Short Film Showcase
2007 Films
This year's 2-week AFW in North Carolina gave students an expanded “on location” experience as we added three new sites to our usual winners. Each film offered a new range of characters and represented a specific style and technical challenge for the fight arrangers and actors. All 5 films began with a one-page script, had the same budget, prep time and 8-10 hour shooting schedule. They each had specific production details regarding film style, location, wardrobe, assorted weapons, “live” and post-production effects for the Fight Arrangers and Actors to adjust to. Each “48 hour production” is a testament to the hard work and talent of the students, the AFW teachers and staff.
Five Stones
Western To spring his murdering son, a land baron must defeat the “spirit” of small town!
Escape
Action Adventure An assassin enters a prison mental hospital to erase the last living witness!
White Lightning
Redneck Comedy A NASCAR driver is forced to throw the big race or start “walking tall”!
The Letter
Gothic Romance A banished suitor fights his way back to see his love on her wedding day!
Producer's Notes
This year we utilized some wonderful locations by adding a NASCAR racetrack, train & antique car museum and private Western Town to the NCSA campus and Old Salem regulars we use. The effect is a real detail of style and a much richer look.
We did a green screen stunt for “Escape.” The “Western” gave students a great education in mixing live and post-production effects. Dale Girard added another signature fire stunt, outstanding rigging, first rate dust and zyrc hits and his onscreen energy took Trevor Swan up a notch in “White Lightning.”
We only got kicked out of one location this year and it was after we “got the shot” for Allen Suddeth's excellent traveling sword fight in “The Letter.” “Noir” was pure style, using short bits of violence from all of the students, which we then elevated with excellent wardrobe, location shots by Adam Bricker at the NC Transportation Museum and post-production sound and after effects by Eric Hartman.
The camera work came up 100% this year thanks to Charlie Panian, Adam Bricker, and the tireless efforts of Jacob Snodgrass and Ted Sharon.
Thank you guys. I have to be honest it gets more fun for me every season.
All The Best.
A.C.
