>> Before you take that pill--
Put it down.
I want you to do something
for me here.
I want you to cover your ears.
Yep, that's right.
Cover 'em.
Good.
>> Side effects include:
lightheadedness, nosebleeds,
dizziness, headaches,
hallucination, inability to
perceive colors, stubbed toes,
additional hallucinations,
schizophrenia, flatulence,
chronic boo-boos, depression,
dry skin, vertigo, attention
deficit disorder and insanity.
>> Good, good, good.
Thank you.
Now, pop 'er on in your mouth,
man.
Great.
>> Hi, and welcome
to Director's Cut.
I'm your host,
Charles Monroe-Kane.
Here at Director's Cut,
we're dedicated to bringing you
the best in independent films
and filmmakers.
Today, the Milwaukee Spotlight
Student Film Festival.
Founded in 2005, it's the only
film festival dedicated to
Wisconsin high school students.
I have seen a number of these
films, and I was completely
blown away.
They're fantastic.
On the show today, we'll speak
with some of these students.
But first, Dominic Inouye and
James Carlson.
They are the organizers of the
Milwaukee Spotlight Student Film
Festival.
Guys, excellent to have you both
here.
I love the films.
One thing I wanted to ask you,
Dominic, I'll start with you.
I was not expecting--
You sent me a number of films.
I thought they were going to be
good.
Maybe they'd be endearing.
I might enjoy them.
They'd be nice.
These are good films.
These are like real films.
Did you have the same when you
first started this?
Were you like, whoa!
>> They are not home movies.
>> They're not at all.
>> I think the first year, 2005,
we opened up the first package.
We were wondering how many we
were going to get.
We got almost 50 films that
first year.
And it was kind of like opening
up a Christmas present.
You open it up, open up the
envelope, pulling it out,
sticking it in the DVD.
That was not home video.
We were blown away by a lot of
them.
The first half-hour film with
special effects, with acting,
with chase scenes.
>> Animation.
>> I was not expecting that.
And the screenwriting, because I
noticed that for almost all
these films, the one kid does
everything.
I'm like wow.
On their own, too.
I was very impressed.
What's interesting, what's the
genesis of the film festival?
Why did you start it?
>> Actually, the film festival
began, kind of germinated in
Dominic's head.
At the high school where he
teaches English, there's a film
club.
And he kind of noticed that the
kids really got into filmmaking.
And he and I connected and
started talking about broadening
the idea and really making
something that we could roll out
to the whole state, and ask
people to submit.
And I don't think we even
expected to get so many movies
the first year.
But we were overwhelmed.
We just said we'd put out the
word through the Internet, you
know, students find out about
it.
We started to just continue to
be surprised by the results that
we got.
>> So what are the parameters?
It's Wisconsin high school
students?
It's gotten bigger than that,
right?
>> It started off with just high
school, Milwaukee high schools.
We really wanted to focus on our
city, and really honor and
celebrate kids here that are
doing things.
We always hear so much about
kids in our city and our state
who are failing.
>> Right.
>> And our schools are failing
our kids.
And our kids are failing us.
So we really wanted to make it a
Milwaukee thing.
But once we started seeing it,
there was just a snowball effect
of kids being interested.
Once we put it on the Internet,
everybody starts to find out
about it.
We started getting submissions
last year from around the
country.
>> Wow, that's excellent.
>> We're also accepting college
students this year.
>> Oh, you're taking the older
ones, as well.
Now tell me, what--
You're a high school teacher,
right?
Are these the kind of things
that students are making in high
school?
Are there certain private high
schools that have film editing?
Or is this stuff they're doing
at home?
>> It's everything from doing it
at home, experimenting with
their home camera, to these,
whether it's a high school or a
film program within the city,
that are allowing the students
the time to produce these
things.
>> We've seen everything from,
you know, professionally
produced, obviously the student
had access to some kind of
production facility, possibly
some mentoring, to they did it
at home with two VHS decks,
editing by hand,
just driven by their passion,
but having very little access
to equipment.
We've started asking the
students who submit their movies
where do they get their access
to this stuff, and where do they
find the resources to the stuff
they need.
And it's all over the board, as
far as how accessible the tools
are for filmmakers.
And it's also, we've found, all
over the board, how supportive
the schools are of filmmaking as
a learning exercise.
>> Now you started the film
festival.
It's exploded on you.
Where do you want to see it go?
Is it the next Cannes?
Where do you want it to be?
The Cannes for high school
students.
>> We'll call it High School in
the Cannes!
>> That's not bad.
>> I think that, you know, our
vision has always been to not
just showcase.
It's been to showcase and bring
the students together so that
they are empowered in some way.
Then to even empower them more
by getting into the schools,
teach teachers how to use this
as a tool.
A lot of them are scared.
If you're over 35, we're afraid
of technology, a lot of us.
But the kids aren't.
To empower them to do it.
To empower teaches to help them
do it.
To empower cities to help them
do it.
And then to educate.
I really would like that.
I think both our visions is to
see a video center akin to what
they have in San Diego, or
San Francisco, Texas, Chicago,
New York, and really make
Milwaukee a center
for a lot of that.
>> That would make sense.
Milwaukee the center of high
school filmmaking.
I just really appreciate having
you both here.
We're going to have some of the
past year's winners on in a few
minutes.
The first one we're going to
have on is the film,
"Epiphany."
Can one of you set up
this clip?
We're going to see an animated
clip from "Epiphany."
>> I think just watch for
stacks of paper disappearing,
as a young student hand draws
every frame in animation.
Just imagine the effort
required, and the passion
required to see that.
>> Thank you for both of you
here.
We are going to watch that clip.
We're going to talk to that
student in just a minute.
Here's a clip from "Epiphany."
? ?
( piano music throughout )
>> That was a clip from
Sam Shapson's film "Epiphany."
The film won the Grand Prize
at the 2007 Milwaukee Spotlight
Student Film Festival.
Sam, thank you very much for
coming in.
How old were you when you made
this film?
>> I was actually 16 when I made
the film.
I made it in early 2007, my
junior year.
>> And how long did it take you
to make it?
>> The actual concept began, and
it went through many stages, so
I could say it went all the way
back to probably early fall.
But the actual production
probably took about a month and
a half.
>> So, is this part of school,
or is this something you just
did on your own in the evenings?
>> It was something I just did
on my own on the weekends.
I kind of spoke with a few
people at school that I thought
would be able to help me out.
The animation was not all me.
That little stick figure at the
end of the clip was, but a lot
of the animation was done by
another animator, Jasmine Grant,
who is just a fantastic
animator.
>> Oh, excellent.
Tell me, you won the grand jury
prize last year at the Milwaukee
Spotlight Student Film Festival.
That must have been a pretty
amazing feeling.
What was it like at that moment?
Was there a moment when they
announced and there you are and
you stand up?
What was it like?
>> Well, I actually got notified
by email prior to the festival.
And Dominic framed it in a very
funny way, though, like I think
a film-minded person would.
It said thank you very much for
entering, we really appreciate
it.
I'm getting ready for it, going
down the email.
Then finally it says we've
actually selected you to win the
grand prize.
I got up from the computer and I
walked over to my mom.
And I said, "Mom, I got the
grand prize."
>> What was it like to win?
I mean, to be appreciated
for the work you're doing,
what does that mean?
>> It was really interesting,
because I've always done and
kind of dabbled in film, I've
dabbled in all kinds of things,
with art and with writing.
And other kinds of skills,
you have people
to compare yourself to.
You can kind of see where you're
at, and get a feeling for it.
But with this, I didn't have
any of that.
I didn't know where I was.
I had no idea.
I was just swimming through
this sea, and I didn't know
how big it was.
I was just trying
to get to the other side.
And it was really just shocking
and amazing to get that result.
>> You, of course,
are still in high school, right?
No, you're not.
That's right.
Where are you now?
>> I'm going to Columbia College
in Chicago.
>> Oh, excellent.
Studying film, right?
>> Yes.
>> Film directing, film what?
What's the specific thing you're
studying?
>> Right now, I haven't declared
a concentration.
Right now it's just general.
>> No pressure!
I don't want to pressure you for
a major.
You have another film in this
year's film festival.
It's called "Old Bug."
Tell me a little bit
about the film.
>> "Old Bug" is a narrative film
about a boy and his grandpa,
and a conversation
that they're having.
We don't see them, actually,
till toward the end of the film.
But we watch as the boy develops
a relationship with a bug, a
little caterpillar that he
finds.
He talks with his grandpa about
it, and talks about what he does
with it.
He takes it on a bike ride.
He goes on various activities.
And the film, for a little
while, it's just simply about
that.
But then, toward the end, it
becomes something more.
>> Let's see a clip
from "Old Bug."
>> Hey, there.
Is that old bug still kicking?
>> Yeah, Grandpa.
>> That's good.
Have you taken it out to play
yet?
>> Play with the bug?
>> Sure.
If you play with those toys of
yours, I think you can have more
fun with a bug, wouldn't you?
>> What do I do with it?
>> First, have a look at it.
You two need to get to know
each other if you're going to be
playmates.
So tell me, how's the old
bugger?
>> He's fine, Grandpa.
>> What did you do with him?
>> I took him on a walk around
my room.
>> So what do you think you're
going to do next?
>> I don't know.
Maybe I'll take him on a bike
ride.
>> That's an amazing clip.
That's from Sam Shapson's film
"Old Bug" from the Milwaukee
Spotlight Student Film Festival.
You know, I was watching this
film, and I had mentioned this
earlier with the directors of
the whole festival, I was really
surprised when I saw your film.
And I hope you don't take this
offensively.
But I was expecting something
else when I saw a lot of these
student films.
And this film is really well
made, but also, there's some
gravity to this film.
It's quite serious in the way
the grandpa is talking.
It's really mature stuff.
Why is it so serious?
I was surprised that that's
something you would choose.
>> Well, I just felt like if I
was going to actually pursue
this, and if I really wanted to
demonstrate my ability to myself
and to people around me,
probably most of all to myself,
I wanted to see if I could get
an intentional reaction out of
people.
I thought, well, when I watch
films, really what's going on.
The filmmakers are providing
you with subject matter to which
the audience is responding.
And the audience response
determines how much they like
the film, if it made them think,
if it made them feel.
And I decided that I wanted to
create some sort of exercise for
myself to make the audience feel
something.
And I decided to explore the
feeling of loss.
I wanted to provide the audience
with something and then take it
away, and see how the audience
would respond.
>> Was there a personal reason
for that for you?
Were you exploring it as well?
You weren't having an
existential crisis, or was it
just something you thought
was evocative?
>> I thought it would be very
interesting to see if I'd be
able to do that.
It was a challenge to myself.
And I was really surprised with
the results.
The film evolved in a slightly
different way than I had
originally intended.
>> Wow, that's good.
>> And in a great way, too.
It was very exciting.
>> There's a narrator.
The main narrator of the film is
the grandfather.
He's interacting with this kid.
And as I listen to the
grandfather talk, I have a young
child, a four-year-old and an
18-month-old.
I was listening to the
grandfather talk to a child the
way I would talk to my child.
And I was like, how the heck did
a high school student write the
kind of mature stuff.
You know, if I want to talk to
my son about death, or about not
squashing a bug, this is a great
example of what I could do.
I might even do it actually.
Where does that come from for
you?
Again, it's very surprising that
that would come from you.
I'm not saying you would just
make a T&A film, and that's what
you would do.
But to see that level of
maturity, were you reading a lot
of literature on this issue, or
did you just want to be serious,
and sat down and wrote it?
>> I guess I really don't have a
good answer for you.
I think I just, it's just what
seemed appropriate.
I have thought about death.
I have thought about interesting
things.
I feel like I'm kind of ruining
the film a little bit.
>> No, not at all.
To do these interviews, you have
to kind of give a little bit
away.
>> Yeah, I guess so.
But I did feel like I wanted to
just talk about a serious topic.
And those were just the words
that occurred to me.
>> Well, you did it very well.
I was very impressed with the
maturity with which it was
handled.
What's next for you?
You're in college now.
And so what's next, is it
Hollywood?
Is that the goal, to be a big
filmmaker, or to be just an
independent filmmaker?
What's the goal for you for all
of this?
>> Well, I'd say the goal for me
is, I don't think I know enough
about the industry to really be
able to say I want to go
Hollywood, or I want to go New
York, or I want to go Indie.
I definitely want to make films.
I want to be involved in the
creative process of films, and
whatever it takes to make that
happen.
So throughout my life, I can
look back on it and I've
accomplished films, just like I
can look back on my high school
career and I feel like I've
accomplished films, I mean me
personally.
If I can do that, then I'll have
succeeded.
>> That's excellent.
When you make your next film,
you're welcome to come back on
our show.
It's an open invitation.
Thank you very much for joining
us.
Like I said, good luck.
Up next, Mike Cheslik.
Mike's film, "Blink" won
the Best Picture, Best Script,
Best Narrative, Best Editing,
and Audience Favorite at the
2006 Milwaukee Spotlight
Student Film Festival.
All that, when he was only a
freshman in High School.
Here's a clip from Mike
Cheslik's film "Blink."
? ?
( music throughout )
>> That was an excellent clip
from Mike Cheslik's film,
"Blink."
Mike, welcome
to Director's Cut.
How are you?
>> Thanks.
>> I love your film.
It's awesome.
I read enjoyed it.
I actually had a couple friends
watch, because it's online,
so I was able to send that off
to friends to check it out.
It was great.
>> Good.
>> So welcome.
You were a freshman in high
school when you made that film.
I don't want to dwell on that
fact, but this is a pretty
impressive film for a freshman.
Where did you get the
wherewithal to sit down and say
you're going to make it and then
actually do it.
There's a lot of things that
when I was a freshman that I
said I was going to do, and I
didn't do them.
How did you end up actually
making a film?
>> Well, we just talked about a
lot bigger things than this.
So this was the step down from
those.
>> This was plan C or D?
>> Yeah, this was plan F.
We finally did this one.
>> There are a lot of long clips
in there.
It must have taken forever to
make this film.
How long did it take you?
>> Yeah, because it's sped up.
So the whole thing would've been
like 40 minutes if it had been
in real time.
But we put the whole thing in
fast motion, because when I was
a freshman, fast motion was
really funny, so I did that.
>> The original film was 40
minutes and you sped it up to
fit in the time, that's an
excellent idea.
>> Well, no, we went into it
wanting to make it fast.
The whole point of the movie is
basically like me messing around
with the computer.
Cameras are fun.
Fast motion is fun.
Let's make a movie.
>> That was nice.
>> That's all there was to it.
>> You heard it here first,
that's the way to make a film.
Cameras are fun.
Fast motion is fun.
Go do it.
It's a funny film.
It's a comedy.
And there are moments in that
film where you're supposed to
laugh, and you do.
I've seen this with my wife,
with a couple friends.
And they laugh at these moments.
But it must have been
interesting for you with your
first film to be at a film
festival where there's an
audience.
And when they're supposed to
laugh, when you want them to
laugh as a director and writer,
then they do.
What was it like the first time
you're sitting in this big room?
Was it like, oh my God, they're
responding the way I want them
to respond?
>> It was weird, because I'm
rarely in regular movies where
we laugh when we're supposed to.
So in like, you know, when a
group of people laughs at a
joke, that's probably the most
rewarding thing in the world.
Making a movie and having people
laugh at it in a group.
Because laughing in a group is a
powerful thing anyway.
But then when it's a movie you
made, you know, it's a big deal.
>> Why are you compelled to make
films?
You could be doing a lot of
other things.
But you're very focused on
something very specific at a
young age.
Why in high school, compelled to
make a film?
>> Because I can.
It's like it's really easy, you
know.
>> Wow, that's why.
>> Oh, yeah, you've got your
technology that's so simple now.
It's so easy to buy a camera.
The editing software is like
free.
You know, you can.
>> It's easy.
And I agree, you can.
>> Oh, I'm not saying it's easy
to make a good movie!
I'm just saying it's easy to
make a movie.
That's why you start.
It's like drug use, can I say
that?
>> Sure.
>> It's like drug use.
You get addicted.
You have somebody--
There's a fly on the set.
>> Exciting.
Somebody get that on camera.
Fantastic, I love it.
>> It's like, you know, you have
that, some drug addict
somewhere, I'm sure, who gets a
taste of whatever.
And you know, just gets in
deeper and deeper, until that's
the only thing he can think
about and do.
And you know, moving on to
harder and harder things.
You know, challenging yourself
more and more.
And then, you know, trying the
patch and failing.
Yeah, so.
>> The next thing you know,
you're doing a mini-series.
>> I'm a product of that.
>> Let's see another clip from
your film.
If you can set this one up for
us, this is the microwave scene.
>> Oh, yeah.
So, you know, when you're fast,
it's not all fun and games,
I guess.
The idea was you don't just get
to beat people up.
There has to be
negative aspects to it also.
So this is that.
>> Okay, this is that.
? ?
( music throughout )
>> That was a clip from
Mike Cheslik's film, "Blink."
So, what's next?
What are you working on now?
>> Well, now that I'm in phase
nine of my addiction, we're
doing a feature length movie.
We've been working on it for
like four months.
I met a bunch of great guys who
are also really into film, which
is the luckiest thing.
And so, we're about halfway
through shooting this feature
length monster, and nowhere near
being done.
But we'll say, you know, spring
of this next year, probably.
"Swedish" is the title.
>> Can you give us a nutshell?
What's it about?
>> Well, my little pitch, I
guess, is that three young men
decide that more than anything
else they want to obtain the new
Swedish cell phone.
But it's not a very, you know,
there's not a lot of them.
So they're hard to find.
And the thing about this cell
phone, it doesn't just record
what you say, it transmits what
you mean.
>> Oh, yeah, I don't want that
phone.
>> Deep man, you know.
And in the process of looking
for this communication device,
they have sort of a breakdown in
communication.
That's it.
But it's a lot weirder than
that, I promise.
I promise it's much goofier.
>> I believe you.
And real quick, before we go,
why are you making it?
What's the real reason
behind making "Swedish."
>> Why am I making it?
>> You just want to make a
full-length film, that's very
ambitious.
>> You know, movies are awesome.
Bad movies are awesome.
Making movies is awesome.
There's just nothing about them
that I don't love.
It's what I want to do.
So, you know, gosh darn it,
I'm going to make
a feature length movie.
>> You are welcome back.
Send us your film when it's
done.
You're welcome to come back on,
and we'll have you on for the
whole show.
>> I'll see you in 2011,
or whatever.
>> See you in 2011!
Thank you very much
for joining us.
Good luck with getting
that film out.
That'll be great.
I want to thank everyone today.
I want to thank Mike Cheslik,
Sam Shapson and everyone at the
Milwaukee Spotlight Student Film
Festival for giving us a glimpse
into the future of Wisconsin
independent filmmaking.
I also want to thank you all
very much for watching.
It's Director's Cut.
For more information
on the Milwaukee Spotlight
Student Film Festival,
please go to our Web site at:
wpt.org/directorscut
While you're there,
send us an email.
We would love to hear from you.
I'm your host,
Charles Monroe-Kane.
And for everyone here
at Director's Cut, thank you
very much for joining us.
Check the gate.