MTV delivers birthday surprise to local filmmakers

By Sean Leary / MOLINE DISPATCH / October 31, 2004

Scott Beck got one heck of a birthday gift this year.

The Bettendorf man and his filmmaking partner, Bryan Woods, 20, who make up local production company Bluebox Ltd., have advanced to the semi-finals of the MTV Best Film on Campus Competition.

The duo, who had reached the top 50 of the HBO/Bravo/Miramax-sponsored "Project Greenlight'' contest in April, got the news Friday -- Mr. Beck's 20th birthday.

"I got the call when I was out for my birthday dinner, so it was quite a present to receive!'' Mr. Beck said. "We were both surprised and very excited.''

Mr. Beck and Mr. Woods' short film "Shades'' will be critiqued by three groups of judges, including Hollywood directors Joel Schumacher ("Batman and Robin''), Gus Van Sant ("Good Will Hunting'') and Allison Anders ("Grace of My Heart''); MTV staffers; and online voters.

MTV will list the semi-finalists Monday on http://www.mtvu.com/contests/best_film/, allowing cineastes from across the country to vote for their faves -- including "Shades.''

"We're really hoping to get a big turnout, and we're definitely encouraging people to log on and vote,'' Mr. Beck said.

The winner of the contest will receive two tickets to the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, an internship with MTV Films, and pitch meetings with MTV Films and Creative Artists Agency.

"Even if we don't win, it's another accomplishment to be proud of,'' Mr. Beck said. "Since filmmaking is a tough craft, it's extremely nice to have a contest that recognizes young filmmakers and says, `You're on the right track.'

"Just to know that we are doing something good is reward enough. If we actually win, Bryan and I will be working non-stop to create the best film pitch possible. Not to mention, we will try to bump into as many celebrities as possible at Sundance!''

Bluebox created the four-minute "Shades'' -- about a troubled young man suffering from recurring nightmares of a terrible accident -- exclusively for the contest. It features local actors, including Travis Shepherd and Christy Sullivan of Bettendorf and Jim Siokos of Rock Island.

Rushing to meet an October 2004, deadline, the pair wrote, directed, produced, edited and test-screened the short in a matter of weeks.

"Bryan and I thought we had good material to work with, and then, after editing it, we were uncertain about how MTV would receive the short film,'' Mr. Beck said.

Apparently, it was received quite well.

Mr. Beck and Mr. Woods have been writing, directing and producing films together for seven years. They have produced 13 shorts and four feature-length movies, including their most recent, "Her Summer,'' which debuted at the Putnam/IMAX Theater earlier this month.

They have won awards from the Iowa Motion Picture Association and Wild Rose Independent Film Festival.

"Whatever happens, both Bryan and I are going to continue making films -- that's unquestioned,'' Mr. Beck said. "It's something we both have a love and passion for, and there isn't any other profession in the world that we would have the same drive and ambition for.''

For more information on Bluebox, see www.blueboxlimited.com.