COTTONWOOD -- Just let Halloween whet your thirst for Friday the 13th when a homemade thriller will be unveiled to the Verde Valley. "More Than a Kiss" is a film produced by the 2009-2010 Narrative Film class of the Zaki Gordon Institute of Independent Filmmaking. On that ghoulish November Friday you will be able to partake of the cinematic gem at no cost.
You'll like this. Three students wrote the screenplay. It is the tale of Succubus, a she-demon who lures victims in a desert town bar and then takes their souls. But when her favorite bar tender offers himself up, that creates a ticklish conflict.
Christophe Oishi admits he came from the corporate world. He had worked in a studio and done some acting as well and it was always in the back of his mind to explore more theater and filmmaking. The sluggish job market afforded him grace to explore his passion.
Jessica Noe had also dabbled in film. She had done choreographic work for a dance and film company, which projected the film product at the back of a stage.
They are among the directors and producers of "More than a Kiss." All 24 members of the narrative film production class this year have a role in the film and even rotate roles.
The pictures you see here are taken at one set, located at Dead Horse Ranch State Park where the succubus is chasing down another victim.
They used of a vacant bar in the Village of Oak Creek for another bar scene, the Mago Retreat reception center on Bill Grey Road became the outside shot for the tavern and the production design crew even crafted a full-scale bar set for the inside shots.
Ten of the Zaki Gordon actors have an acting role in the film.
"Yeah, it is really fun. You really can't prepare yourself for the amount of work involved. A lot more goes into it that you would expect," says Jessica. As a producer, she helps put together the pieces. "Getting the actors, the locations, feeding the crew and the actors." There is the pressure of keeping things organized.
Each has worked on individual film pieces each week during the course, but this film is the first experience for the entire class to work together.
"It is a fascinating process," says Christophe. "I come up with the visuals. You try to not make it a B-horror film. We have a lot of artistic input. It is perhaps not the genre I would chose for myself, but it is good to 'round' yourself and work with the whole team. You have different personalities and characters."
"The collaboration is really good," Jessica agrees
Both are from the East Coast. Christophe said he chose Zaki Gordon because of the different teaching technique. "It's great to have hands-on with a camera during the first week. You learn all the different roles and a broad spectrum of everything. In other film schools, that would take a couple years to teach."
The students have eight cycles. In each weekly production they have a different role and responsibility in order to learn the entire trade.
"You really get a feeling for what you want to do."
"I could also enjoy directing," says Jessica.
At the end of the one-year course, each student need to complete a two-week thesis
Christophe says, "Some are more or less serious."
What's next?
Full of enthusiasm, Jessica says, "I'm going to see where it leads me. I am from New Jersey, so I will go back to New York and get a job as a production assistant."
Stephen Schultze, director of the school, says 300 graduates have passed through the Zaki Gordon over a 10-year period and they are now working in studios all over the world. They come from every state. One student this year is from Nigeria.
Schultze, who emerged from the industry himself, admits education was a learning curve for him. He says, "We study theory but also apply it in a very hands-on process. We have modified our curriculum over the years, but the core idea and philosophy has remained the same: learn by watching well told stories and take those examples and learning from that."
During the Friday the 13th showing at the Yavapai College Sedona Center for Arts and Technology, in addition to the narrative film class, the audience will see a production by the parallel documentary film class, that recounts the successes of present and past Zaki Gordon students.
Some students will complete both the narrative (storytelling) course and the documentary course over two years or even apply for the advanced certificate.
The Institute for Independent Filmmaking at the Sedona campus celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2010.
