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Photo by Curtis Schultz

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The award winning director of ReRe-Animated



Filmmakers are storytellers. I have been a filmmaker for a long time, and before that a storyteller.  Some of my fondest memories as a kid are playing “guns” or “cops and robbers” with my sister Melissa and cousins Derek and Jeremiah. We would spend hours figuring out the story to the game we were going to play. We would figure everything out and build an entire world around what we wanted to do. We would spend so much time and energy creating these stories that on many occasions, by the time we figured it all out, it was time to go home.  I also remember my dad telling all us kids scary stories around the campfire. His were always the best, no one could tell them like he could. All us kids would take turns trying to make up good ones like his but we never could as kids. As I grew up My love for stories grew to cartoons and movies, and as soon as I could, I wanted to make my own. I would tell Melissa, Derek, and Jeremiah all the time how I was going to make movies when I grew up. The first movie I was ever going to make was going to be a spoof of all the biggest movies from our childhood and I was going to call it............... Wait for it.................. “That One Movie”. That way when people were talking about movies, and couldn’t think of the title and they said "it was that one movie," other people would get confused because there was actually a movie called “That One Movie.” (I am still going to do this someday, so don’t steal my idea!!!!!!)
Me, Jeremiah, Derek, and Melissa as kids having a great time. Photo by Richard Vansant
When I actually got started making movies, I made some terrible short films.  Ones that no one will ever see! But I kept making them, making mistakes, learning tips, secrets, etc.  Always practicing. You can’t expect to become great at anything without practice. Or luck I guess, but anyone who know me will attest to me having the worst luck out of anyone in the world… So luck wasn’t going to cut it! I had to practice and learn.  I made several bad music videos, several bad short films, several student films, etc. Eventually I started making products that I was proud of.


The first short film I Directed and produced that I was really proud of is my short film ReRe-Animated.

http://www.rere-animatedmovie.com/
http://www.facebook.com/rereanimated
Comic book art work by the fantastic talented Morgan Wilson

Bodies line the streets; zombies roam hunting for brains or flesh, the "Zombie Apocalypse is now"... At least that is what Brian thinks. Brian drags Wess from his bed, and out through the night barricading themselves inside the safest place to be when zombies attack... A bar... Wess, doubting the accuracy of Brian's recollection, tries to convince him he could be wrong. Together the two friends wait out what could be the zombie apocalypse arguing as their imaginations run wild.


More fantastic art from Morgan Wilson
ReRe-Animated is a short film that I made with the help of a lot of great friends and supporters. I had an amazing crew, and could not have made it without their help. ReRe-Animated was the first real project that I tried to direct and produce myself. It was after I graduated from film school, and something that I spent lots of time, energy, and money to make it. I had the best equipment, the best crew, with talented actors; it really was an amazing experience. 


Morgan Wilson's representation of Brian an I fighting Zombies
some sweet directing/acting
Brian and I giving thumbs up!
All the awesome and scary Zombies
Actors Wesley Alley, Michael Opal, and Brian C. Chenworth
As amazing as the experience was and how good the film turned out, it wasn't all great.  It was hard with lots of problems. Right out of the gate we had a location fall through, so we had to find a new location very short notice. One of my two lead actors quit after weeks of rehearsals.  It was difficult to find someone else, so I had to step up and be one of the leads. My wife wrecked her scooter! Almost everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Even the weather was against us, it rained on us everyday and I don't mean, just a little rain I mean torrential downpour. It was a very tough schedule, and a very tough project all together. Like I said, it turned out great, and it was the effort of all my friends and crew that really made it possible. There is no way I could have pulled it off with out them.


something wicked this way comes
Praying for no Rain while A.D. Keith Gaynor and Actor Brian C. Chenworth wait super patiently...
Curtis braving the storm
Don't worry, I got you buddy. While Production Coordinator  Hillary Matheny does something coordinatory. 
Associate producer and Production Manager Nicholas Kramer broke out his rain gear from back when he was Captain of a fishing boat "Oh God Please No Rain"off the coast of Oregon. 
Nothing to do but wait for the rain to pass... So Bromantic...
Currently, ReRe-Animated is in its film festival run, and doing great!!!! We have won several awards including Best Horror Short Film at Shockerfest International FIlm Festival 2012, and Best Short Film Orlando FIlm Slam February 2012. We have screened at lots of pretty amazing festivals, not to mention, been seen by some pretty amazing people. Please check out the web site to see some great quotes from people, a list of all the film festivals and awards, as well as so much more!!!!



http://www.rere-animatedmovie.com/
http://www.facebook.com/rereanimated
http://rere-animated.blogspot.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/rereanimated

3 comments:

  1. So stinkin proud of you! You are such an amazing and talented person. You work harder than anyone I know. You deserve this!

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  2. Not only is this man the best director I have had the pleasure to work with, he is one of my best friends! He has an eye and more importantly the heart for directing. He projects are above most I've seen and been a part of. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get what he wants out of his actors. He is truly going to shake the grounds of the movie world. Watch out for Wes! He is coming to you in a BIG way! Make room for the new Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi power duo!!!! We are taking the cinema world by storm!!! Can't wait for our next project together brother!!!

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  3. Way to go wess!! Thats totally awesome!

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