Young Q-C filmmakers taste success

By Adam Hurlburt / ST. AMBROSE BUZZ / November 30, 2006

When one thinks of eastern Iowa, the words "award winning film makers" aren't usually the first to scroll into view. Two Bettendorf natives, however, are doing their best to change that, carrying over 18 films, 10 of which have earned the right to the moniker "award winning."

University of Iowa students and Bettendorf residents Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have been making movies together since 1996. In 2001 the duo started a production company together, Bluebox Limited.

"I've always been interested in telling stories and doing so through filmmaking," 21 year-old Beck said.

There is no shortage of passion in these two filmmakers. When asked what inspires them to make movies, both men practically gush.

"My ideas are inspired by so many things," 21 year-old Beck said. "Sometimes I'm inspired by stories that I come across on the news, other times I'm inspired by images and more abstract things, like the way the sky looks at a certain time of day."

"Scott and I try to draw as much inspiration from life as possible," said Woods.

Both Beck and Woods carry a notebook with them everywhere they go, just incase inspiration comes knocking.

Together, Beck and Woods have nearly a lifetime of interest in film, garnering them a large background of influences to draw inspiration from.

"'The Sixth Sense' made me start taking movies more seriously," Woods said. "It came at the right time in my life. I was in middle school and had been making movies as a hobby for quite a while up to that point."

Both Woods and Beck cite director M. Night Shyamalan as a major influence, as well as Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis.

Shyamalan's influence can be felt in Beck and Wood's newest release "The Bride Wore Blood." This film features the kind of smack-you-in-the-face plot twist that Shyamalan has made his name with. Make no mistake, however, "The Bride Wore Blood" maintains an original voice throughout the whole film, something that many young filmmakers struggle with.

Beck and Woods are no stranger to the troubles of attaining credibility that plagues young filmmakers.

"It certainly takes a while to be taken seriously," said Woods. "The second people start to think they are working on a 'student film' you lose them a little bit."

These two young filmmakers do not let this phase them, however.

"Anybody can pick up a camera and shoot, I believe that if you have good work and an interesting story, it will rise to the top, providing you put your work out there," a confident Beck stated.

After many local successes with their films, all of that hard work and confidence finally began to pay off on a larger scale.

In 2004, Beck and Woods submitted a short film to Project Greenlight, a contest held annually by actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, conceived with the intention of helping young filmmakers get a chance at the big time.

That year Project Greenlight received over 1,700 submissions, Beck and Wood's film ended up making into the top 50.

"We were blown away and incredibly honored to have made it that far," said Beck.

The Project Greenlight ordeal was followed directly by an even larger success story next year. "In December 2005, Bryan and I won MTVU's Best Film on Campus contest, in which the prize was a development deal with MTV Films," Beck said. "We are currently negotiating the contract, but basically we will be developing a screenplay with MTV Films."

Part of what makes Woods and Beck's success story so endearing to Quad-City locals is that the two filmmakers base all of their film's in the Q-C area and draw all of their talent from the area, this includes production assistants, actors, and even local musicians.

For their latest film, "The Bride Wore Blood," Beck and Woods contacted Mike Kennedy, St. Ambrose University assistant professor of speech, theatre and mass communication.

"I was originally introduced to Bryan through Paul Koch," Kennedy said. "Bryan filmed some theatre productions for us. He called me one day and said that he needed someone my age for a part in his new film."

Kennedy plays a retiring hitman in the film; a grizzled, gum chewing, mustachioed bad guy whom has no problem changing the course of a young boys life with one shot from a hand held revolver.

Kennedy was very impressed with how professional Beck and Woods were in all aspects stating that they don't act anywhere near their age.

"They really deserve an audience," he said.

On Saturday Nov. 11, Beck and Woods debuted "The Bride Wore Blood" to a packed house at the Putnam IMAX Theater.

Opening night for the film was such a success that a second showing of the film was required to ensure that all patrons got a chance to view the film.

"It was a great feeling to walk into the IMAX lobby and see the line out the doors," said Beck.

Beck and Woods are currently working on a few ideas for their venture with MTV Films.

"We have several concepts, and we'll be finding the one that best suits us and MTV," Beck said.

For more information on Beck and Wood's films, check out www.blueboxlimited.com, or www.thebrideworeblood.com.