Because “Choose Your Own Adventure” books were a great idea, and we might as well do the same thing with movies and get a reel out of it:
Film School in a Box (FSB), a company made up of a team of filmmakers with decades of experience producing, writing, directing and editing movies, is launching a unique new product that allows anyone to create their own feature film. Shot in real time and on multiple cameras, the gripping footage is an unfolding thriller waiting to be shaped.
Every aspiring filmmaker has the desire to tell a story his or her own
way. Now, FSB provides everyone with the opportunity to assemble,
manipulate and tweak a raw film. Shot on 11 security cameras, the
voyeuristic ‘neo-noir’ thriller unfolds a whodunit mystery surrounding the murder of a young girl. And since the movie can be edited into as many unique films as there are filmmakers who lay their hands on it, the film you choose to make will ultimately be your own.
The plot is captivating: Five people arrive at a party with no host, in a home with no residents, only to discover that they are all connected by the murder of their friend, Julie Vander. When their mysterious host arrives, he is revealed to be Julie’s ex-boyfriend, the man recently acquitted of the crime. And he comes armed with a revelation: One of them is the real killer. What begins as an orderly search for truth soon disintegrates into a chaotic battle for survival. The unique product is the first to enable endless editing possibilities and gives unprecedented access to an otherwise exclusive industry:
“For the first time, you can get a great looking and sounding movie,
without spending millions of dollars. The result is, filmmaking is
becoming much more democratic. For the first time ever, resources are not a limitation,” says Director Jake Kasdan (Orange County, Freaks & Geeks, Zero Effect).
“This program is great not only for students trying to learn the
technique of editing but also for established editors sharpening their
skills”, says Peter Devaney, Editor (Mimic, Dracula 2000).
Film School in a Box provides a shooting script and over 15 hours of
original, dramatic footage, from which any filmmaker can build tension, create mood, shape characters and make a story come to life.
Most of all, it enables film aficionados to build their confidence and
careers. As Editor T.J.Rozsa (The Game: Documentary, 50 Cent: Get Rich or Die Trying DVD) says, “You can’t compete in this industry without a reel. ‘Film School in a Box’ is a great and legitimate way to start, or add to, a successful reel and launch a career.”
The idea for Film School in a Box was born out of the filmmakers’ own
desire to create the tools that they wished they’d had when they were
starting out. They are intent on demystifying and democratizing the
filmmaking process. Or as they say about their motives: “The only way to learn how to make a feature film, is to actually edit one.”
Producer Scott Ross (Secondhand Lions, Titanic, The Day After Tomorrow, Terminator 2) echoes this sentiment when he says “If ‘Film School in a Box’ was around when I was coming up, I would be Spielberg now and not just another visual effects geek!”
You can visit FSB and glimpse their products at www.filmschoolinabox.net
