Bryan Young shares his journey of writing and producing his short film "3 1/2 Stars," revealing valuable lessons in directing actors, crafting stories, and enhancing cinematic storytelling.
"Just keep shooting," advised Star Wars producer Rick McCallum, whom I met at a Star Wars convention in 2002. This sage advice stuck with me as I ventured into filmmaking, working on narrative films, shorts, and documentaries. Even as I took a film-adjacent job in government communications during the 2008 economic downturn, McCallum's words remained a guiding light. I continued writing and teaching, contributing to magazines like Script and teaching screenwriting at the University of Utah’s continuing education program.
In 2014, the passing of my friend Jeff Michael Vice, a film critic for the Deseret News, inspired me to write a script honoring him and his profession. Despite a full-time job that left little room for creative work, I scraped together resources in 2018 to shoot "3 1/2 Stars." Calling in favors and using my tax return, I embarked on the project with a novice crew. However, we faced significant audio issues during post-production, compounded by the pandemic, which delayed the film's completion.
Reflecting on the experience, I realized the wisdom in George Lucas's quote, "Art is never finished, it's abandoned." This year, with grants to finish another short film, I revisited "3 1/2 Stars," releasing it online to share insights gained from its creation.
Writing It The concept started with a character inspired by my late friend, tackling the theme of film criticism. The premise emerged: what if a film critic falls for a woman with terrible taste in movies? Aiming for a script under 20 pages, I learned from festival programmers that under ten minutes is ideal. Combining the nobility of film criticism with dialogue reminiscent of Woody Allen films, I structured the story around a character defending his art, exploring his loneliness, and encountering love amidst professional turmoil.
Making The Movie The production involved transforming the script based on available locations. We filmed at three theaters in Salt Lake City, including the Broadway Theatre, Tower Theater, and Brewvies, which provided affordable shooting spaces. Finding a suitable bar and well-lit city street proved challenging but essential for the film’s scenes.
Budget constraints led to equipment limitations, affecting post-production sound quality. This experience underscored the importance of planning transitions between scenes and understanding how written words translate on set.
Lessons Learned Finishing projects is crucial for learning. Early documentary work taught me the importance of securing participant releases, a lesson applied in subsequent projects. For "3 1/2 Stars," I'd invest in a professional sound mix and rework the script to avoid problematic dynamics. Despite its challenges, the short film provided invaluable lessons in directing, storytelling, and production logistics.
Next Steps I expanded the short film into a feature script, applying lessons learned. Film festivals focus on networking, so having a feature script ready is essential. The pandemic limited festival submissions for "3 1/2 Stars," but I remain committed to filmmaking, following McCallum's advice to "just keep shooting."
I wrote another short film, "The Lost Boys," mindful of logistics, sound quality, and funding through grants and crowdfunding. Running under ten minutes, I aim to share it at upcoming film festivals, continuing my journey in impactful storytelling.
What OPPRIME.tv Offers Filmmakers
OPPRIME.tv is a dedicated streaming video-on-demand platform showcasing award-winning independent films. Our platform, www.opprime.tv, aims to empower independent filmmakers with insights into the industry’s business model, promoting effective monetization and successful film launches.
Monetizing Your Film: Our OPPRIME.tv Referral Link enables filmmakers to monetize their films and engage with their fanbase directly. This mobile point-of-sale system allows filmmakers to market their films through email, social media, Instagram bios, and webpages. Subscribers can support their favorite filmmakers with a $5 monthly fee, splitting the fee between the filmmaker and OPPRIME.tv for platform maintenance and growth.
Social Media & Email Marketing: We create captivating social media content tailored for platforms like Instagram and develop comprehensive marketing campaigns. Our email marketing leverages Constant Contact to reach our 20,000-strong community of independent film enthusiasts.
Connecting with Industry Professionals: We facilitate exposure by connecting filmmakers with industry professionals, including production company executives, directors, cinematographers, agents, and more.
Global Reach: OPPRIME.tv serves as a clearinghouse connecting filmmakers with distribution professionals worldwide, enhancing the global reach of independent films.
By leveraging OPPRIME.tv, filmmakers can maximize their film’s potential and reach their audience effectively, all at no cost to the filmmaker.
By Sal Framondi,
CEO/Founder, OPPRIME.tv
Producer, Black Filmmakers Matter
Video-on-Demand: www.opprime.tv
Visit our filmmaker resource page: www.opprimetv.co
Comments