Backstage Pass: Salute two Ringling College students' shorts

Ringling College of Art and Design digital filmmaking seniors Andrew Halley and Jeffrey Boos aren’t similar.
Halley’s editing bay walls are full of hand-drawn story frames, funny pictures and movie memorabilia; Boos’ editing bay walls are bare.

Boos can talk for five minutes straight; Halley is concise and to the point. Boos has a round face and dark hair; Halley’s hair is blonde and wavy and he wears glasses.

But one thing they have in common is that they produced each other’s short films, and both will appear in the Sarasota Film Festival.

Their junior years, they had to pick partners to produce the short films they had written the year prior.

It takes trust knowing that your partner will put the same effort into your film as you will into his. The producer sets up the location contracts; arranges production design, props and set dressing; does the paperwork and scheduling; and contacts the cast and crew — all to support the writer/director’s creative vision. It takes a capable person.

In keeping with the men’s personalities, Boos shot his film in one location with minimal casting. Halley’s took many actors and locations and was the largest junior project ever to be made in Ringling’s history at the time.

Both sat down to tell us a little about the films that will appear in SRQ Shorts in the Sarasota Film Festival.

Jeffrey Boos
Film: “Woodland Dance”
Age: 23
From: Fort Lauderdale
Synopsis: It is about a father who is recently divorced. He’s losing connection with his daughter, so he tries all he can to reconnect with her, and that’s through a puppet show.

What’s your earliest memory making movies?
I’ve been filming since I was 8 years old with my cousins. We’d take my aunt’s video camera, back when it was tape, and make short little films to watch — not for anybody but for ourselves.

Why did you want to study film?
I never did good in school because I never really liked it … So, I just daydreamed and created stories. I was always a D student and got yelled at. But, of course, when I came to Ringling and followed my passion, I excelled and it was a life-changer for my whole family.

I’m getting all A’s now. I’m doing well, getting into festivals. I have stuff lined up after college … I’m going to Los Angeles and doing some production assistant work and plan to work at a comedy bar. My dream is to be an actor/writer.

What was the most difficult part about making this short?
I ended up getting strep throat during my production … And, the hardest was working with a child actress in her first film … I took a psychological approach to it. During my casting I got to know the children as who they are. I didn’t want to do this read (of) what’s on the page … I had them have a conversation with the dad.

About four of them got really nervous. They kept asking questions, but, with Alexia King, it was jut a conversation. It wasn’t this superficial thing, it was just her being herself. She’s a genius in a little kid’s body. I see her going places.

What’s the best movie you’ve seen recently?
“American Hustle”

What film had the most profound effect on you?
“The Sandlot”

Name one director and writer you admire?
Steven Spielberg and B.J. Novak

Andrew Halley
Film: “The Great Zombini”
Age: 21
From: Youngstown, Ohio
Synopsis: The magician Zombini is performing a magic show when he discovers that a bully from his childhood is in attendance. So, he decides to get some much postponed revenge and makes the son of the bully disappear.

What’s your earliest memory making movies?
I made a slideshow (when I was in) sixth grade, and it was for my grandparents’ 50th anniversary. That was the first time I had seen them cry, and I was like, “Oh my gosh! This is so amazing. I want to do this to everybody.” So, I started making them as a hobby at that point.

Why did you want to study film?
I wanted to go into filmmaking because I felt it was the most emotionally powerful medium. It combines music and visuals together, and nothing for me could compare to a cinematic experience.

Was the final product what you had expected?
No. It’s a funny story. When we shot it, it was leaning more toward the bully’s perspective. But, after shooting and seeing the performances in the cutting room, we discovered that Zombini is the most interesting character. So, we thought, “Let’s switch the point of view and make it all about him.”

What’s the best movie you’ve seen recently?
I just saw “12 Years a Slave.”

What film had the most profound effect on you?
“Forrest Gump”

Name one director and writer you admire?
Ridley Scott and J.J. Abrams.

IF YOU GO 
Shorts 9: SRQ
When: 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8; 2 p.m. Friday, April 11
Where: Regal Hollywood 20, 1993 Main St.
Cost: Tickets $13
Info: Call 366-6200 or visit sarasotafilmfestival.com.