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Past Filmmakers
The Center of Attention
1. How did you come up with the idea for the film?
The film is loosely based on experiences in my high school. During those four years, I knew five different people who lost close family members either to disease or accidents. The reaction among my classmates was to act overtly distraught by each incident even though they may not have even known the people who were dealing with it. This behavior was severely ingenuine and not appropriate. The story for the Center of Attention is about someone in deep denial of his own feelings, taking advantage of this tide of sympathy.
2. How long did the production process take?
Like other NCSA senior films, production lasted for eight days with one day of re-shoots.
3. What challenges did you experience in the creation of the film?
We used only actors who were in high school or had just graduated, simply because I think high school TV shows and movies who use much older actors just look stupid. This, of course, meant that our cast had little to no training and so rehearsals became a very important part of planning for the film. Our cast was very open to putting the extra time in and it certainly paid off during shooting.
4. What is your favorite memory from creating the film?
Before rehearsals, I sat down with each cast member and key crewmember and explained to them why I wanted to make this film. They were all very supportive and we talked a lot about their experiences in real life that mirrored those in the film. It made for a real sense of camaraderie.
5. When someone has finished watching the film, what do you hope they take away from the experience?
The most important message that I wanted to convey when I made the film is that tragedy should not be a trend. It seems as though people compete for who can show just how bad they feel for those that have lost, as if winning that competition will elevate their status. This is disgusting. So too is using a personal loss to justify all kinds of immoral behavior. These are the end results of denial, which is a constantly underestimated force in our world.
6. What type of reaction has your film received from viewers?
It struck a chord with people who had lived through similar experiences. For most others, I think, it was too caustic at the beginning and didn't pack enough of an emotional punch at the end. Also, I believe it was rightly overshadowed by the better-crafted films of my classmates, which were shown at the same screenings.
7. What advice would you give to aspiring young filmmakers?
In no way shape or form should you go to a film school. Listen to DVD director commentaries. You'll save money and learn more.
8. Please tell us about the next film you plan to work on?
With any luck, I'll be making a series of short films over the next year.
9. What are your thoughts on the film industry in NC?
North Carolina is making a huge mistake in how it is attracting filmmaking. As someone who went to school here and decided to stay, it is particularly insulting that the powers that be could so shortsighted and ignorant regarding the industry they are trying to attract. Clearly, North Carolina is participating in the race to the bottom for the big films to come here and spend their money. There is nothing immoral or illogical about tax incentives or straight cash giveaways to large productions that will spend millions of dollars. The problem exists that this race is one we can't win. Unless we want to shell out the entire state treasury we are not going to stop the Cold Mountains of the future from going to Eastern Europe. They have an inherent advantage with their weaker currency that no tax break could possibly compete with. We will end up allowing ourselves to be pushed around by big productions who couldn't care less about the North Carolina film industry as a whole. The reason for this is that we have no bargaining power. People, especially at film commissions, are found of saying that NC has all the geography a film could want, from mountains to beaches to farms to big cities. But so does every state on the East Coast and many elsewhere in the country. Some of those states have more attractive incentives and a lower cost of living.
The only advantage we have over South Carolina, Virginia, and the rest are two huge studios at either end of the state and a vast crew base, albeit quickly disappearing. So how do we use that? Don't just attract one or two big productions. When they're over, everybody will be out of work and on unemployment, just slightly better off than they were before. Instead, we should use things like tax breaks to attract companies or offices for companies who will produce a variety of shows and movies over the course of many years. If those that own the company live in North Carolina, they are much less likely go jump ship than some far away executive in New York or Los Angeles calling the shots. Imagine if a small production company or a division of a large studio were to be attracted to Wilmington, or Raleigh, or Charlotte or Asheville? If they were successful, more would follow, happily moving their families to cleaner environments, lower costs of living, without losing the convenience of local crewmembers. A more permanent plan should be the focus. Because if forsaking tax revenue means getting only two movies a year, I'd just as soon not pay taxes.
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