Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
BB: Because I love creating and sharing my story’s with other people. I started out as an actor and while on film sets I enjoyed watching the process from behind the camera. It’s fun acting, but I also have fun making movies. I’m only 11, but I hope to continue making films and acting.
Q: What are we going to see at the EFP?
BB: Whoopie is a short film about my dog Whoopie. It was made as my entry to DSA cinema arts program for 6th grade. The goal was to write, direct and edit original material. It’s a comedy projecting human feelings into a dog. My sister is playing herself, my mom is the voice of Whoopie and My dad played himself as well.
Q: Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
BB: I played the video at my 5th-grade student showcase and at DSA audition. I hope you enjoy it. I’m thinking about a Whoopie 2 I’m still working on the story and training the dog because she was not an easy “actor” to work with, we had to bribe her with a lot of food to make that video. The video had to be less than 2 minutes, so I had to remove some story we had shot. Originally it was going to show what Whoopie did for the gap in time you see in the video, but for time and keeping the story focused on the main topic I had to remove it, but I would love to make Whoopie 2 and add those scenes.
Q: What else are you working on?
BB: I have a couple of projects in which I’m still writing and casting. One is a music video parody of “Welcome to the Jungle”- “Welcome to Hiyoshi”- we spent 2 weeks in Japan last year and I came up with a funny music video. My mom helped me write the lyrics and we shot raw footage of the city of Hiyoshi and we asked strangers to be in the video. We wrote down things that were in that town and things that stood out to us in Japan like their TINY TINY cars. I’m hoping to record the music and finish the video this fall. It goes like “Welcome to Hiyoshi, we got fun and food. We got everything you want, daily marts too, we are the people who can buy, whatever they may need- Daily Yamakasi honey may have what you need… in Hiyoshi, welcome to Hiyoshi, won’t you come with nana nan a mee mee”
Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
BB: Well, I can be described as “weird” by people but I think I’m just unique. I think we are all weird in one way or another. I enjoy horror movies, role-playing games, karaoke, tap dancing… but to me, that’s not weird, that’s just me.
Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
BB: My Youtube channel is called “TheLifeofBlaise” all together in one word. I post videos I have worked on as an actor, things I have done myself and I’m hoping to add more with time. Thank you for having me today, this is a great honor.
Whoopie will screen at The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, July 19th at The Bug Theatre.