Wires and Light, Episode 4. After School Special, Part 1 of 3.

Yeah. I know. I’m a day late (and a dollar short) on posting this. I deserve 40 lashes with a wet noodle.

This is the first short I wrote and directed while at UCLA’s graduate film school. Shot on film, After School Special had quite a dramatic birthing process. After four days of principal photography, we discovered that my camera film loader had loaded the film backwards. I had to reshoot the entire four days of principal photography. 2000 was also the last year that UCLA required their first year grads to edit their first year project on a flatbed. (Insert Grandpa Simpson voice here.) Yes, folks, I edited this baby using a little blade and some tape. Not like kids today with their fancy Final Cut Pro. I knew it was going to be pretty intense, so I decided to rent a flatbed for the three months we were given for editing. A flatbed. In my one bedroom apartment in LA. I actually had a great time editing this film – with the exception of a few moments of panic (“Where did that single frame go? Oh, it’s behind the refrigerator!”)

This story has a happy ending. After School Special was the first film I made that was accepted to LA’s Outfest. I have since had two more films at Outfest and I’ve also discovered a great, supportive community of filmmakers and artists through that organization.

Speaking of which, my short PUSH IT is going to screen at Outfest Wednesdays, their weekly screening event at the Egyptian theatre, on April 19. Hope to see you there!