had to do at high school was making a one minute intro to a typical horror film. This challenged me slightly but it wasn’t a major assessment and it was just for school. As of yet I haven’t had a time where I’ve been particularly annoyed at doing something I wouldn’t normally make in my films, however I am sure I will meet a time where my vision will be challenged and I may have to stand up for my own beliefs.

6.       If money wasn’t a worry for you, choose a leading actor and actress to star in one of your films? Why?

There are two actors who I really enjoy watching on screen: Johnny Depp and Simon Baker. I love how Johnny Depp seems to fit into any weird and wonderful character the Director has given him. I love Simon Baker’s screen presence and his ability to seemingly change his emotions quickly, plus he’s Australian!

7.       When did you make your first ‘real’ film? What made that film feel different than others?

When I was about 16 (2010) I made a film that felt like a real triumph. I recreated a scene from Sherlock Holmes angle for angle, shot for shot. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI-LCYAbgcs) It was immediately after this that I began to feel like I was actually pushing forward with each film. I think what made it better than anything before was the time and thought taken getting each shot, as well as the costumes and locations. Since that film all my films have involved some form of location scouting as well as rehearsals for each shot. It also made me a little more picky in a way that it means I will not stop trying to get a particular shot until I have actually accomplished what I set out to do, so any mistake must be done again.

8.       College or no college? Do you recommend it for filmmakers?

I’m currently making this decision myself, finishing off Year 12 exams right now. I think the biggest benefit of a film school is the professional contacts that you make. I’d love to skip film school and just start making my own films without school limitations but the range of equipment as well as immediate professional advice and direct connection into the industry seems a pretty big benefit.

9.   What are some qualities you have that have made it easy for you to make a film?

I consider myself relatively patient and this helps a lot I think. Because I often want the perfect shot but may not have the perfect actor it requires a bit of self-control not to get annoyed at your failing actor.

I also tend to pick up things fairly quickly and have a decent memory, so the times that I have borrowed a more complex camera from a professional I’ve often been able to fully utilise its advanced features from a combination of quick trial and error and any quick tips someone may have given me regarding the camera.

10.       In your eyes, what or who is a director?

The person who holds the creative vision and has the ability and responsibility to control everything on a film set regardless of who they’re having to deal with.

11.    What skills do you think are necessary to help a filmmaker make it in Hollywood?

Obviously I’m not in Hollywood yet but I think being an all-around film maker is best. The ability to fulfil any role be it Producer/Director/DP/Boom operator/AD/gaffer to even acting I think is handy. This will probably get you placed on the widest and most frequent sets possible.

12.    Advice for new filmmakers?

As I said earlier the first film that made me think about what I was doing was remaking a scene from Sherlock Holmes. Choose a simple few minute section from a film you enjoy with little to no special effects and attempt to recreate it. Also don’t give in. I’ve had so many people tell me how hard it is to get into the industry and some even telling me that I’m stupid thinking I can get anywhere with it. It seems everyone has a friend or relative who is a failed actor or film maker. Think positively J

Here’s more information about Brendan: 

I’ve recently completed a relatively major film for school. It is the first where I have truly explored my own techniques of story telling as my previous two big films were either based on a short story or were not in a standard linear narrative format. It is by far my favourite film, both because I think my level of skill is highly demonstrated and because the story is one that I have wanted to make for quite a few years. Here is the link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYJOsRWuEJg unfortunately it is currently private due to school reasons but I expect it to be allowed to be public late September.)

Chess 4 Life is based on a short story which I read quite a number of years ago. Like all books I read I imagine them very visually and think of them not too unlike a film. At the beginning of 2011 while trying to decide on a film idea I thought of contacting the author of the story. To my joy it was out of print meaning that it was somewhat easier to get permission to make a short film based on it. The difficulty with the story to film conversion is that the short story is in first person meaning that the strange happenings are easily explained.

Links

Notable films

Sherlock Holmes Remake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI-LCYAbgcs

‘Horror’ intro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orZD0fN_Fbw

‘Action’ Intro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5iLVkxIgoE&feature=relmfu

Debt help: No Place to Be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp7gJ0YWZqI&feature=related

Unblemished: My first 48 Hour film attempt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7MsttRKuYI&feature=relmfu

Fallen (release pending…) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYJOsRWuEJg

Social Links

http://www.milecreations.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/MileCreations?feature=mhee

https://www.facebook.com/MileCreations

https://twitter.com/MileCreations

The following films received awards at the 2012 ITSA Film Festival

Outstanding Student Filmmaker: Alisa Jacobs, 2012 Graduate of Connections Visual & Performing Arts Academy (Award presented for a students body of work.)

Best Student Film: Wheel of Life, Directed by Reed Holland, Connections Visual & Performing Arts Academy

Best Horror Film: Dark Times, Jared Marshall and Peter Horn

Best Music Video: Lumerence, Directed by Miwa Matreyek

Best Science Fiction Film: Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope, Directed by Eric Tozzi

Best Comedic Film: Leader of the Pack, Directed by Ari Costa

Best Dramatic Film: Born Yesterday, Directed by Nathan Larkin-Connolly

Best Animated Film: The Maker, Directed by Christopher Kezelos

Outstanding Film: Born Yesterday, Directed by Nathan Larkin-Connelly (Best overall film)

The 2012 Emerging Cinematographer Awards films screen on Friday, November 2 at 9 pm during the ITSA Film Festival Gala at the Historic Sonora Opera Hall in Downtown Sonora CA. Tickets are $25 to attend and can be purchased at the door during the night of the event.

ECA films are screened as part of our Gala event. See full schedule.

Honorees

Daron Keet

1st Assistant
Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect is about the unspoken alliance between a young Afghan and a U.S. Special Forces soldier in wartime. With L.A.’s Blue Sky Studios standing in for Afghanistan, 1^st Assistant Keet, who hails from South Africa, took his aesthetic cues from conflict reportage – press stills that sometimes veered toward the abstract. Keet managed to spend his compulsory year of military service in South Africa behind the lens, having bluffed his way in as a photographer. “I didn’t even know how to load film, but I got a book,” he recalls. “For one year at the army’s expense, I was just taking hundreds of photos and learning the craft.”  Soon after, he was assisting Academy-Award-winning DP Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC on The Ghost and the Darkness and climbing the ranks, before the 1992 U.S. Green Card Lottery brought him to L.A. He joined Local 600 in 2003.

Watch Trailer

Pete Villani

Operator
Carjack

Carjack is about a car thief who gets more than he bargained for. Camera operator Pete Villani studied at Chapman University where his plan to become a director was altered by his interest in camera and lighting. His cinematography professor at Chapman, Jurg Walthers, taught him to think organically, through lens choice and lighting. Eventually he earned his Master’s degree at the American Film Institute under the teachings of Bill Dill, ASC. During his last year at AFI, Pete interned for Allen Daviau, ASC and joined Local 600 in 2006. Villani’s recent credits include shooting some additional footage for the film The Babymakers, directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, a Fox digital short he shot, and a Web series, directed by Martha Coolidge, for which he operated.

Watch Trailer

Robert C. Webb

Operator
The Girl In The Dark

The Girl in the Dark is about a boy who tinkers with a video camera and discovers that he is able to record the ghost of a little girl. Camera operator Robert Webb grew up in Southern California and became interested in cinematography while working at a video store. As a result, he changed his major from architecture to film production. Eventually he earned a degree at Cal State Long Beach. He joined the Guild in 2006 after working as a best boy electric and a B-camera operator. Webb is currently working in Spain on a feature film called Blue Lips.

Watch Trailer

James Takata

Operator
Only Child

Only Child is Takata’s first effort as director of photography. The five-minute experimental film is a charming portrait of a Chinese factory worker who, while hand-painting dolls, spins off into flights of cerebral fancy. Operator James Takata, who has a fine arts background, says he was “brought up by the Guild” since joining in 2002 and working his way up through every camera department position. After five seasons on The Ghost Whisperer, with James Chressanthis, ASC, Takata now works on The Client List.

Watch Trailer

Brian O’Carroll

Operator
Angel

Angel is a glimpse into the life of a working-class woman who saves lives. But in her personal life, she is at the mercy of others as she struggles for her own survival. Brian O’Carroll is a native of Dublin who has worked in the New York documentary, music video and commercial production worlds for two decades. O’Carroll joined Local 600 in 2002. He was previously recognized as an ECA Honoree in 2007 for Cherry Bloom and as an Honorable Mention in 2011 for 8 for Infinity. His résumé includes the documentary Heroes of Ground Zero and the narrative feature Conventioneers, which won the IFC John Cassavetes Award, given to a film made for less than $500,000. His recent feature credits include Echo Prime and Blue Caprice, both with director Alex Moors.

Watch Trailer

John Barr

Operator
The Carrier

The Carrier stars Rita Wilson as a woman who becomes both messenger and spectator in the painful unraveling of a family secret. Barr says his background in naturalistic filmmaking helped reinforce the fluid, handheld camera style he used to capture Wilson’s emotionally charged confrontations. Operator John Barr, who began as a gaffer in Maine before going to L.A. in the late 1990s for a temporary stint on a television show, says he had no intention of staying. But a childhood passion for movies and lighting kept him tethered to Hollywood. He joined the Guild in 2003, working mainly in commercials, and then later with Adam Kimmel, ASC on Capote, and Salvatore Totino, ASC on Frost/Nixon.

Watch Trailer

Stewart Whelan

1st Assistant
The Money Pet

The Money Pet is a modern-day fairy tale about a talented dog that eats some loose change and later passes the currency with compounded interest. 1st Assistant Stewart Whelan’s love for photography began at age 11 in his native Dublin, Ireland, when his brother bought him a camera. His filmmaking education started in earnest when he worked as a camera trainee on In the Name of the Father, the feature film photographed by Peter Biziou, BSC. Later, on the crew of John Seale, ASC, ACS, Whelan says he learned the importance of being true to the story no matter what the medium. He joined Local 600 in 2011.

Watch Trailer

Michael Pescasio

Operator
Don’t Let your Love Annihilate

Don’t Let Your Love Annihilate is a long-form music video directed by Bruno Miotto. The leads are a flirtatious girl and a boy who is intrigued by her. Camera operator Michael Pescasio hails from Baltimore, Maryland, where his interest in optics was piqued by a pair of polarized sunglasses. That led to photography, and a summer job at the local cinema. When the Barry Levinson feature film Tin Men came to town, he was hooked. Pescasio worked as a union grip and electrician during and after his studies at USC and joined the Guild in 2000. As a Technocrane Operator, he worked with many top cinematographers. He also spent 12 years as a gaffer. The first project he ever shot, Mrs. Marshall, earned his place as an ECA Honoree in 2004.

Watch Trailer

Honorable Mentions

Basil Smith

1st Assistant
Cowards & Monsters

Cowards and Monsters, unfolds inside an unlit apartment in the thick hours after a man discovers his partner’s infidelity. As an adman in Dubai in the late 1990s, 1st AC Basil Smith began to gravitate toward the camera. “I didn’t understand what I wanted from the film business, but I knew I liked the visual medium,” he says, recalling a fascination with Monday-morning commercial blocks and war reportage as a child in South Africa. His break came assisting Polish cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, PSC, who later made him 2nd AC on Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down. On Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, he met John Mathieson, BSC, who became an important mentor. Smith moved to Los Angeles from London last year and joined Local 600 this year.

Watch Trailer

Michael Alden Lloyd

2nd Assistant
Dawn

Dawn centers on a widower, whose grim reality unhinges when a mysterious woman turns up on his property. Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven and Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC’s work on The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford served as initial inspiration. After touring in a band for several years, 2nd AC Michael Lloyd opted for film school and joined Local 600 in 2011. But his most profound education came on the set of Hugo, where he spent three months apprenticing for Oscar-winning VFX Supervisor Rob Legato. There, he also got to watch Oscar-winning DP Bob Richardson, ASC and his crew at work. “I learned more from being on that set in one day than I did in film school, period,” Lloyd says.

Watch Trailer

DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE PROGRAM

Friday, November 2, 2012

GALA EVENT

6:30 – Hors d’oeuvres by Black Oak Casino and Wine by Hatcher Winery

7:00 – Live entertainment by Emily Kollars of Sacramento

7:20 – Short Films/47mins

• Trailer Fight for Water

• Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope

• Leader of the Pack (Directed by Ari Costa; Starring Steven Weber, Danny Pudi and Rachael Harris)

• Born Yesterday (Directed by Nathan Larkin-Connelly; Starring Larisa Oleynik, Heather Morris and Jonathan Lipniki)

8:10 – Special Guest Q&A with Director Ari Costa, Actor Brett Stimely, Director Nathan Larkin-Connelly, Actress/Director Jennifer Layne Park and Actress Larisa Oleynik

9 to11 – Emerging Cinematographer Award Films

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Animations 10am-10:45am

2m – Biscuit Cake by Alan Travers (Ireland)

5m – Bahvri by Sonia Gaud Tiwari

Mask by Ami Lomas (student)

3m – Childhood of a Circle* by François Grumelin-Sohn (Australia)

All the Right Parts by Kenzie Smith (student)*

2m – Create* by Dan MacKenzie

Out of the Freezer and Into the Fire – Renee Molin (student)

2m – No Noodles by Tyler Nicolson (Canada)

7m – The Maker* by Christopher & Christine Kezelos

Workshop 1 11am-Noon

FILM NOIR: FROM MURDER TO MAINSTREAM – Alexander Chow-Stuart (AT OPERA HALL)

Screenwriter and novelist Alexander Chow-Stuart talks about the influence of his favorite genre, film noir, on movies as varied as The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca to Blade Runner, Mulholland Drive and the Dark Knight trilogy.

Workshop 2 11am-Noon

MakING a Documentary – Kevin Fox (AT SONORA INN BANQUET ROOM)

Aimed at first time student filmmakers, This workshop is NOT a Lecture. An open discussion on filmmaking intended to dispel some myths about filmmaking and set you out on a path for a successful first documentary film. It’s a Fast & Furious, Down and Dirty, One Hour Crash Course of REAL LIFE Experience to encourage you to make your movie!

Segment 1 12:15pm-1:20pm

A Potion Called Love dir. by Jordan Norvell (student)

7m – Your Move dir. by Christina Parisi

11m – The 82 Peddler dir. by Derek Presley (sci fi)*

9m – A Broken Tear dir. by Krystle Houiess (Lebanon) (drama)*

Guitar Blues dir. by Sam St. John (student)

17m – Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope dir. by Eric Tozzi (sci fi)*

14m – Bottle Caps dir. by Heather Donnell (drama)*

Workshop 3 1:40pm-3:30pm

Fight for Water (documentary) – Juan Carlos Oceguera (AT OPERA HALL)

On April 14, 2009, the filmmaker, who also came from a migrant farm working background, sets out to film a historical water march that takes farmers and farm workers, along with a coalition of Latinos (lead by Hollywood comedian turned activist Paul Rodriguez), across the heart of the California Central Valley, to demand that these environmental rulings, as imposed by the Endangered Species act of 1973, be overturned and that their water supply be turned back on…. because to them and their farm working community, water is not only their means of survival, it is a chance of a better future, for them and their families. Watch the full-length documentary and discuss afterwards.

Workshop 4 1:20pm-2:10pm

Landing the Role – Carollyn Devore (AT SONORA INN BANQUET ROOM)

Director of DeVore Talent & Casting (DeVore Studios), with offices in Hollywood and Fresno. She is famous for being a Top Hollywood Agent and a well-known actress, with more than 200 television credits, 20 feature films, 60 national TV commercials and she was a USO entertainer with Bob Hope and Johnny Grant in Vietnam (1968-1970). Carollyn has served as Press/Media Chairperson for the Youth in Film Awards Show (the Academy Award for children).

Workshop 5 2:20pm-3:30pm

SHORTS TO FEATURES  - Faith vs. Fate Productions (AT SONORA INN BANQUET ROOM)

• Building a base of material to test skills

• Not sacrificing quality for quantity

• Team Work: The true art of collaboration

• Crowdfunding, not as easy as it seems

• Knowing when it’s time to move outside the box

Segment 2 3:40pm-4:55pm

12m – A Date with an Angel dir. by Mark Millicent

Outside of the Fence dir. by Alisa Jacobs (student)*

14m – Frigid dir. by Jack Meggers

3m – The First Time dir. by Vincent Castellini

23m – Reclamation dir. by Dave Lehleitner (sci fi)*

13m – Feast of the Foolish dir. by Meg Pinsonneault

14m – Born Yesterday dir. by Nathan Larkin-Connelly (drama)*

Segment 3 5:25pm-6:35pm

8m – Din dir. by Taryn Lahey

15m – Loopholes dir. by Erin Granat

12m – Found dir. by Heather Donnell (drama)*

3m – Distance dir. by Sang Joon Kim (comedy)*

14m – Haulers dir. by Kevin Fox

The Wheel of Life dir. by Reed Holland (student)*

13m – Leader of the Pack dir. by Ari Costa (comedy)*

Segment 4 6:50pm-8pm

15m – The Weight dir. by Trevor Marcotte

7m – In Those We Trust dir. by Lindy Boustedt, Kris Boustedt (drama)*

14m – To the East of Town dir. by Nathan Crenshaw

14m – Tramonto dir. by Roberto Urbani (Italy)

17m – Shuffle dir. by Garrett Bennett (drama)*

REEL SCARY!

Segment 1 8:30pm-10pm

9m – The Can-Cannibals Double Feature (Grindhouse Trailers) dir. by Matthew Ragsdale

122m – Preston Castle dir. by Martin Rosenberg

Segment 2 10:30pm-11:30pm

5m – Dark Times* dir. by Jared Marshall and Peter Horn

7m – Sybling Rivalry dir. by Tara-Nicole Azarian

10m – Undetected dir. by Kristen Anderson

7m – Shades of Grey With a Tint of Desperation* dir. by Colton Rhodes-Baskett

5m – Braineater dir. by Mitch Urban

Caminando Muerto dir. by Kierin Harrison & Joe (Student)

5m – He Dies At The End* dir. by Damian McCarthy (Ireland)

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Segment 1 11am-Noon

17m – A Warriors Story dir. by William Chamberlain

4m – Electroman Fears Nothing dir. by Jacob Beyer

12m – Tale of 2 Tables dir. by Nic Wilson (Australia)

Banana Dreams dir. by Gordon Loyd (student)

3m – Healing Artist dir. by Kaela Waldstein

Slenderman dir. by Natasha Mayo (student)

7m – Chess4Life dir. by Brendan Cherry (Australia)

10m – Peter Goes to Hell dir. by Danny Dunlop (Canada)

Segment 2 12:30pm-1:30pm

12m – On Second Thought dir. by Matthew Carr (comedy)*

19m – Transient dir. by Brent Turman

3m – Drunken Batman dir. by Ryan Dunigan

18m – Ragman dir. by Dale Ward

Broken Glass dir. by Brad Nash (student)*

9m – The Black Hearts dir. by Casey de Fremery

Music Videos Segment 3 2pm-2:50pm

3m – Girl Interrupted/LaZae dir. by Bethany Wilkinson

4m – A.D.I.D.A.S./Mahtie Bush dir. by Greg Iron

3m – Big Black Train dir. by Michael Goodell and Jeanne Jachetta Verplanck

3m – Asylum* dir. by Andrew Geraci

3m – Proud/Oscar Goldman dir. by Jasper Boyd

4m – Awkward*/Saucy Monkys dir. by David Codeglia

3m – LaZae

3m – Albury* dir. by Derek Wallace

4m – Lumerence* dir. by Miwa Matreyek

Awards 

3pm-3:45pm

Interview with Filmmaker Derek Presley

Most definitely. Of the shorts I have made thus far, I haven’t always had a stranglehold on what exactly it will become. When Cody Berry and I finished the script for The 82 Peddler we thought it was going to be more funny…dark humored. When we went into production, cast certain people who had their own take on the characters, it changed into something more sinister and in fact better than what we ever imagined. I never thought I could make a serious film but somehow that is what it evolved in to. The same goes with feature scripts I write. Half way through the 2nd draft you realize this has changed. It could be anything that starts the change: News on T.V. something that has affected me personally and then subconsciously I transfer it to whatever I’m working on, thus straying from the outline.

ITSA: What age were you when filmmaking went from a hobby to something else?

Derek: I wanted to tell stories since about 13 years old. First writing short stories, then went on to telling stories with my parents’ video camera. Throughout high school I shot movies with a VHS recorder and then would show them to my friends. But it wasn’t until I was 21 when I decided there is absolutely nothing else I can do in this world. I’m not talented enough to do other things. Sad but true. Almost ten years ago was when the true “Digital revolution of filmmaking” started to happen. I purchased a Panasonic DVX100 camera and went to work. Never turned back. It’s not really a hobby nor a career but more of an addiction.

ITSA: What limitations do you have when working on a film? Or what area would you like to learn more about?

Derek: Money is the ultimate limitation but it should never dictate how creative your story can be. As far as what area I’d love to learn about – all of it. I would like to think of myself as a writer and director so right now I would like to get more into an actor’s head. At the same time I put a lot of work into the visuals with the D.P. and I could definitely learn about camera more. The 82 Peddler was shot on the Red. For the last short I made that is in post, we shot 35mm and I was just blown away by how much there is to know. I’m constantly in awe of the guys that know the gear in and out. It’s a science.

ITSA: Speaking of money, how do you finance your films?

Derek: I’ve made seven films and one television pilot since I was 21 and they were financed in various ways. One of them was a low low budget feature that I was brought onto to direct and it was financed by the writer. The others were shorts and they were the usual methods of finance: Family, friends, savings, investors…bank robberies. Some people say financing short films is the biggest mystery.  That’s not true. There is no mystery as to why an investor will not throw money away on something that has no return. Age old question – “What’s in it for me”. Shorts are a very expensive demo reel for all involved. Whether you’re the director, costume designer, cinematographer or the P.A. It’s something to show people around the world that tells a story but also displays your talent. So you can see why investors aren’t flocking to your short films.  It is very rare when an investor gets involved in a short subject but it does happen. The last short we made was roughly $10,000 and we had the majority financed by an investor. Will that every happen again to me? Probably not. But it’s really not a mystery. You just have to save it or beg for it. Then go do it.

ITSA: As a creative person, you have to be faithful to your own vision. Is there a time where you haven’t been true to your art and self-expression?

Derek: No, not yet. But then again I’m constantly changing because I feel I’m just starting out. Hopefully I’ll have time to be unfaithful.

ITSA: If money wasn’t a worry for you, choose a leading actor and actress to star in one of your films? Why?

Derek: Michael Wincott because he’s absolutely amazing and very under-appreciated. For the actress I’d have to say it’s a toss up between Kelly MacDonald and Frances McDormand. MacDonald because she has more to offer I believe and McDormand because she’s France McDormand – nuff said.

ITSA: When did you make your first ‘real’ film? What made that film feel different than others?

Derek: 2010. A short called The Keymaker. It was extremely low budget and there were numerous flaws but it was a great set and very professional. I’m proud of the film and how we made it. I think the biggest difference was that it was the first time I collaborated with a crew -  costume designer  as well as a D.P. and so on. Before that I had my video camera and some home depot lights and I wasn’t collaborating with anyone. What I said was law. With the last three shorts I’ve used for the most part the same crew and now I have to justify my answers or they’ll call me out. And it makes the films better. Especially on a short if you can get numerous people together who are almost working for nothing they tend to take an emotional investment in the film and they want it to be every bit as good as you do. It’s no longer “Director is God”. It’s more of a democracy.

ITSA: College or no college? Do you recommend it for filmmakers? 

Derek: I spent four semesters at a county college then dropped out. I then convinced my parents I wanted to go to a technical film school in L.A. Once I bought my first prosumer camera I completely disregarded the idea of a school. I recommend Barnes N Noble or Half-priced books if you have no money. If you have the luxury of money, go to school if you want.  I picked up a great book called Film Director by Robert Wise when I was 15. Started with that and then did nothing but watch films and study them. In my mid-twenties I decided it was time to read good stories and I started a quest of reading actual literature which I now love. So to answer the question, do whatever you can to learn. If you’re a classroom kind of person go for it. If you learn with hands on training then jump in and “play around”. Seeing how I’m still getting my foot in the door I’m hesitant to give firm advice in that matter.

ITSA:  What are some qualities you have that have made it easy for you to make a film?

Derek: Well, my mother always said that I’m a very stubborn, argumentative but driven man. Those traits could be very bad or very good. When it comes to something I have no interest in I’m stubborn and seldom give my full effort. When it comes to something I love, such as film, stubborn turns into driven and I suddenly work very hard  and never give up on it until I feel it’s finished. But I should state it is never easy to make a film. Never. And if by some chance it is easy, then you’re doing it wrong. Start over and figure out what went wrong.

ITSA: In your eyes, what or who is a director? 

Derek: A man who is indebted to about 30 or 40 other people for helping him craft a story. He’s desperate, insane and in control…most of the time. Above all he’s a storyteller.

ITSA: What skills do you think are necessary to help a filmmaker make it in Hollywood? 

Derek: No skills needed nowadays it seems. Luck is the name of the game.  Do I sound incredibly bitter?

ITSA: Advice for new filmmakers?

Derek: To be perfectly honest I think I need some. Anyone has some advice please email me. My only tidbit would be the most cliched answer ever: Never give up. And please read a book or two. Watch less movies and read more books.

Director, Heather Donnell with Chris R. Smith, the co-producer, DP, and editor of Shadow Angel Films

In late August, Shadow Angel Films just finished their latest film called PEDRO FALLS: “While apartment hunting in San Francisco, Pedro, a rising indie musician, unexpectedly runs into a painful part of his past and makes decisions that might threaten his future.” PEDRO FALLS is their 8th short. They shot it over 3 days in San Francisco, and the finished film is about 20 minutes long. This is the last short they’ll do before shooting a feature film next year. You can check out the trailer here on their website.

And now an interview with Heather Donnell of Shadow Angel Films:

About the process of making a film and discoveries during that process, Heather said, “Discoveries with other people often happen during production, but I always start with specific ideas and themes that I want to communicate. The story itself, though never autobiographical in the details, is usually related to a specific emotional experience I had. So I already have strong feelings about the content before going into the film. After we finish a film, sometimes I am surprised by what I see, but that doesn’t happen right away. That usually takes time and distance.

Heather has been a writer much longer than she’s been a filmmaker. “I didn’t think about filmmaking until my mid-30s,” she continues, “I wrote a couple full-length feature scripts and was in a workshop where I had a chance to direct. I found that I really liked working with actors who seemed to do magic with the words I had written.”

ITSA: What limitations do you have when working on a film or what area would you like to learn more about?

Heather: Of course time and money are finite resources, but I feel most frustrated when I  fall short of my own ideas of what we’ll get when we are shooting. But I plan to close that gap with more experience! That’s why my co-producer, Chris R. Smith, and I have chosen to make eight short films before we tackle a feature film. We want to challenge ourselves to learn by doing and making mistakes. Before we start a new film, we talk about where we need to get better or where we’d like to test ourselves. For example, we shot all-night in a restaurant to make sure we could manage a production under tough conditions. With every short film, we’ve definitely gotten stronger in our ability to tell the story.

ITSA: How do you finance your films?

Heather: My co-producer and I pay for location fees, insurance, equipment, props, and craft services ourselves. We try to be as economical as possible. Because I write the scripts, I try to write stories that I know we can afford. Also, we’ve been very fortunate to work with cast and crew who give their time and talents without pay.

ITSA: As a creative person, you have to be faithful to your own vision. Is there a time where you haven’t been true to your art and self-expression?

Heather: I’ve made certain compromises during filmmaking that I’ve regretted in hindsight. But that’s part of the learning process. Successful filmmaking is intensely collaborative, and once you set off on this amazing journey with other people, you are required to balance the give and take. As a director, I’m there to make the decisions that are best for the story as I see it, but I always want to stay open to other points of view.

ITSA: If money wasn’t a worry for you, choose a leading actor and actress to star in one of your films? Why?

Heather: I would love to work with actors who are at the height of their craft, such as Patricia Clarkson or Tom Wilkinson. I’ve already learned so much from certain actors who I’ve worked with. They ask questions that make me dig deeper into the script or force me to rethink my ideas. They also have incredible nuances to their performances that I wouldn’t even dream of. Those surprises are the most exciting part when I work with great actors.

ITSA: When did you make your first ‘real’ film? What made that film feel different than others?

Heather: Chris and I made SHADOW ANGEL, our first film, in 2009. That was the first film we did where we ran the whole production without any advisors. And when the film festival at Comic-Con selected it, we were thrilled to go to San Diego for the screening. Really great for that film to have an audience outside of our friends and family.

ITSA: College or no college? Do you recommend it for filmmakers?

Heather:  College is a great place to learn responsibility and develop maturity as an individual. I went to college, but I didn’t go to film school. Film school is great if you’re young and you’re looking to make connections with people who you’ll probably work with for the rest of your career.

ITSA: What are some qualities you have that have made it easy for you to make a film?

Heather: I think it’s essential to be resilient. Many aspects of a production go unexpectedly wrong, and you have to look for another solution without panicking. Having a sense of humor also helps. I also really like spending time with people and getting to know them. If it’s difficult for you to be around a lot of people for long periods of time, you might want to reconsider going into filmmaking. Shooting days can reach 14 hours. Of course I need time alone as well, but I find it energizing to be with others who are doing what they were born to do—actors, musicians, wardrobe people, special effects people. For our latest film, I was sitting with the composer and a guitar player, and loved listening to these amazing riffs as they played around with how to write the opening song. Moments like that are golden to me.

ITSA: In your eyes, what or who is a director?

Heather: The director is the person who is there to make sure the environment is set up for everyone to do their best work. Actually, that sounds like a producer, but those two roles blur together for me since I’ve been a co-producer on all our films. Let me try that again. The director is the person who must ask everyone to do their best work once they get in that environment and director must keep asking until it gets done. Whether it’s the camera setups, or actors’ performances, or the sound recording, the director needs to make that call on when the best work has happened before everyone moves on to the next shot. The director is the person who must hold up confidence in various decisions being made or request adjustments that improve what’s happening for the good of the story. The director holds the integrity of the story and makes sure that all arrows are aimed at the same story target.

ITSA: What skills do you think are necessary to help a filmmaker make it in Hollywood?

Heather: Well, I can let you know when I get there! Or, I can give you my best guess, which is that perseverance and determination are key. Many things will stand in your way. The odds of making it are so stacked against you and you have to face that with a lot of grit. I also think it helps to be a genuinely friendly and open person and attend as many filmmaking events as you can in order to build your own network. While I would love to be a Hollywood director, I see that as a dream and tend to take a pragmatic approach to getting films made. Over the past three years, I’ve met many helpful people by searching them out on my own at events, including the ITSA festival.

Heather’s advice for new filmmakers: Shoot as much and as often as you can. As soon as you finish one movie, start planning the next one. Finish your movies! Surround yourself with people who you trust. Be respectful of your crew’s time and don’t run them into overtime because of your lack of organization or poor decision making. Serve the best food you can afford on a shoot; everyone is working hard and they deserve a nice meal. Act like a professional even if no one is getting paid. Show up on time or early for every meeting. Ask questions that are real questions, not because you already have some predetermined answer in your mind. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Keep the faith that your work will get seen. Treat everyone on set with kindness, including and especially yourself. And have fun–you are making movies, which is a great privilege and the best fun in the world!

Shadow Angel Films

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Visit Brett’s IMDB page.

Brett Stimely 2012 Special Guest — Actor / Producer

Brett Stimely’s current film, Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope, [screening at this year’s ITSA Film Festival] which Brett wrote, produced and stars in, is just beginning its festival run and is winning awards right out of the gate…

WINNER 2012 BEST SCI-FI – Action On Film International Film Festival

WINNER 2012 in 3 Categories, Best Direction, Best Performance, Ensemble Cast,

Best Performance, Supporting Role – Nathaniel Freeman – Actors Film Festival.

WINNER 2012 BEST SCI-FI FILM – Fright Night Film Fest.

WINNER 2012 GRAND PRIZE – New Media Film Festival.

Eric Tozzi masterfully directs Brett in this powerful, dramatic sci-fi short, based upon Ray Bradbury’s “Kaleidoscope (1949),” for Quixotic Productions.

Brett can also be seen playing President John F Kennedy in both, Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” and Zac Snyder’s “Watchmen,” for Paramount Pictures (Steven Spielberg, Exec. Producer) and Warner Bros. Pictures/Paramount Pictures, respectively.

Brett’s next project sends him off to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to film “Kill the Dictator” along side Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break, 2 Fast 2 Furious). Filming in Montreal and Paris this Spring, Brett has just signed on to produce and star in the supernatural dramatic mystery “A True Illusion” from Windhorse Entertainment to be directed by Dominique Luchart. He is also in development on the action thriller “Lie Detector” (2014 release) currently being written by Brett Martin. Stimely is both acting and producing under his Quixotic Productions banner.

Click on image for more information about “Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope”.

Brett is active in many organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, the Olive Crest Homes and Services for Abused Children, and The Good News Foundation, to name a few. +++

Biography

A Washington State native and a highly philosophical professional performer, Brett Stimely is a hard worker who loves entertaining. He was raised for a short time in Connecticut and Minnesota, but it was while growing up in the outskirts of Seattle, attending High School, and going to see numerous productions at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, that Brett was inspired to become an entertainer. During after school hours, Brett also became a private pilot at the age of 16 and ran his own outboard motor repair business out of the home garage. At the University of Washington, Brett advanced in business marketing and dentistry and fueled his other passion for colored gem stones.

In his first on-screen role, only Brett’s hands appeared in the commercial for “Skipper’s Seafood ’N Chowder House” fish-n-chips. Soon after, he made his way to Zurich, Switzerland where he introduced the Fresh Start Laundry Detergent commercial campaign to German television audiences. Studying at the Rational Theatre in Munich raised his desire to dramatize. Then, with over thirty-five commercials, including Kim Top Line, Co-op and Gold Market, winning numerous awards in Europe, and with the intent of making entertaining in film and television his career, Brett re-located to Los Angeles and received training there from Harry Mastrogeorge.

Soon there after, Brett made his mark in Daytime as well, playing the recurring roles of Atty. Joshua Sloane on “Sunset Beach,” and the popular Dr. Jay Garvin for years on “The Bold And The Beautiful.” He then played the military attaché, Colonel James Mallory, USMC in the feature film “Operation Safeguard,” that was filmed solely for use by the United States military in the Middle East. Brett did his first nude scene in the series Red Shoe Diaries: Laundrymat and he plays the role of Dan Wisner in the Starz original series “Party Down.” He was also Robert Jones on the FX Channel’s top rated show “The Shield,” and he discovered the North Pole in the Discovery Channel’s “Race To The Poles,” as the legendary explorer Frederick Albert Cook.

Brett starring in “Ray Bradbury’s Kaleidoscope”

Brett is also the continuing spokesman for “Western Dental” and he stars in commercials for Mercedes, TVA “EnergyRight.com (including radio spots),” Cadbury’s “Bournville Chocolate,” ”Miller High Life Beer,” “Nevada State Bank,” “Positec Power Tools,” “Nature Made Vitamins,” ”Mazda MX-5,” “Desa Lawnmowers,” “Matrix Direct Insurance,” “Bose Audio,” “Brinks Home Security” and “ID Watchdog.”

Written by: QP/Public Relations (October 1, 2010)

Visit Brett’s web site at http://www.BrettStimely.com for more details.