Meet Bryan Neilon, Matt Watkajtys and Don Patterson, members of the StudentFilmmakers Filmmakers Network. Visit their Network profiles below to connect.
Bryan Neilon
Filmmakers Network profile: Bryan_Neilon
Most recent productions: “I was the head editor on a short video documentary called, The 151 Wooster Street Wall about the discovery and significance of a wall of graffiti that’s been covered for 27 years. Rob Jameson headed the video project. The wall is being donated to the Guggenheim Museum as a snapshot of a cultural-art movement.”
What’s new for 2008: “Currently, I’m an editor and partner on a 40-minute video documentary project entitled, A Horse Connection headed by Gregory Bray. We have spent two years tracking the progress of six clients from a horse-assisted therapy program also called, ‘A Horse Connection’ in Rhinebeck, NY. The clients are both adults and children diagnosed with anything from cerebral palsy to blindness to autism, and their progress has been astounding. We hope to raise awareness about Equine Therapy as an effective form of occupational therapy that should be covered by more health insurance plans. Thanks to the support of the State University of New York at New Paltz, Gregg and I are bringing this project to the 53rd Annual Broadcast Education Conference Convention in Las Vegas this summer.”
Unique challenge on a project: “One of my favorite challenges was while trying to tape a night scene in a bar on location. We wanted a dark, dank, dive bar, but the owners would only let us shoot at ten in the morning, and they had huge floor-to-ceiling windows out front letting in lots of natural light. It completely gave away the fact that it was so early. With no budget or fancy night-to-day lens filters, what were we to do?”
Solution for the challenge: “We put a pink filter on our key light and manually white-balanced in the pepto-bismol-esque glow, making the all the pinks white and whites green. Suddenly, all that natural light became a very artificial neon-looking green, just as if it had been coming from a neon sign rather than daylight. Not to mention cutting down on the overall exposure so the whole scene looked a bit darker and more dive bar like. I couldn’t have been happier with the lighting if we had spent all day on it, yet it only took about ten minutes to figure out and set up.”
Matt Watkajtys
Filmmakers Network profile: MattyW
Most recent production: FlashBack – “It was a short 16mm film. My first using color film. It was a rather interesting undertaking. With limited resources and a quick, two-week production schedule – have to love deadlines – we were definitely pressed for time especially with a CG element involved. But my crew and I were able to pull of a great film in the end.”
What’s new for 2008: “I have a lot on my schedule for the year of 2008. I am planning on launching a visual effects house specifically designed for the independent film maker on a budget. Since visual effects work is typically very expensive, and everyone wants to implement it into their workflow, I figured I might as well start offering my services. Stay tuned to my profile for information on the startup. “I am also directing and writing a short horror film in the coming months. I was challenged by a producer acquaintance of mine who stated he isn’t a fan of student films. We put together a crew of sixteen different people, pulled out our campus film festival, and went to work on the script. We will be shooting shortly. Have yet to decide if we want to go HD or 16mm yet. It will be one of the major questions that has to be answered soon.”
Unique challenge on a project: “I think one of the most unique challenges I have come across is set design and working in your environment, regardless of what it is. Of course, any visual effect is always a challenge, but a fun one to conquer.”
Solution for the challenge: “In regards to set design, our last shoot called for a gloomy post apocalyptic setting. So we had to think of what a holding cell would look like for a man being held by new age terrorists. We designed the set in a very small room, taped dirtied and aged news papers on the walls. Tossed a bed-frame on its side. Set up our light kits and gels. And we had a very cramped entrapment. I thought it looked well. Though I wish we had a little more room.”
Don Patterson
Filmmakers Network profile: stonepatterson
Most recent productions: Films haunt and plukt.
Unique challenge on a project: “The number one challenge is always the same and not really unique. As with almost every other low or no-budget filmmaker, out in the real world – having no funds creates many challenges. “Thus every production comes down to ‘the challenge of working with no budget while trying to obtain high quality standards’. I don’t have the patience to seek those funds by pitching and/or butt kissing. I don’t have a rich uncle. My saving grace is that I own my own equipment and tape is not expensive; currently shooting in high-end DVcam with three cameras and own non-compressed editing equipment…”
Solution for the challenge: “I work fast as the entire production crew, from behind the three cameras to the final, polished edit. I am able to keep costs to a minimum because I know how the entire production crew [of one] thinks and have a good idea of what the footage shot will look like when edited. “I believe as the screenwriter/director, in ‘letting the actors act’. It also helps that I use three cameras. I believe in giving the cast some freedom to interpretation because we are not confined by an accountant or a bank’s dollars. We are not shooting 16mm or 35mm film. I have found that many actors have great insight and can shine with just a subtle tweaking here and there as long as the material is kept fresh. “I also edit during the week all the previous footage if the project is longer then one weekend. This allows cast to see the highs and the lows. Gives us the opportunity to re-shoot or change something that doesn’t work well or could be improved on.”
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