Past Filmmakers

DJ Summitt
Doomed to Failure

1. How did you come up with the idea for this film?
The first time we ever mentioned the idea of making a film based on our difficulties was during a production meeting on an off day. Someone mentioned jokingly that it was possible that, thanks to our constant use of our DV cameras to record the behind the scenes action,we could have the making of featurette to a movie that was never made.  Dez brought this up again on location. Luckily, we have this moment on tape and it appears in the film.  The title came from something mentioned on the first day. The production team was at lunch and while we were discussing the sacrificed film, our actors canceling, and the film magazine, which was scratching our film, I mentioned that we already seemed doomed to failure. After the final camera broke we were watching the behind-the-scenes footage and realized that in our dejection we said some funny stuff. We ran with it from there. Actually, I think we have a much better film this way.

2. How long did the production process take?
The production process for the unfinished film consisted of two weekends that were three weeks apart. At that point production was halted due to all of our equipment being broken.Doomed to Failure came together primarily in the edit suite. The edit process took three days. It was great because we weren't really sure how the piece would work until we saw it as a whole. Watching the completed filmfor the first time was a really rewarding moment.

3. What challenges did you encounter in the creation of the film?
I think that our challenges are very well documented throughout the film. Of these obstacles I think the largest of all was when we found the spring had destroyed the last good lens for the camera. This left us with no more viable options on shooting the film that we had struggled with to that point. Our only two cameras were useless, we were weeks behind schedule, and our morale was really low.We had been pretty flexible and innovative in our conflict resolution but this was a problem we could not recover from. That was hard.

4. What is your favorite memory from creating the film?
It's hard to say what would be my favorite memory from production.Even through all of our problems we had a great time shootingthis film. We had call time at 4 AM in Kernersville just to watch it fall apart and actors cancel on us, requiring our entire shooting schedule to be rewritten. We went into lunch without having shot a full scene. When we regrouped we rushed to find actors and build the set. When we were ready to shoot it was amazing. The set was lit beautifully and it looked exactly as I had envisioned. Trip Evans played the Mafia Boss better than I could have ever hoped for. The four of us had operated almost like a fine tuned machinein order to salvage the night and being on set was a great experience.I was really sorry that we lost such a great scene and such great performances to a broken lens.

5. When someone has finished watching the film, what do you want them to take from the experience?
After watching Doomed to Failure it's most important to me that the person was entertained. On reviewing the materialin the edit suite we thought it was funny and hopefully the viewer will agree. It would be nice if some people took the idea that if you keep pressing through the hard times, it's worth it in the end.

6. What type of reaction has your film received from audiences?
This film has received a wonderful reaction. Our ability to laugh at ourselves, I believe, has really connected with audiences. There was some concern about including some scenes where we didn't know how to load the film or forgot to cut on microphones. But those are the scenes that give the movie its charm and ability to connect with individuals. Everyone has had that time where they had a task to do only to realize they were unsure of one of the most basic aspects and that's what Doomed to Failure is all about.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring young filmmakers?
My advice to any young filmmaker, including myself, is to always attempt to solve your problems through innovation and creativity. On a low budget film set things will go wrong, especially when you are on location or working with a rigid schedule. It is extremely important to be able to handle problems quickly and efficiently. Also, never take yourself too serious. Being able to laugh at your mistakes while learning from them will make dealing with the results much easier.

8. Please tell us about the next film you plan to work on.
I currently have several projects in various stages of development. At this time the frontrunner is a feature length horror film based on the Hannah Creek Swamp Massacre, a North Carolina ghost tale. It is still in the early stages of preproduction. Several of my other projects are based on Tar Heel folklore and legend. I am really interested in local tales of the supernatural that are tied to our state's past.

9. What are your thoughts on the film industry in NC?
The quality of the work in this state is amazing. Having worked with crews from all over the Atlantic coast I can say that North Carolina has some of the most talented and hardworking filmmakers around. But film is a bottom line driven industry and we need continued, but also, furthered support from the lawmakers in Raleigh to attract new productions and retain the ones we have.