Bryan Young shares his journey in writing and producing his short film "3 1/2 Stars," providing valuable lessons on directing actors, crafting stories, and enhancing cinematic storytelling.
"Just keep shooting," were the wise words Star Wars producer Rick McCallum shared with me when we crossed paths at a Star Wars convention in 2002. This advice became a cornerstone of my filmmaking endeavors, guiding me through various narrative films, shorts, and documentaries. Even during the 2008 economic downturn, which led me to a stable job in government communications, McCallum's words remained a beacon. I continued to write and teach, contributing to magazines like Script and teaching screenwriting at the University of Utah’s continuing education program.
In 2014, the passing of my friend Jeff Michael Vice, a long-time film critic for the Deseret News, sparked the idea for a script to honor him and his work. Balancing a demanding job, I gathered resources in 2018 to create "3 1/2 Stars." Calling in favors and using my tax return, I embarked on this project with an inexperienced crew. Despite our efforts, we faced significant audio issues during post-production, further complicated by the pandemic, delaying the film's completion.
Reflecting on this experience, George Lucas's quote, "Art is never finished, it's abandoned," resonated deeply. This year, with grants for another short film, I revisited "3 1/2 Stars," releasing it online to share the insights gained from its creation.
Writing It The concept began with a character inspired by my late friend, addressing the theme of film criticism. The premise emerged: what if a film critic falls for someone with terrible taste in movies? Aiming for a script under 20 pages, I learned from festival programmers that under ten minutes is ideal. Combining the nobility of film criticism with dialogue reminiscent of Woody Allen films, I structured the story around a character defending his art, exploring his loneliness, and encountering love amidst professional challenges.
Making The Movie The production required adapting the script based on available locations. We filmed at three theaters in Salt Lake City, including the Broadway Theatre, Tower Theater, and Brewvies, which provided affordable shooting spaces. Finding a suitable bar and well-lit city street proved challenging but essential for the film’s scenes.
Budget constraints led to equipment limitations, affecting post-production sound quality. This experience underscored the importance of planning transitions between scenes and understanding how written words translate on set.
Lessons Learned Completing projects is crucial for learning. Early documentary work taught me the importance of securing participant releases, a lesson applied in subsequent projects. For "3 1/2 Stars," I'd invest in a professional sound mix and rework the script to avoid problematic dynamics. Despite its challenges, the short film provided invaluable lessons in directing, storytelling, and production logistics.
Next Steps I expanded the short film into a feature script, applying lessons learned. Film festivals focus on networking, so having a feature script ready is essential. The pandemic limited festival submissions for "3 1/2 Stars," but I remain committed to filmmaking, following McCallum's advice to "just keep shooting."
I wrote another short film, "The Lost Boys," mindful of logistics, sound quality, and funding through grants and crowdfunding. Running under ten minutes, I aim to share it at upcoming film festivals, continuing my journey in impactful storytelling.
By Sal Framondi,
CEO/Founder, OPPRIME.tv
Producer, Black Filmmakers Matter
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