James Wray: Aspiring Film-Maker

Junior Film Studies major James Wray gives a sneak peak into his new web series: A Brief Metaphorical History of the World. The series consists of four or so college room-mates who reenact key moments in world history with petty squabbles.

(PHOTO: Rick Allen Lippert)

The most recent episode was for a class, Electronic Field Production, which is taught by Professor Gerald Loessberg at the University of Oklahoma. Using equipment from Gaylord College, Wray finished shooting the project December 11th. He is still currently editing the final product, and will be showing the latest episode on Youtube on i106production's Channel.

Wray uses his real room mates as actors in the series. Recurring actors Nathan Drake and Jonathan Torrio are joined by Cortnie Garret, Ryan Bott, and James Wray himself in the latest episode, A Brief Metaphorical History of World War II. Drake and Torrio say, "I like it. It's witty and funny. [James] makes the time go by real fast and makes you want to do it more".

James began shooting shorts during his early high school years by filming various skateboarding videos with his friends. As he got into college, he set his goals higher little by little. Watching hundreds of films per year, Wray has developed his understanding of film, and has refined his technique as a cinematographer and director. Wray has a distinct fascination with stylistic films like Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. Wray has also had much experience with cameras working with OU Nightly.

It is unknown when Wray will be shooting another episode. Wray has his sights on being hired for Criterion Collection or Kino International. Wray allowed some sneak peak footage of the episode to be shown before its debut. The video below is a small biography of his career with the footage included. VIDEO: Matthew Shaffer, Runtime: 2:52.

Andrew Jenks on World of Jenks

Andrew Jenks visited the University of Oklahoma Memorial Union November 30th to give listeners an insight into his fortunate life as a documentary film-maker. He is currently working on the second season of his show, World of Jenks, where he infiltrates the lives of several individuals to flush out the lifestyles of typical Americans.

(PHOTO: Ida Skadberg)

His fortune came at the young age of 19 in the form of a documentary he shot at Harbor Place in Port St. Lucie, Florida five years ago. Home Box Office, HBO, would buy the documentary rights and would eventually show on January 15th, 2008. Shortly after, Jenks would meet professional baseball manager, Bobby Valentine, and after an agreement would shoot a documentary over the former baseball player in his journey to Japan, which would premiere the 12th of May, 2008

Jenks spoke mostly of his living conditions, his no-budget antics, and several hilarious phone-calls made to "fake and make it". He was interested in film-making but not in college, and was glad he jumped on this rare chance at documentary film making when he did.

The Campus Activities Council Speakers Bureau, Allison Mrasek was the woman responsible for Jenks's appearance, and she was more than grateful for the message that Jenks had given his listeners. "I love that he talked so much about how he just went out there. He kept getting no and he kept trying, and I think that's important for us to hear as we're all job searching as well." (VIDEO: Matthew Shaffer, Kelsey Hightower 5:06)

World of Jenks season one was 12 episodes according to their main website, and were 30 minute episodes about one person each. In season two, he says that the whole season will be covering three individuals in one hour episodes. The second season is scheduled to start in early 2012.

Guest Speaker Marc Rotenberg

At the request of Professor Hunter Heyck, Executive Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center Marc Rotenberg speaks at Gaylord Auditorium about the threat to privacy now and in the future of America.

(PHOTO: Matthew Shaffer)

Rotenberg begins by referencing the famous book, 1984, and how it "warned" America about the future of privacy invasion. Rotenberg touches on many methods the government uses to spy and attain information such as the 360 CCTV surveillance camera, biometric identification, wiretapping, the FAST program, RFID tracking, body scanners, and gps tracking. All of these methods have their uses, but according to Rotenberg, the technology could be used beyond its original purpose.

Throughout the lecture, Rotenberg occassionaly shows his audience various clips from movies, trailers, and advertisements to give a different view of his opinion. At the end of the lecture, he gives a list of references he had used. This method allows for further study of privacy through movies. "Tonight...we [will] talk about how the movies project the concern about surveillance, what we see in the world around us, and also how we respond in a political/thoughtful sense to these new challenges."

Rotenberg also talked about how internet social networks have the capability to store indefinitely the information of users who use facebook, twitter, and myspace, and the government has the permission, thanks to the Patriot Act, to use that information if necessary for any investigation.

Rotenberg teaches information privacy law at Georgetown University Law Center about various privacy related subjects. He has also created a website, epic.org, as a site to promote the protection of privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values.

Heyck previously had speakers Professor Starr and Professor Douglas speak in his class, the History of Media. Heyck promises more lectures before the end of the semester and welcomes any outside of his class to come.

Marc Rotenberg talks briefly about the airport full body scanner that allows security to see through clothing. VIDEO: Matthew Shaffer/Kelsey Hightower runs 1:47

Cherokee Ballard Visits OU

Former news reporters Cherokee Ballard and Britten Follet spoke at Gaylord College Hall of Fame to discuss their experiences and their most interesting story, the murder of Kelsey Smith. The two reporters walked their listeners through their life in news reporting to their current positions. They occasionally showed past news packages about the Kelsey case and demonstrated how powerful investigative reporting can be and how making the guilty accountable can change someone's life.

(PHOTO: Matthew Shaffer)

Given the question of how would Follett do differently if given the chance to start her first job over, the two talk about the importance of holding those in power accountable and give students the chance to think this way before starting their careers as journalists. AUDIO: Matthew Shaffer runs 2:04



According to the two reporters and the news reports that were shown, Kelsey Smith-Briggs's father, Lance, was involved with the Iraq War and had to leave Kelsey at home. On a weekend trip home, he found her bruised and with a broken collar bone. Eventually, she would be recieve more abuse from an unknown abuser while Lance was in Iraq, and she would be killed. The killer is still unknown today, but Ballard was responsible for the 7-minute package shown on Eyewitness News 5. Many of the students who were shown this package said they couldn't believe it was seven minutes, saying it felt much shorter.

Ballard used to work for Eyewitness News 5, but unfortunately she was eventually diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system. She then became a spokesperson for The State Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to raise awareness of the cancer. However, due to Ballard's journalistic attitude, she became a little unpopular at the medical examiner, and she moved on to communications manager for Oklahoma Natural Gas.

Ballard and Follet admit that they would return to their past jobs under certain conditions, but the two feel that their abilities are required elsewhere. Ballard continues to work at Oklahoma Natural Gas while Follet works as a Marketing Manager at Follett International. The two hope that the session has given students a valuable insight into the world of journalism.

The Oklahoma City Community College Visual Art and Performances Center's Film Studio

Film Major, John Dewberry, is an aspiring film-maker currently not enrolled at Oklahoma City Community College. He currently helps out the employees at OCCC's Visual and Performing Arts Center where he waits for next semester to roll around.

(PHOTO: Matthew Shaffer)

Dewberry praises the college's classes and their video production studio for its hands-on experience such as the opportunity to build a set for a short movie. Dewberry speaks of one instance where they had to build a bathroom, and he mentions that students must build these sets without any professional help.

However, the college has some of best professional advice that can be given in the state. The college's staff includes some of the best in the field of film and documentary such as Gray Fredrickson, the producer of the Godfather trilogy. Dewberry also mentions Prop Master, Sean Lynch and Director of Photography Dave Green working at the college. This kind of professional influence is what draws many film students to the college because "the professors who are teaching you are really good at what they do and they do it in the real world," and many of them are still working on new movies.

According to Fredrickson, the studio is even equipped the best cameras in the business, the RED ONE, "a video camera that produces a film-like picture." Along with the studio are green screens, light sets, cranes for cameras, and a gallimaufry of production equipment ready for use at any time. They also have an area where students and faculty can rent out the college's equipment for as long as they need it for their productions. 

Here is a brief tour of the studio at the Visual Arts and Performance Center. VIDEO: Matthew Shaffer, runs : 0:57

OU Film in the Past: An OU Film Co-op

Warren Theater employee Alexander Ansari was not always a man who helped present movies, but make movies of his own. In his sophmore year at the University of Oklahoma, he was searching for a club that dealt with movies and film.

(PHOTO: Audrey Ansari)

The club he ended up finding wasn't concerned with watching movies, but instead wanted to make them in a student film co-op group. The club initially allowed each student to submit their own script and poll on which one they would film. The group settled on a script called "Chalk", a story about the "hypocrisy of drug arguments" in which chalk represented drugs. The group shot the film in two days at downtown Norman using equipment borrowed from the Oklahoma City Community College. With no previous experience, Ansari was responsible for lighting, audio, and the props for the film. "I basically followed directions and finding my way very slowly." Ansari would eventually save that film when the car they were using as a police car suffered a flat tire, and he was the only one would could change it. He wasn't there for the finishing of the film, but the whole experience would excite and hook him on the art of film-making.

Ansari would go on to create a couple more films in that club, two of those he would write himself, but he was most likely in a predecessor to the Student Film Production Club which now does similar activities. Vice President Sean Collins of the SFPC says, "its a way for students to come together with the equipment that we've got as a club and basically have a little community of filmmakers to help each other out with projects." Ansari seconds this idea, "I think that there's a lot of creative students there and a lot of good ideas that could be fostered by such a club or program. It's essentially just a bunch of students getting together and making something happen."

Such student film clubs are excellent for honing skills and learning the processes with low-budget films and documentaries. Ansari today is not making movies. During the middle of his college years he would switch over to journalism, but he served as one of the predecessors to a great idea and is very much a part of Oklahoman film history.

Alexander Ansari's Red Bull Film Story. Ansari talks about one of his college productions about a red bull contest. AUDIO: Matthew Shaffer, runs :59

Famous Movie Producer Teaching at OCCC

 Gray Fredrickson is an instructor at the Oklahoma City Community College who also oversees the Film Department in the Visual and Performing Art Center. Fredrickson also happens to be the producer of all three “Godfather” movies.

(PHOTO:  Matthew Shaffer)

                                                          
Born in Oklahoma City and graduating the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Business, Fredrickson is the only producer in Hollywood who has been apart of three of the top ten movies in Hollywood: Godfather I&II and Apocalypse Now. He’s won two academy awards for those movies and is the first Oklahoman to do so.
Fredrickson started in the Italian Film Industry in the 1960s and his first hit film, Little Fauss and Big Halsey, would propel him through several other hit movies. He would finally return to Oklahoma in 1999 as a part of OCCC to assist in the state’s efforts to recruit motion pictures.
Fredrickson continues to be an excellent asset to the college’s students and faculty, and his work as a producer for current films and documentaries. This short video gives personal insight into then and now working at the Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City. (VIDEO:  Matthew Shaffer, 2:00)

The Wonders of the World, A Film By Jeremy Dickie

Film Director, Jeremy Dickie, shoots his latest short film, The Wonders of the World, at the St. Micheal Episcopal Church. The film is about a autistic child struggling in school and no further information about the story can be revealed at this time. Originally, the film was scheduled to be shot in the spring, however, the church required the crew to bump it up to the fall semester due to school testing.

The film started in pre-production about two months before it began and it is yet to be determined when The Wonders of the World will finish.  Jeremy and Britini are part of the Film Production Club at the University of Oklahoma and have used its resources as a way to further their goals in film. Jeremy and his crew use their own equipment as well as Gaylord's resources and they mainly shoot their films in Oklahoma. 

Jeremy is an aspiring film director, writer, editor, and cinematographer at OU with many productions under his belt. He owns his own film company, Ah! Nuts Productions, and uses it to continue his work since 2010. Jeremy won several awards for his films and has been recognized as having "an eye for detail and a passion for exploring new technical avenues." Die männliche Bedingung, his German Expression film, has won recognition from the Director of Photography of Rocky V and Donnie Darko.

OU sophmore and Jeremey's production coordinator, Britini Harris, who is double-majoring in Film and Video Studies and Broadcasting and Electronic Media, praises him for his passion and aspirations.


Harris was responsible for contacting the actors and actresses, scouting locations, and she assists Jeremy throughout the film's production. She helps Jeremy with many of his projects and appreciates his offer to work with him on The Wonders of the World.

When the film is finished, it will likely feature on his website, www.ahnutsproductions.com for those who are interested may support him. 

Gaylord College Professor Involved in Upcoming Film "Yellow"

Professor and commercial director, Kyle Bergersen, talks about his difficult experience as a camera operator in the movie "Yellow." "Basically, we were filming the rehearsals, and so we really don't know what's going to happen."

Kyle is mentioning the interesting documentary style of filming that director Nick Cassavetes uses in his films. "...actor is everything, camera is nothing kind of world." This style was inherited from his father, John Cassavetes who had directed such films as Rosemary's Baby and the Dirty Dozen. "Yellow" was partially shot in Los Angeles, California and mostly shot in Norman, Oklahoma. The crew had used an old airport hangar in Norman Airport to shoot a part of their scenes.

Bergersen explains how the movie was filmed in Norman:

The movie is about a disturbed young woman, Mary Holmes, who has a imaginary relationship with her four aborted children and comes home to her family. "Yellow" had an enormous budget of around seven million, which Bergersen explains the reasoning is to give the crew more time to shoot the movie. "With the less money, the faster you have to work and that's just not [Nick's] process."

Bergersen shows interest in the movie's outcome and personally knows that some of the performances during filming were decent, "I would like to see if it actually holds together because it's kind of a fragmented story." However, Bergersen's involvement with the movie is not an action he usually partakes. He mostly works with commercials and has even produced his own feature movie, Love Comes the Executioner, a movie about a young man is hired as an executioner at the prison where his brother is being killed, and he also falls in love with his brother's ex-girlfriend who's also in prison. The movie had received decent ratings, but Kyle's new plan is to write a novel for his next movie before filming it. "If you have a book that has a following, you can maybe generate a quirky movie or a TV series out of that."

"Yellow" has finished shooting since July and is currently in post-production. Expect to see the movie on DVD in early 2012, and it will star actors Ray Liotta and Lucy Punch.

Slideshow

The Gaylord College foyer is the best place to study and relax with nearby vending machines and a library-like environment.

Medieval Fair Auditions Brings New Faces

Medieval Fair Auditions were held at the Norman Public Library at 2 p.m. Sunday, September 11th, to determine the new cast of actors for future events.

     With a new cast, future Medieval Fair shows will be different as around 20+ new and current actors merge together to form a new experience for attendees.

PHOTO: Matthew Shaffer

     Auditions have not been held for five to six years as a new cast must be changed each time the male actor playing the ‘king’ role changes. The new ‘king’ King Edward III is still being determined

     According to Cody Clark, the turnout for the auditions was not up to expectations, but Clark was satisfied with the results. Clark, previously a shy man in his earlier years, has found his calling as a professional actor in the Medieval Fair. His energy and flair energize the newcomers and set an example for most of the other actors at the auditions.

     Monthly lectures and rehearsals will be held starting September 16^th with the lecture, ”From Pacifist to Warrior-Christ: Jesus in Medieval Imagination” and September 18^th for rehearsals. Rehearsals will be biweekly during the Spring semester.

For more information regarding these events contact Ann Marie Eckart, ameckart@ou.edu (405) 325-8610