CIPHER, a short film my grandson, Michael Stevantoni, directed, shot and edited has just been selected for the Tulsa International Film Festival Sept. 22-25, 2011.
As a writer with aspirations of my own, it’s been fascinating to watch Michael get to this point. He shot CIPHER last summer when he was 14. It took almost a year to finish, because of all the obstacles he faced and of course, being in grade 9, he couldn’t let his school work slip.
When it came to editing, that’s when he was faced with his biggest challenge. Like editing a novel, putting the pieces together so there is a coherent and interesting story in the end is a formidable job. There were problems with everything: corrupted files, special effect files that went accidentally through the wash , film industry software that didn’t recognize his files, background noise with certain scenes due to time and budget constraints, actors mumbling lines, and color correction. But like the professional director he hopes to be some day, he hung in throughout all the trials that came his way. I was the sounding board and offered suggestions when he got stuck. He used me like writers use critique groups. He listened, and when it supported his vision, he acted and made necessary changes.
I learned a lot watching him. His focus and passion were paramount at getting his film completed. Getting it seen is the next step. The Tulsa International Film Festival Sept. 22-25 is a good start.
Why is it that every creative endeavor involves wearing two hats – creative and marketing? Writing like film-making requires dueling from both sides of the brain.
