Dream come true: Student filmmaking duo wins mtvU contest

By Darla M. Wiese / MOLINE DISPATCH / December 7, 2005

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods' interest in story-telling paid off big this week when mtvU, an MTV spin-off that broadcasts exclusively to college campuses, named the duo winners of their "Best Film on Campus" contest.

"We used to write short stories and novels, and eventually that evolved into filmmaking," said Mr. Beck, 21, a junior at the University of Iowa.

Friends since the sixth grade, the Bettendorf natives formed their own production company, Bluebox Limited, in 2001. Together, they have produced 13 short and four feature-length films.

For the contest, each submitted two-minute trailers of movies they hope to create.

Mr. Woods' "Her Summer," is based on a real murder mystery and was created on a $50 budget. Mr. Beck's "University Heights," follows the last days of four lives on a college campus and was created on a heftier $300 budget.

Both trailers have won numerous awards in the past, so Mr. Woods and Mr. Beck were hopeful.

They learned in early November that both their movies made the top five finalists.

"They always work together," Linda Beck, Scott's mother, said. "They don't get mad at each other ... (Scott's) excited whether either one of them wins. That's how close they are."

Last Thursday, mtvU producers called Mr. Beck to say his partner's "Her Summer" won grand prize and asked for his help to surprise Mr. Woods.

What Mr. Beck didn't know was that his "University Heights" was grand prize winner and Mr. Woods was in on everything.

"It's kind of comical in retrospect because over the weekend we both said things like 'Oh, I wonder if we won,'" Mr. Beck said.

"How they kept a secret from each other, I don't know," Ms. Beck said.

Tuesday, MTV producers flew to Iowa City and arranged an interview with Mr. Beck before setting off to Mr. Woods' dorm room to "surprise" him with the good news.

"When I got there, I was greeted by like four camera crews, friends, half our cast, and family," said Mr. Beck, who was surprised to learn his film actually had won.

Both Mr. Woods and Mr. Beck came out winners because the grand prize, a deal to develop a film with MTV Films, is being awarded to their production company, Bluebox Limited.

"This award, it tells us that we're on the right track and gives us an enormous boost into the film industry, which itself is very hard to get into," Mr. Beck said. "So, this definitely propels us in the right direction and is a dream come true."

"University Heights" was chosen for the grand prize by Hollywood directors John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood), Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen) Nicole Kassell (The Woodsman) and online voters.

Both trailers can be seen at www.blueboxlimited.com, and, beginning next week, on mtvU channels. Visit www.mtvu.com for details.