uOttawa students write, direct, film, edit, produce and act in film premiering at Gladstone Theatre
Q+A with Jamie Champagne (3rd year BA in Theatre, co-director and editor), Fiona Green (4th year BA in Theatre, writer and co-director), Julie Horne (4th year BA in Theatre, role of Julie and media supervisor), Jon Champagne (3rd year BA in Theatre, role of Benny), Joel Walters (alumnus, role of Vince) and Matt Dodge (4th Year BA in History, technical director at Zoom Productions, crew and editor), whose film Turning Points is premiering at the Gladstone Theatre on January 28 and 29.
How did the idea for the film develop?
All: The original piece was written by Fiona Green, and after a staged reading in the summer of 2009, the piece began to take shape as a film.
Fiona: The theme of morality and love is really big to me so I wanted to explore that. It was first written as a 50 minute play, and I was approached by close friends to turn it into a film.
Jon: I was reading for one of the characters, and while reading it, I couldn’t help but see it as a film.
Jamie: After seeing the staged reading, I approached Fiona about being a director for the project, and was really eager to get started on making Turning Points into a movie.
How did you all meet?
All: We met through another production. A friend of ours, Ashley Robinson, cast Jamie and Jon Champagne, Fiona Green and Julie Horne in Antique Bliss, a production that she wrote and presented at the Ottawa Fringe Festival in 2009. We all went to uOttawa for theatre, but prior to Antique Bliss we didn’t know each other well. Antique Bliss really brought us together as friends.
How long did production last and (I’m assuming you guys are all friends!) what was it like working on a professional project with your friends?
All: We began working on Turning Points in October 2009, and completed it in January 2011. So, in total, from the casting to the filming and the final process of editing, the production took a year and a half to complete. We worked on the project while maintaining full course loads, part-time jobs and social lives.
Jamie: It was awkward at some points, because we are all close friends and the levels of intimacy in the film were something that as friends we hadn’t experienced before, and we had to get over whatever relationships we had realistically in order for the scenes to have the best effect. And in the end it really worked. As a friend thing it was difficult to balance at first, but ultimately we found a good balance with each other and grew along with that experience.
Joel: I believe the production process is still going on, actually. Thankfully, it only took a few days to shoot the scenes that I am in—that has to say something about the overall efficiency and chemistry of the group! With that said, I hardly knew anyone going into the project, but I quickly came to appreciate the different personalities and talents of everyone involved. Acting is an art that lends itself to making new friends, by virtue of the fact that you are constantly sharing so much together—both on and off camera. I am grateful for the opportunity to share.
With local student bands the Balconies and hotshotcasino enjoying real success, and now your film premiering, it seems like uOttawa seems to be an ideal place for creative types to explore their talent. Why do you think that is?
Fiona: We owe so much to the University of Ottawa, because without them we wouldn’t have had the equipment to do this. Also, Ottawa U offers really great arts programs.
Julie: I think that uOttawa provides an ideal space for students to explore their creative interests and talents. The location of the campus in the heart of downtown allows for artists to easily connect with various outlets off campus, and to showcase their creative works both on campus and to professional artists.
Joel: One of the main reasons that this project was able to come to fruition was because of Zoom Productions and the resources therein! We are all indebted to Ottawa U for having such a production company. ALL I can say is keep Zoom Productions alive so that more students can realize their artistic visions in the future!
Finally, you said the film is snapshots of important events in the characters’ lives. Are you hoping this film is a turning point for your careers, and where do you see yourselves down the road?
Jon: I think this is a great starting point as an actor for film. It’s nice to start something with friends, but at the same time have a challenging piece that I can sink my teeth into. It’s hard to say if this will be a turning point in my career… yes, because it gave me experience with film in both the artistic and business aspects. Down the road I plan on pursuing acting professionally.
Jamie: I see this as a turning point in our careers. This was our first real experience using film, and it has been beneficial because it has allowed us to experience the methods used in pre and post production filming, skills that we can continue to use in future projects. It has reassured my passion for cinema. With that, I hope to pursue filmmaking and acting as a career. And I believe that this movie is a perfect start to that.
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