A short film done by a high school student in Florida, which also won
"Film of the Month" by the National Youth Filmmakers Society.
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Hey Jonny, how are you? Good to hear from you and congratulations on your film winning the Film of the month.
~I've been doing great! Thanks
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When did you realize that you wanted to become a filmmaker?
~ I started perusing filmmaking in late 2005 (I was just turning 16 I think). I was greatly inspired by Michel Gondry's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". That film had made such an impact in my life in so many ways. I couldn’t believe how much my life could change just by watching one movie! I thought it was a cool thing to be able to make a person feel any way you want with your films.
How did you come up with the idea for "Hello, I love you”?
~ Well, pretty much all my films are based off of some kind of personal experience. The idea for HILY came to me when I was talking to my girlfriend about the kind of person I was before I was with her. There was a period in my life where I pretty much fell in "Love" with any girl that gave me the slightest bit of attention. At the end of the day, though, I'd come to the conclusion that there was no way I can fall for someone so quickly without even getting to know them first. . . for all I know, they could be gay! After explaining that to my girlfriend, the idea just popped into my head. I ran to the nearest pen and just began writing. I had a rough draft of the script a few hours later.
What kinds of films would you like to eventually produce?
~I've always wanted to make that one film where everyone watches it and leaves the theatre a different person. I've always wanted to make people think twice about things they say, do, etc. To have the same effect that Crash, Eternal Sunshine, and American History X did, in one of my films, would complete my life.
Do they have special programs/classes in your school for filmmakers?
~Eh. . .not really. At my high school, we have Television Production, which is a Journalism based class (we're not really allowed to make narratives. . .but I do anyway, ha ha!). Although we do have some cameras and a few Macs with Final Cut Express.
~After my first PSA, which was a class assignment, my TV Production teacher (Tim Oldakowski) encouraged me to make a short film. He's definitely my mentor.
Any new projects in the works?
~Actually, yes. I just finished a rough draft of a script and had a few people read it. It's tentatively titled "Beneath The Surface". The short is about the journey of a dollar bill, and the lives of the different, yet similar people who come in contact with it. I'm going to start looking for a production company really soon, because I'm in need of some major equipment. Keep an eye out for it.
Have you joined any Indie film groups where you can make contacts with?
~Yes, but I'm so busy with trying to get HILY spread out on Myspace and getting "Beneath the Surface" off the ground that I rarely have time to go anywhere else, lol.
