What Are Friends for?

 "What Are Friends For?" My most recent shoot about a geeky high school boy asking the girl of his dream out to his high school prom. things get a little out of control when he suspects his best friend of asking the same girl. Written by Sharlee Stokes and Directed by Yours Truly.

We shot this film on location in the beautiful Heber valley. Two days worth of shooting with a great crew and even better talent. The first day of shooting I had this epiphany that this is really what I do want to do for the rest of my life. Tell stories through film. One thing I really enjoy about film is I get to create a world. The world the camera sees. All the audience sees is the world I have created, and hopefully its a world worth watching. 

 

Shooting this film hleped me learn alot about myself and the way I make a film, the way I tell a story. I am not one for high school drama, who asked who, who said what sort a films. Making this film helped me see that no matter the story you can always relate. So my Job as a director is to help you find your relation. For me it was the character Charlie. A timid Star Wars loving Geek. essentially me. I feel the actor (James Goodman) that portrayed him got it right on.  Finding the right facial expressions was key for this roll and he got them.

Throughout shooting this film I Found a few things that I need to work on.  I Found that I'm really quick to give correction and direction, even after an actor has given a great performance. I realized that I need to really work on telling what I really liked about the Perfomance. Let the actor know just how well they did. Then build from there. I am usually the kind of guy that if I don't give any correction or feedback that is a good thing, and you have given me the performance I was looking for. I need to verbalize that. The other thing I found that I need to work on is don't underestimate the actors abilities. They can and will rise to the direction I ask of them.

I will be posting the final cut of the film some time next week so keep your eyes PEELED!