Long hours, short films

“Party Life,” a music video, was one of 12 films entered in the second-annual “We Like’Em Short” film festival this weekend at the Eltrym Theater.

By LISA BRITTON
For the Baker City Herald

The filmmakers gathered, eager to see their work on the big screen.

Most of them, anyway.

“If you’re like me, you stare at your feet during the film festival,” Tyler Schlipf, 17, said, describing how he handled seeing “Party Life.”

That film was one of 12 submitted in the second-annual We Like ’Em Short film festival held Friday and Saturday at the Eltrym Theater.

Submissions had to be 15 minutes or less. The festival was open to filmmakers of any age.

Subject matter included music videos, comedies and drama. There was even an animated film created with Legos.

Blake Stone and Alexander Schott, both 12, submitted that one, titled “The Battle for Legonoia.”

To create this animated film, the two posed Lego figures, took a photo, moved them a tiny bit, then took another photo.

“It took a long time, but it was fun,” Stone said. “It took 2,000 pictures for a six-minute film.”

They plan to make more, and even have their own company, called I Schott Stone Production Studio. (Their logo is an arrow through a rock, wrapped in film.)

“Now we’re working on making the blue screen work, and keeping the tripod steady,” Stone said.

Brother and sister Jesse and Kori Rayborn have made films for years — starting with Legos and Barbies — and this summer decided to submit one, titled “Attempt #48,” for the festival.

“We had story ideas that were all over the board,” Kori Rayborn said. “Finally, we discovered an idea that combined several of our previous ideas into one.”

She wrote the screenplay, Jesse set up the shots and did the acting, and their friend Isaac Mansuetti did the sound.

“Many of our shots required reshooting due to various reasons such as cars, planes, or tractors getting into the shot or messing with the sound,” she said. “It was great practice for us, but a little trying when it came to revisiting a location for the fourth or fifth time.”

They shot the film with Jesse’s Canon T2i and used Final Cut Pro for editing.

“Jesse has had a knack for computer programs and with the help of free tutorials online, he’s figured out how to do just about anything,” Kori said.

Their other equipment was less technical.

“Our boom pole was basically our mic attached to an adjustable painter pole,” she said.

Shane Vozar, who submitted the music video “Curse of Mormo,” was excited to present his film.

“It’s really been a fulfillment of my life-long dream to see myself on the silver screen,” he said.

He says pretty much anyone can make a film because most computers come with the needed software.

“The way technology is now, anybody can do it,” he said.

Peter Clarke, who submitted “Darkest Second” this year, said filmmaking isn’t too hard.

“As long as you have a story,” he said.

The festival’s entry fees support Baker High School’s Film Arts Club, which meets once a week during the school year to work on projects.

Schlipf is an active member of the club, and he said the money helps buy new equipment (cameras and sound) and software.

“We’re very gracious of that,” he said of the donation.

The club has about 20 members, and of those 10 actively work on films.

The FAC will have an informational booth set up during freshman day.

“We’ll be dragging in as many new members as possible,” Schlipf said. “More is better.”

Ticket sales from the two-day festival will support the Baker Art Guild, which sponsors Thursday Art Night each month at the Eltrym.

Ninety people attended Friday night, and 70 Saturday night.

At each session, the audience voted on awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Cinematography. Nominees for each category were selected by a committee prior to the festival.

Award winners

Best Picture: “Cowboys and Indians” by Patrick Mehaffy

Best Director: Peter Clarke for “The Darkest Second”

Best Cinematography: Peter Clarke for “The Darkest Second”

Best Actress: Zoe Totland for “Then I Shall Reign Supreme”

Best Actor: Pierre Barrera for “Cowboys and Indians”

All the films featured in the festival will be available at the Baker County Public Library within the next month.

The 2010 We Like ’Em Short festival will be Aug. 17-18.