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Meet the Filmmakers: Lindsay Morrison and Michael La Breche, “Reliquary: A Mugging”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
Lindsay Morrison: I was always aiming toward having a career in the arts. First I thought jewelry design, then graphic design, but eventually I found my way to film, which ended up being a much better fit for me. Being able to bring the visions from my dreams to life is something I’ll never stop getting off on. As art mediums go, film is one of the most challenging, but I also find it the most satisfying, in large part because of the team work and synergy that takes place on set and in the editing room, and the magic that happens as a result. Taking that written word and those sloppy storyboards and making it come to life is the biggest thrill. I feel lucky everyday I get to be a filmmaker.
Michael La Breche: I’ve been infatuated with the role and power of the storyteller from the moment I discovered greek mythology and the King Arthur legends in 4th grade. After growing up on a steady diet of comic books, Godzilla, Star Trek, and Stephen King I knew I wanted to create my own worlds and characters, but it wasn’t until a friend showed me the Kevin Smith film ‘Clerks’ that I really started to consider film as a creative outlet. I love the different facets that go into filmmaking; the opportunity to blend mediums and stretch different creative muscles on every project. Seeing a character I helped shape come to life on screen is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever experienced and I plan to keep chasing that experience for as long as possible.

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
A: The title is Reliquary: A Mugging – it’s a horror short, the first installment in an anthology series entitled Reliquary.” The first 5 episodes are written by Michael La Breche, and this first installment is directed by Lindsay Morrison

Q: What else are you working on?
A: We’ll be starting on the next installment of Reliquary” soon, as well as a few other digital shorts for our youtube channel. We’re in post on a documentary that we’ve been working on for a few years, and we have a horror feature in development which we’re aiming to get off the ground soon. We’re also in the process of building our business.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
Lindsay: I make a voice cameo in a lot of my movies. It’s become a bit of fun for me. I also love karaoke; are the two linked? I don’t know.
Michael: I have an unending, unapologetic love for the old Toho giant monster movies and still dream of someday making my own “guy in a suit stomping on miniatures” kaiju film.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
A: We have a youtube channel – if you go to youtube and search “Wolf Luv Films” we’ll pop up. We’d love it if everyone would subscribe! We also have a website: wolfluvfilms.com, and an instagram @wolfluvfilms

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
A: Our favorite thing about the EFP is the sense of community and creative energy it fosters. We’ve been really inspired seeing the passion and energy of the Denver film community and the Emerging Filmmakers Project is a vital part of that. We are so excited to be a part of it!

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Meet the Filmmakers: Grant Worden and Kyle Homan, “Open Mic Night”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
GW: Film kind of found me. I was the kid at the sleepover who was up last, finishing the movie. No matter the circumstances or number of times I’ve watched something, I have to see the end. Even last week, I stayed up way too late, just to make sure the ending of Braveheart hadn’t changed. When the film’s story and characters have that mesmerizing superpower, you cannot help but watch, relate and empathize. I love cinema due to the worlds they create, and I want to give my characters their own worlds.
KH: I’ve always loved telling stories, and in my opinion, film is the perfect way to tell a story. For the audience, it’s such an experiential piece of art that we as filmmakers get to play with, from conveying emotion through color to manipulating pacing and tone through editing. Make someone look badass with a low angle shot, bring a tear to someone’s eye with a swelling score. What drew me in as an audience member, the all-enveloping feeling you can get from watching a movie, is what keeps me making them.

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
GW: Premiering publicly for the first time is Open Mic Night. This Colorado Film School 2018 production follows the ups and downs of a local bar’s last open mic night. Have a laugh, cry, or another round between the various patron’s performances. This love letter to dingy dive bars aims to sheds light on these smaller creative stages, and those pulled toward the open microphone.
KH: While we did get a chance to screen this film for cast and crew in the bar we filmed at, this is the first time we’re showing Open Mic Night to a public audience. We’re really hoping to get MC Manny’s story in front of as many eyes as we can, and to share the idea that you should always keep playing, regardless of who’s watching!

Q: What else are you working on?
GW: I have always enjoyed the question, “So, what’s next?” There are always a handful of creative projects in the pipeline. Writing-wise, I am dedicating 2019 to submitting original works to various writing competitions. I am also a writer/photographer/videographer for ondenver.com and aboutboulder.com. When I’m not writing, I work as a production assistant on local and out-of-state commercial, narrative, and documentary film sets. I am a freelancer for hire, fusing my advertising and film backgrounds together. My production company is also crowd funding for our next film production. More fun news to come!
KH: Grant and I are constantly mulling over potential upcoming projects. This year, we’re making a goal for ourselves to complete a 1-minute short film each month to explore different genres and shooting styles. Personally, I’m always working to build my brand, and to strengthen personal and professional relationships with the awesome filmmakers and videographers I get to work with at Lumenati Productions and Burning Script Pictures.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
GW: One of the major quirks of set was the egregious call times and shooting schedule. Working around the bar’s closed hours, our cast and crew shot at location from 3:00am to 3:00pm for three days in a row. To say the least, people were very tired and running on fumes. Finding the right time to schedule each camera “oner” proved difficult, but was actually our saving grace. We would set up the bar scene similar to a theatre production and get everyone involved and aware of their main action and/or background action. By the end of the first oner on day two, the cast and crew were all jazzed up, thanks to accomplishing such a difficult chunk of the day. By the end of the second oner on day three, the production heads knew the schedule was working to our advantage. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of speed bumps that came with filming during the middle of the night into morning, but the entire production was confined to one location, so our set community grew insanely quick. Wouldn’t have planned it any other way.
KH: Another difficulty with bringing Open Mic Night to life was the fact that we needed to film in a bar, and 4 out of 5 of our production heads were under 21. This made finding a location the biggest headache of the production, since it was extremely difficult to scout locations we couldn’t get into. When we finally secured a location, the signed paperwork wasn’t able to hold up our agreement, and we lost our first bar on Grant’s birthday, on my drive to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Luckily, the production recovered. On the hunt for a location, we wandered into a bar called Pearl’s, and almost immediately met the owner, James Bedwell, who was more than happy to work with us. Pearl’s ended up being the perfect location, and James ended up becoming one of our freelance clients!

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
GW: My full portfolio can be found at www.ghimselfproductions.com. Check out Open Mic Night behind the scenes at www.facebook.com/OMNshort2018. Follow me on Instagram @grantworden. Read my On Denver article about artist Taylor Herzog at www.ondenver.com/denver-creative-artist-taylor-herzog/. Thank you for viewing, critiquing, following, sharing, and purchasing my work. I enjoy being able to creatively collaborate with others. Bouncing ideas off the endless whiteboard is a sort of sport. My short film productions, photography, doodles, and overall creative world would not be possible without the support of others.
KH: Check out my personal website at www.khomproductions.com, or follow me on Instagram @kylethehoman. You can also find out more about the companies I work for at www.lumenati.co and www.bspdenver.com.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
GW: This is the third short film I have had the privilege to show here at The Bug Theatre and The Emerging Filmmakers Project. This community of filmmakers is deeply devoted to individual voice. Every time I attend or premiere at the EFP I am blown away by the talent in the surrounding seats. Inspiration finds me here. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my productions and the magic behind the scenes. Thank you again for showing Open Mic Night. The EFP board of directors and supporting staff helps emerging creatives promote their work. I love the stage and Q&A. Thank you again. Thank you to the amazing cast and crew and a special thank you to James and Matt from Boogie Groove Entertainment at Your Mom’s House on 13th street.
KH: Coming to EFP is always an awesome chance to put your work in front of an audience and see if what you tried to do actually worked. Meeting the fellow creative minds of Denver is always inspiring, and reconnecting with familiar faces is always awesome. Thank you to the folks at EFP who put this together, and for uniting this community by bringing us all together.

Open Mic Night will screen at The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, December 17th at The Bug Theatre.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Guillermo Roqués, “El Javi – Recuerdo a Paco”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
GR: I have always been attracted to visual storytelling. I graduated in journalism and worked in several newspapers. After the 2008 crisis, I switched to video production and stayed there since then…

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
GR: Recuerdo a Paco is a music video of “El Javi”, a rock-flamenco band based in Denver.

It was produced in the first months of 2018.

Q: What else are you working on?
GR: I´m about to finish my first long feature documentary, called The Right to Rest, codirected with Sarah Megyesy. It explores the housing and homelessness crisis in Denver, along with the Tiny Home Village built as an emergency solution in RiNO.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
GR: I guess I´m as weird as any other human being.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
GR: You can find more about my next documentary at https://www.facebook.com/TheR2RFilm/

You can find more about El JAVI at https://eljavi.com

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
GR: I think it´s a great initiative and a good way to share work with other fellow filmmakers. Sharing is Caring!

El Javi – Recuerdo a Paco will screen at The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, December 17th at The Bug Theatre.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Antoine M. Dillard, “Captain Powerful”

Q: Why did you become a filmmaker?
AD: I became a filmmaker because I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to make people, smile, laugh, feel, and be introduced to worlds and perspectives that they’ve never seen or thought about

Q: What else are you working on?
AD: I just wrapped post-production on Rise of the Avalanche: Revenge from the Shadows https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7327932/reference Currently producing a web series called Long Walks on the Beach https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8788606/reference & writing my first feature film Crazy Weapon 5: Back for the First Time https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8538244/reference

Q: What are we going to see at the EFP? Has it screened elsewhere and what are your plans for it?
AD: You’re going to take a peek into the life of the world’s greatest superhero after he’s suffered a psychotic breakdown, hit rock bottom, and ended up in an insane asylum. It’s never been screen theatrically anywhere, so this will be its debut! Currently, no further plans for the film, although it’s still being considered for festivals taking place as early as February.

Q: Tell us one weird thing about you and/or your movies?
AD: lol I’m not sure if it’s a weird thing or not but I try to put easter eggs in all of my films that reference other films I’ve done.

Q: Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?
AD: They can go to my production company website here: http://quantumvisualfx.com/

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about The Emerging Filmmakers Project?
AD: I think The Emerging Filmmakers Project is excellent! There aren’t many outlets for independent filmmakers locally in general and I’m so happy an organization like this exists so that filmmakers have a platform express themselves through film. I’ve submitted here once before and everyone was just so nice and welcoming that I had to take another shot and submit again. I’ve been a few more times since submitting my last film and the Bug Theater is just a great place for the Emerging Filmmakers Project to take place.

Captain Powerful will screen at The Emerging Filmmakers Project on Thursday, December 17th at The Bug Theatre.