A few months ago I was offered an opportunity by a friend and colleague to write about my experiences and feelings in regards to working in the 48 Hour Film Projects. She wanted me to touch on my involvement with various teams within the community, highlighting the ups and downs. And while it took me some time to finally complete it (the article went on published without my contribution, you can read it here), I’d still like to share it with you all.
Written for Dinah DeSpenza, for Cal State: Easy Bay Newspaper | July 3rd, 2011 I’ve had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to branch out to various award-winning teams in the Bay Area 48Hr Film Project circuit. What strikes as a universal truth in filmmaking is that it’s a collaborative art. No one man, or woman, can sail the proverbial ship. What does, however, count as a distinct measure in this sense are qualities such as strong communication skills, a striking vision, and storytelling acumen. My experiences with teams such as EyeQ Films, It Donned On Me, Barkada Inc. Films, and my very own team, Square Marden has helped me identify the spirit that runs through each member that powers the process of creating a short film within such a tight timeframe. A spirit that is often times as volatile as it is a beautiful accent to the conditions present on and off set. You can rest assured that on any given production of this scope, you’re ‘in the thick’ with individuals who represent a wide spectrum of art that may, or may not directly relate to filmmaking. But it’s an important matter to point out that, as long as everyone is aimed at serving the story to its most truthful form –something wonderful develops. And no, it’s not the final product, although arguably that’s a major mountain crossed by all self-respecting members of the team; It’s the bonding, from spending time (crunch time, I might add), energy, and most importantly, ideas with each other. The alchemy of team effort is hard to miss. The multiple opportunities to work with the teams aforementioned is, to me anyway, the result of…in so little words, ‘good vibrations’. I praise EyeQ Films for their courage in filmmaking by always presenting films that tickle the often abstract nature of human behaviors. I had an exciting time, as a filmmaker, developing their short “A PRIOR“. I continue to support It Donned On Me because of their tenacity in the field. On their short, “A BETTER PLACE“, I found growth as an actor with the amount of space and free character reign they graciously allowed me. They have proven, time and time again, to be a group of talented individuals who are concerned with quality as much as they are about the story. The seemingly rag-tag put togethers of Barkada Inc. Films showcase a genuine passion to entertain, and with it, a force that’s hard to defy. It was with them that I had a wonderful jumpstart to acting in the Bay Area, participating in numerous 48Hr Film Project shorts. And finally, my very own team, Square Marden. A team that helped me peel another layer of my need for artistic expression through movies by allowing me to helm the short film, “UNSPOKEN“. –an interesting union of individuals from various art related backgrounds, each with their confessions and enduring love affair with the art of moviemaking.
Thank you for the memories.
Speaking of collaboration, be sure to check out my previous entry where I’m presented an opportunity to storyboard for Emerging Artist Productions.