Meet Donald L. Vasicek, a writer based in Centennial, Colorado and a member of the StudentFilmmakers Filmmakers Network. See Donald’s Network profile to connect.
Work: “I write scripts. I direct and produce documentary films, short films, and feature films. I consult with writers, directors, and producers regarding their individual vocations.”
Challenge: “Writing and making films presents many challenges because you’re going into basically uncharted territory, creatively. You have to nail down what you set out to write, direct, and/or produce. One big challenge I had was to interview thirteen Native Americans in one day. The challenge existed in communication, and getting the interviews on camera in about ten hours.”
Solution: “To frame the interview questions so that it would bring out of the interviewees what they most wanted to discuss, yet making certain they stayed on track with the subject matter and theme.”
Technique: “I have spent hours getting the lighting just right. With the Sony PD170, as long as I make sure what I am filming is ‘bathed’ in real light (sunlight), I am able to get the shots I want. The Sony PD170 bears a tremendous ability to self-adjust with respect to lighting and sound. If you go into a room, or if you are outside, simply strive to utilize the natural light, the sun, as much as you can, and you won’t go wrong. The thing is to make sure the sunlight is hitting what you are going to shoot to the side or at angle to your subject matter.” Favorite Tool: “The computer. I’m first, a writer, then everything else. I love to write. The computer provides a tool that saves me time when I have to research. Before computers, I had to make a list of things I needed to research, then truck over to the library and start researching. This really hindered my creativity. When you get on a roll when writing, you want to stay with it, and not be interrupted. The computer saves me a lot of time, energy and helps preserve my creativity.
“I also love my Sony PD170 camera. It does for me what I want it to do without a lot of fiddling around with sound and light. It’s easy to handle, and it gets sound and lighting down. I can rely on it and trust it.”
Credits:
— Faces, Writer, Director, Producer – Olympus Films+, LLC (www.donvasicek.com)
documentary film.
— Warriors of Virtue, Writer/Consultant – MGM feature film.
— Die Hard with a Vengeance, Extra – 20th Century Fox feature film.
— Mystery of Flight 1501, Extra – ABC Movie of the Week.
— The Sand Creek Massacre, Writer, Director, Producer – Olympus Films+, LLC award-winning documentary film.
— Father Dowling, Extra – ABC episodic series. — The Lost Heart, Writer – American Pictures feature film.
— Born to Kill, Writer – Rocky Group, Inc. feature film.
— Born to Win, Writer, Story – Incline Productions, Inc. cable television movie.
— Genocide in America, Writer, Director, Producer – Olympus Films+, LLC documentary film.
Donald L. Vasicek
Writer, Filmmaker, Consultant Location: Centennial, Colorado http://networking.studentfilmmakers.com/DonaldLVasicek Writer/filmmaker Donald L. Vasicek and filmmaker Shonie De La Rosa.
Writer/filmmaker Donald L. Vasicek and Edward Harrison, Southern Cheyenne.
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