Wintec movie at US Festival

Wintec Media Arts communication graduate Lisa Brown’s short thriller “Zach’s Plan” has gained international recognition.

The film which addresses central character Tom’s suspicions of brother Zach is set to showcase at the world’s largest youth film festival later this month – the National Film Festival for Talented Youth.

What was at first a written script for a third-year assignment quickly became real when Miss Brown decided to bring her words to life, in her second semester.

Her crew of set designer/makeup artist/editor Deborah Fitz-Herbert, boom operator Amanda McCloughen, lighting director Simon Cramer, music mixer Joel Comer and camera operators Andrew Wells and Elizabeth Campbell helped the writer; producer and director bring her film

about questionable motive and sanity to chilling life

The suspenseful scenes of Tom (central character) and brother Zach were shot over four days at Manawaru, Te Aroha with her crew of fellow moving image classmates.

Never thinking her psychological storyline would lead her to join 699 other short film submissions on a global stage at Seattle, current honours student Brown discovered the competition by clicking on a Google website advertisement.

“I saw it there [NFFTY advertisement] and thought, oh yip… that could be interesting. I texted Deb (film editor) and she said ‘yeah, do it’.”

Once she had sent the screener (teaser of the film) and US$30 entry fee to the festival organisers it felt like an age before the post-grad received a reply.

Miss Brown was interning at Godzone Pictures as production assistant, following work as stage manager for comedy production The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, when she got the good news.

“Was pretty cool to see the email saying ‘Congratulations you have been …’So yeah, I was genuinely excited, texted all the crew.”

An invitation to all who worked on the film was sent but because the NFFTY does not pay for air fares or accommodation, only two could afford the trip.

Brown and Fitz-Herbert could only just afford the $1600 flight to LA and $400 train tickets to San Francisco and then Seattle – the cheapest alternative to flying direct.

Wintec has offered the students $1000 towards the trip.

“It is a good chance to go to the States but pretty scary. Going to have all these people I don’t know judging it (the film)…Will be cool to see on the big screen though.

“There will be heaps of events where you can meet film makers and stuff. I haven’t found out the names of whose going yet,” said Brown.

Hopes for meeting other New Zealanders are high as another kiwi’s, (Sam Behrend), film “Sleep Easy” features alongside Brown.

Both kiwi films will screen at the 11pm screening “On the Edge of Your Seat” at the Seattle International Film Festival Cinema, April 30.

Both have been contestants in the national V 48 hour Film Competition.

The four day festival will host 25 countries, 40 US States and kicks off with an Opening Night Gala at the Space Needle (600 feet tall).

The two film buffs fly out April 11 and will walk the red carpet April 28, before mingling with fellow filmmakers, at the opening party.

Lisa Brown has been busy finishing her final year and feels her path in the film industry came from her media studies class during her last year at Howick College, Auckland.

The 21-year-old did not intend to make the film a thriller but admits she does find psychological thrillers “real interesting.”

“I just get random ideas and build on them, like when I first had the idea for “Zach’s Plan”, I didn’t know the way the character would work out until the last sentence.”

In terms of an overseas career Miss Brown is not saying no.

A career in New Zealand if the jobs are there are first on her agenda before venturing elsewhere.

“I’ve got family in Canada and they’ve got a massive film industry in Vancouver and Toronto, so maybe.”