New York Film Academy is excited to announce that we will be one of four schools competing in the Imagine Film Challenge at the Cable Trade Show in LA. With just a few days left, NYFA’s Team (The Broken Slates) is prepping their drama Deliver Us, the story of one man’s attempt to lead a peaceful protest in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
The hitch: The Broken Slates has only 48 Hours to shoot AND edit this ambitious film while having their behind-the-scenes work filmed by Shorts TV. No problem, right? Not for Laura Perez Rebullen (Writer/Director), Tripp Townsend (Producer), Gabriel Chavez (Cinematographer) Javier Rojas (Line Producer) and the rest of Team NYFA.
What drew you to the Imagine Film Challenge?
Laura: The possibility to reach audiences on a different level. (I wanted to) create awareness about issues that are happening all around the world, including my home country of Venezuela.
Tripp: Having Laura come from a country where there is such a need for peace, you just know that there is real passion and an extra responsibility towards such a project.
What’s the biggest obstacle in making this movie in 48 Hours?
Gabriel: The scope of this film is unlike anything we have attempted before. Shooting the film in a concise and compelling way will be the greatest challenge for me as a cinematographer as one could easily be bogged down in the spectacle of the film.
Javier: We are doing a really big, ambitious project with so many extras and a lot of locations in a small amount on time
Tripp: But with the support that we have received from both our school and the community, it tells me that no matter the challenge, we can overcome it.
What’s your secret for making it through all 48 Hours in one piece and getting the film done?
Gabriel: We’ve all done other 48 hour competitions before and have a fairly established work mantra going into every competition. With this one, the key is pre production. A film of this scope simply would not be possible without the extensive pre production we have been doing.
Javier: Our secret is the crew and wonderful cast that we have. I have plenty of confidence in them and think that we’re gonna do a project that everyone is proud of.
Laura: Trusting my crew. To me that’s the most important thing and the secret to a director’s sanity. It is also important to know what you want. Speak your mind in a respectful manner and be a good listener. Also, do your homework during prep. Be prepared for anything. And coffee, lots of coffee, possibly chocolate chip cookies too.