[Watch the video interview on Youtube here]
Film Courage: Why make short films?
Byron Q., Writer/Director: If you’re trying to be a director you should start off with a short film. It’s cheaper to make and it’s a calling card and producers are more willing to watch a short film rather than your feature film. I’ve gotten more connections through my short film than I did with my feature films. Nobody wanted to watch my feature films when I talk to executives or whoever. It’s so easy after I’ve had a meeting with an executive to [say] Oh by the way, I also made this short film and I’ll just send you the link. Check it out, it’s only 8 minutes and they’ll be like Okay and they’ll check it out because it’s only eight minutes. It’s a great tool that you create for yourself to get into other opportunities.
Film Courage: Regarding film making education what do you do to continue it [watching] Masterclass, Unreal Engine, watching other movies?
Byron: I’m going to continue with Unreal Engine because I see that as the future of filmmaking. I’m going to keep studying because there’s so many aspects of it that I still have to learn and start making my own projects through that.
Besides that I’m always taking, whether it’s class or self-studying, in screenwriting and just to keep my writing skills sharp. I’m constantly writing and resources like watching interviews on Film Courage. There’s plenty of podcasts out there, there’s so much material out there.
Now for learning that for me, personally I don’t think people really need to go to film school and they probably shouldn’t. This was different maybe 15 years ago right where there weren’t as many resources out there but now there’s so much that you can learn, so much on your own for free.
Film Courage: Do you think some people will benefit from structure because with film school don’t they force you to have a thesis project or two?
Byron: Yeah I think for some people if you really need that rigid structure then definitely do the film school thing but you’re also balancing that with how much you’re paying for that school. If you have a scholarship or something like yeah, if it’s free. I’ll probably do the same but if it’s…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
BIO:
Byron Q is a Chinese American writer/director originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. His first film Bang Bang won the Best 1st feature jury award at the 2011 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The film went on to gain a cult following within the Asian American street culture. His last feature, Las Vegas Story, starred Eric Roberts, is distributed by Indie Rights. He is repped by Housefire Management. Byron recently completed a successful $25,000 Kickstarter campaign for a short sci-fi film entitled Killing of a Machine which plans on using Virtual Production workflows and Unreal Engine.
SNEAK PREVIEW OF BYRON’S UPCOMING ‘UNREAL ENGINE’ PROJECT
SUBSCRIBE TO BYRON Q’s YOUTUBE CHANNEL
CONNECT WITH BYRON Q.
Advertisement – contains affiliate links
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
More affiliates:
Camera we use for interviews – https://buff.ly/3rWqrra
Sound we use for interviews – https://amzn.to/2tbFlM9
Other books on Amazon that Film Courage recommends – https://buff.ly/3o0oE5o
