Front Row Issue No. 1
Fall 2015
Late Night With... Political Implications?
How Late Night Comedy Might Really be the New Source for Breaking News on page 30
Aptitude for Acting?
See page 6 for some tips from UT professors and students!
Texan Celebrities!
6 Stars You Didn’t Know Hailed From the Lone Star State on page 10
South by SouthWest Do’s and Don’ts
What’s best to bring on page 16
*What Austin-
Rising Film Star
Christian Rousseau and San Austin Productions page 26
Festival Frenzy!
A Look Inside the Austin Film Festival on page 12
made film is perfect for you?
Find out on page 28
Bond by the Numbers!
Everything You Need To Know About 007 Page 22
MADDY EISENHAUER
MADDIE DRGA
CAMERON BENNETT
When Maddy’s not watching the newest show on Netflix, she’s dancing, writing, drawing, or playing the guitar and piano. Her favorite TV shows are mainly comedies and mysteries, with some of her favorites being Psych, Criminal Minds, The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Maddie can usually be found watching anything historical or science-fiction-y. A big fan of movies and TV, she loves to talk endlessly about Sherlock and Doctor Who. Some of her favorite movies are the James Bond series, Star Wars, and musicals like My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music.
Cameron is involved in an array of activities that range from playing music on his cello to watching hours of TV a week. He enjoys writing and is a fan of several different genres of movies and TV shows, such as The Walking Dead, South Park, and Archer.
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PAUL SHERRILL
MCKENNA EVERETT
HUMA MUNIR
Paul is a ginger who spends his free time at the lake fishing. He enjoy’s TV shows such as Breaking Bad, and Trailer Park Boys. When he is not watching TV or fishing, he is usually doing homework or working on his Photoshop skills.
McKenna spends too much time glued to a screen. Her favorite movies are action films, but she also always enjoys comedy. Her favorite TV shows include Supernatural and How I Met Your Mother, and her favorite movies are The Princess Bride, Skyfall, and every Avengers movie ever.
Mrs. Munir is our EZine teacher and she likes to spend her time hiking and traveling with her husband. Some day, she wants to travel the whole world. She is also a newspaper junkie and loves to write for various news outlets.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The
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Letter from
the
This magazine was a labor of love and we as a team enjoyed every minute of it. Film has evolved so much from its beginnings in the late 1800’s and is now a quintessential part of our culture. You hear people constantly talking about film, wanting to know what the best new movie is and discussing the finer aspects of movie culture.
In this issue of Front Row, which was worked on over the course of a semester at LASA High School in the E-Zine class, we learned many new things about films and the film industry. We wanted to impart this newfound knowledge onto you in the hopes that you gain a greater appreciation for the film industry and the work that goes into making a successful film, an angle that often goes unnoticed in other film magazines. We endeavored to bring some new sides to film and the deeply embedded culture of media in this magazine, from an in-depth look at film scores (pg. 18) to how late night comedy affects its viewers (pg. 30). We also did our best to showcase some of the best Austin talent, from rising film director Christian Rousseau (pg. 24) to some tips and tricks of the trade from local Austin actors and actresses (pg. 6) and information about the Austin Film Festival (pg. 12).
Editor
Dear Reader:
I hope you enjoy learning about the ins and outs of film, and you come away from reading this having learned something new. Enjoy your seat in the front row- the movie’s just about to start! -Maddie Drga
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6 12 18 24 30
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Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Table of Contents
Tips and Tricks for Acting Advice from professionals on how to make it in the acting world.
10
Texan Stars
The Austin Film Festival: A Summer Camp for Screenwriters
16
What to Bring to SXSW
Frankenstein Brought To Life
22
James Bond by the Numbers
Austin Filmmaker Christian Rousseau
28
Which Austin-Made Movie Should You Watch?
Laugh Out Loud
34
So Who’s Laughing Now?
Information about the film festival.
How sound tracks are chosen and an interview with composer Michael Shapiro.
An interview with filmmaker Christian Rousseau on how he creates his films. The history and effects of late night comedy shows in America.
Everything you need to know about your favorite Texan actors and actresses.
Your guide to surviving the South by South West music festival.
The history of the James Bond movie franchise told through numbers.
Take this quiz to find out which local film you should see.
Late night comedy viewership statistics in the U.S.
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Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Advertisements for various plays in Times Square.
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Un-Scripted theater company during one of their performances.
Tips and Tricks for Acting
By Maddy Eisenhauer very actor and actress has their own story about how they found their passion for acting. Kathryn Collett, an acting student at the University of Texas at Austin, found hers when she participated in a production put on by her local acting studio when she was 5 years old. Ever since then, her dream has been to make acting her career, and she has accomplished that with determination and the help of her professors, but becoming an actor can be a difficult task. Lots of time and effort are
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required. Collett described the acting world as non judgemental, and listed that as a reason for her success. According to Collett, the most important thing on auditions is to be confident and yourself. “[The students] have to sort of take something that they don’t have a lot of knowledge about and present themselves as an expert on that topic,” says Quetta Carpenter, an acting professor at UT. Carpenter says she uses the Meisner technique to teach
her students how to react in real time to other actors. According to the Sanford Meisner Center, the Meisner technique created by Sanford Meisner requires at least one partner and teaches the actors to listen actively to each other and to respond authentically. The Meisner Technique Studio says that the Meisner technique helps students to do things truthfully instead of acting, and it helps to get actors out of their head. In addition to the Meisner technique, Carpenter says she has her students prepare
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The UT Tower on the campus of UT at Austin lit up after a game.
a lecture on a topic that they know nothing about and act like they’re specialists. This exercise helps the students to step into a point of view other than their own and respond as though they were the expert. She says most of her other acting exercises require a partner to reinforce elements of the Meisner technique. “Finding a teacher that you respond well to and that by taking their courses you get more comfortable with and have a
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
The San Jose Improv sign.
better understanding of what your job is as an actor - that’s the [most important thing],” says Carpenter. If you take classes in a studio or in a community or at a college level, the most important thing is finding a teacher that makes you better at acting. Not being comfortable with your job requirements and expectations impacts your job performance, and therefore your success as an actor. To become prosperous in any career
field, an understanding of your job and its requirements is necessary. That understanding helps you to meet expectations and further your career. Without the comprehension, it makes finding and keeping an acting job difficult. Having a teacher that you learn well from is important when you’re learning because if you want to have a career as an actor, a mastery of it is essential. “[Actors] need people skills as well as adaptability and they
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Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Downtown Austin, Texas.
need to be able to accept what is told to them without much questioning,” says Collett. Both Carpenter and Collett agree that actors need people skills and mental flexibility. Carpenter elaborates to say that an understanding and knowledge of your body is also very helpful. Acting requires people to work together, so people skills
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are necessary so you can get along and work with your co-actors. Not having people skills can also influence your performance as an actor because it’s difficult to work with people you don’t get along with. Most roles are completely different from each other so you have to be able to adapt well to the different jobs. “The professors [at UT] are absolutely wonder-
ful,” says Collett. “But if you’re not a college student yet, I would recommend acting classes around your community.” Collett states that Austin has an excellent environment for actors to learn, and if you live close to Austin, she recommends going there occasionally to take acting classes. Taking classes around your community will
help you cultivate your acting abilities. Carpenter says having experience and training is necessary for landing a job because the auditors look for that when they’re auditioning people for roles. “[The Austin School of Film] hosts a wide [variety] of classes throughout the year that cater specifically to youth including, but not limited to: Digital Film
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The view of the stage from the back of the Badminton Theater.
Photo courtesy of Vize Property Group
The Times Square and Broadway street signs.
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Manhattan Ensemble theater company during a performance.
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The Chicago Theater celebrating 90 years of showing theater productions.
making, Super 8, Animation, Editing, and so on. Basically any class you would see offered for adults has a youth option,” says Faiza Kracheni, the education director at the Austin School of Film. Other than being an actor, there are many different careers in the film industry. If behind the scenes work interests you more, then attending a school like
the ASoF can teach you more techniques and skills related to that line of work. The ASoF provides training with cameras, making the films, directing, editing, and much more. Some classes they offer let students work in groups to create both film and digital movies. Almost any career in film other than being an actor you can get trained for at the ASoF through their
variety of courses. “Video Production & Post-Production, Film, Animation, Software Training…the list goes on,” says Kracheni about the ASoF’s workshops. Other than classes, the ASoF provides tons of unique workshops throughout the year that focus on different areas of filmmaking. These workshops are available to
teenagers and adults. The workshops and camps teach you the same skills, but in a shorter amount of time. The specific classes cover the same subjects, such as the ones that Kracheni said. “I just always felt that in the world of theater was where I belong,” says Collett. “It’s just a world of very non judgemental individuals.”
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Texan Stars
A guide to some of the most famous actors and actresses from Texas. By Maddy Eisenhauer
Selena Gomez: Selena Gomez was born in Grand Prai-
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rie, Texas. She started her acting career as a kid on Barney and realized she loved acting. After Barney, Gomez got the lead role in a Disney Channel show called Wizards of Waverly Place which gained her more fame. Today, Gomez has put out many albums, gone on multiple tours, and starred in famous movies and TV shows. Gomez is also a philanthropist and a fashion designer. In 2010, she launched her first clothing line called “Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez�. She has also released a perfume. Gomez has put 6 albums out, 3 with her former band Selena Gomez and the Scene, and the other 3 were released under her name. She is currently planning a tour for summer 2016.
Ethan Hawke: Ethan Hawke was born in Austin, Texas.
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He began his acting career in college and has acted in several movies, plays, and music videos since then. According to IMDb, he has also written many screenplays. Hawke has also directed plays, movies, and documentaries. He has also written novels. Hawke started acting when he was 14. Although he has acted in plays and other movies, he mainly plays roles in romantic comedies.
Amber Heard: Amber Heard was born in Austin, Texas.
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She started acting in 2005, and has acted in many films and TV shows since then. Her first major role was in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane in 2006. In 2008, her acting breakthrough happened because of her roles in Never Back Down and Pineapple Express. Heard is a philanthropist and advocates for several communities and organizations.
Matthew McConaughey: Matthew McConaughey sy rte cou oto Ph ed kip Wi of ia
was born in Uvalde, Texas, according to IMDb. He began his acting career in 1991 when he and his friend wrote a screenplay that they later starred in. He has starred in many movies, short films, and TV shows. McConaughey has played many iconic characters, making him a well known actor. In his early career, he acted in TV commercials and music videos. McConaughey has been the spokesman for several companies since he started acting. His big break was A Time To Kill in 1996. Since then, McConaughey has mainly starred in romantic comedies throughout the 2000s. He then decided to try acting in other genres, which he is currently doing.
Dakota Johnson: Dakota Johnson was born in Austin,
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Texas. Her parents and grandmother were all actors and actresses. According to IMDb, she began her acting career in high school when she got a role in a movie that her mom was also acting in. During and after high school, Johnson modeled as well as acted. Today she has starred in many well known films and continues to model with IMG Models.
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Owen Wilson: Owen Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas. c oto Ph sy rte ou ia
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Since his acting career’s start in college, Wilson has acted in many high grossing movies making him a well known actor. He has also written several screenplays. He became successful as an actor early in his career and he has mostly acted in comedies. Of the many films that he has acted in, many of them also starred Ben Stiller, who helped Wilson to create his career.
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The Austin Film Festival, a Summer-Camp for Screenwriters By Paul Sherrill
When you think of a film festival, you may imagine a red carpet, A-list actors and actresses, and Hollywood exclusivity, but these factors are not the draw at the Austin Film Festival (AFF). Every October in Austin, Texas, the AFF creates an environment where the screenwriters themselves are the stars and are celebrated for their work and given an opportunity to hone their craft. At this festival, the focus is on the screenwriters who are encouraged to come out from behind their keyboards and notepads, meet each other, look for opportunities for critique and to meet the kind of people who might improve and produce their work. The AFF is unique in this mission on behalf of screenwriters.
“We’re very much about the part of [filmmaking] where the story is the king and we talk. We don’t interview and bring in, you know, a lot of stars. We actually bring in the people who created the ideas. It is [very] much a creative festival. A place where people can come, and share their ideas, and be encouraged to create,” said Barbara Morgan, co-founder of The Austin Film Festival.
The AFF was founded in 1993 by Barbara Morgan and Marsha Milam, who both wanted to contribute to the culture of Austin. With the support of then Governor Ann Richards, the festival was propelled into the spotlight and gained attention that extended far beyond Austin. From rather humble beginnings, the festival has grown tremendously in the 22 years since It would not be possible to create such a unique its inception. In its first year, the festival received film festival without the steadfast dedication of 1,200 competition submissions. In comparison, in the staff and volunteers who give their upper- its most recent year, the festival received over 8,600 most to stay true to the submissions from goals and precepts of the all over the world. AFF. Their combined efOver those two deforts create an energy that cades, the AFF has can be felt simply by walkwitnessed Austin ing into the AFF headgrow from a small quarters (a bustling green town into a thriving and tan house, on Salina metropolis. Austin Street in Austin Texas). has watched the AFF The excitement and posigrow as well, from an tive energy towards the experimental festival screenwriters’ mission put together by a few is palpable the moment friends into an interyou walk in the door. national sensation.
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Photo courtesy of pixabay.com
Jessica Williams and Jon Stewart attend the 21st annual Austin Film Festival to witness unequalled talent and motivation
Photo courtesy of austinfilmfestival.com
Photo courtesy of austinfilmfestival.com
Just as every city is different from another, every film festival has a little different flavor. When creating this festival, Morgan and Milam made sure as much of Austin’s culture was mixed into it as possible. When the AFF came on the scene, it quickly became clear that it was a completely different kind of festival. Because AFF works to be as inclusive as possible, unlike other film festivals, the AFF doesn’t host VIP rooms or host exclusive invitation-only parties for famous Hollywood guests. In fact, AFF directors and staff like Matt Dy, the AFF Screenplay and Teleplay Competition Director, go out of their way to make sure that screenwriters are never excluded from an event because of their age, background,
or experience. By the same token, the AFF doesn’t actively cater to directors, screenwriters, or actors who have already found fame. The AFF’s goal is to allow screenwriters at all stages of development to come together and share their ideas openly in what’s been referred to as a summer camp for screenwriters. According to Barbara Morgan, making this kind of festival a reality is easier said than done. “At one point before the festival started, we had more panelists speaking than we had people signed up to come to the festival,” said Morgan. “It was a total disaster. [However], right before the festival happened, we got all kinds of people to sign up.”
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Photo courtesy of flickr.com
The AFF has transformed from a fledgling shoe-string-budget event into a well-respected festival which has become a huge voice in encouraging future screenwriters to develop, enter, and share their works. The AFF’s Screenplay and Teleplay Competition Director, Matt Dy, constantly encourages young people to submit their work and meet their counterparts. He has observed that too many people don’t submit their work because they are unsure due to their age. “I would say to not be afraid because of how young you are, to submit your work,” says Dy. “As long as you are writing something of quality… it doesn’t necessarily matter how old you are or what your background is.” In addition to hosting the festival, the AFF promotes Austin’s cultural value of establishing opportunities for the development of creativity for children. For instance, the AFF has reached out to several Austin-area high schools to provide classes where students are able to experience the process from writing screenplays from a concept to shooting and editing a film based on the screenplay. The AFF also reaches out to 30 local schools where students work to develop Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for the local sheriff ’s department. The AFF also offers several summer camps designed for students interested in the filming, planning, writing and designing of films. These camps are designed to be a competition, where children are awarded for their work. Photo courtesy of austinfilmfestival.com
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Carter Sherrill, Fulmore Middle School student, attended an AFF camp where he and his team designed and filmed a claymation movie. When the camp was over, the participants’ families were able to go watch movies their children wrote, directed, filmed, and edited. “In the summer of 2012, I attended the AFF’s stop-action animation camp. We worked in groups of three… I made a stop-action picture about a penguin running from a shark. I loved it because we all got to contribute to every part of the feature,” said Sherrill.
Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
Austin was a small town when the festival was founded. As Morgan believes, she and her partners were lucky to have started the festival at the right place at the right time as Austin’s size and growth were one of the greatest contributions to propel the AFF to its current success. When asked what the biggest challenges facing AFF is today, Morgan responded there were several, including how expensive Austin has become. “I would say our biggest challenge has become, what probably was our biggest asset, which is Austin. It’s just a bigger city… so much more difficult to do things than it used to be,” said Morgan.
Photo courtesy of austinfilmfestival.com
As any resident of Austin knows, Austin’s event space hasn’t kept up with the expansion of its population and the large number of events that have emerged from Austin’s increasingly lively arts, social, sports and festival scene. The AFF itself is a great example of that growth. In 1993, the first year the AFF hosted its annual event, there were about 32 volunteers and only a few staff, according to Morgan. According to the World Population Review, Austin has more than doubled in population since the AFF was started, and is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. In addition, the AFF army has swelled to about 650 volunteers, 30 contract people, and 11 full-time staff, according to Morgan. Everyone who contributes to the festival, from the volunteers, to the staff, adds a little more of Austin’s culture into the festival.
“What we ended up becoming was very much a community event, a communal event… We have a conference that [has] just under 200 panels over the first four days and it’s just about creativity, ideas, writing, storytelling. That’s what it’s really about,” said Morgan.
The Austin Film Festival has and continues to provide a familiar culture and strives to create an inviting atmosphere for all who are looking to attend or submit their work. In addition, writers can meet and share their ideas in a setting where everyone is considered equal. Writers flock to the AFF not to be better than anyone else, but to better themselves as writers. The AFF has become part of Austin, just as Austin has become part of the festival. When the AFF was created, it was based around and conformed to Austin. Instead of throwing a festival into a mature city and hoping for the best, the AFF was molded and tweaked and grew with Austin until they both became what they are today: vibrant, local and uniquely Austin.
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What to Bring to South by Southwest By Paul Sherrill Water Bottle: It is important to stay hydrated, especially when out for extended amounts of time. The bulk of SXSW operates indoors, but many people neglect to consume the 2 liters of water recommend every day by authoritynutrition.com
Phone: SXSW attracts over 80,000 people a year according to bizjournals.com. Carrying a charged phone is a necessity for anyone attending SXSW. Whether coordinating with your friends or hailing an Uber, SXSW is made possible by efficient communication.
Shoes: When walking and standing for hours on end, comfortable shoes are a very important. Everyone is trying to look good, espesialy while out in downtown Austin, but uncomfortable shoes can ruin your experience.
Backpack: If you plan on going to SXSW, than you will need a backpack. Going from restaurant to restaurant, and bar to bar, you will not want to have to walk arround carrying all of your belongings by hand. A small backpack can make all the difference.
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What not to Bring to South by Southwest
Drugs: You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, don’t do drugs! Regardless, one of the dumbest things you can do is bring drugs to the festival. There will be cops patrolling the festival watching for any and all signs of drug activity.
Weapons: Weapons of any kind are not allowed at SXSW. These include firearms, any handheld weapon, and umbrellas. Umbrellas have the potential, and have been used as weapons. If it can be used as a weapon, don’t bring it.
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Frankenstein Brought to Life By Maddie Drga
T
he final medal ceremony scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is one that is accompanied by a well-known score, straight from the mind of John Williams. Luke, Han, and Chewbacca are walking towards Princess Leia in the Throne Room, waiting to receive medals for their brave efforts. As all assembled applaud, the regal music swells and builds to a climax-but what if that music wasn’t there? Michael Shapiro, a New York based composer, says that if you watch this scene without John Williams’ triumphant score, it just becomes plain boring. Music in movies is something most people don’t really think about. It’s there, but not often noticed-until it’s suddenly gone. Even as far back as silent movies, many studios realized the importance of music and had a pianist or an organist playing along to help provide more interest. But some films, even though they were not silent, didn’t have a film score at all.
Michael Shapiro
Photo Courtesy of Michael Shapiro
“Composing is not something you choose, composing chooses you.”
Critics, such as Leonard Maltin, have complained that some of the earliest horror films, produced by Universal Studios in the early 1930s, are badly in need of music. So why is music so instrumental in movies today? Why do composers even put music into film? And how do composers create the scores that help keep the audiences rooted to their seats?
the movie, since I was a little boy, actually, and I just wanted to add a film score to it,” says Shapiro.
A New Creation Shapiro says he thinks he has the answer. He composed an entirely new score for the black and white film Frankenstein, starring acclaimed actor Boris Karloff. The film, shot in 1931, never had a musical score. A score could have been created, but the technology wasn’t available at the time for studios to edit in a second track for just music while still enabling the dialogue to be heard. In fact, Frankenstein barely has any music at all: the only exceptions were the opening and closing credits and an oompah band in a village scene.
“It really complements what’s going on. I’ve watched the movie without music and it’s just so slow,” Shapiro says. “But with music it just speeds along. It’s a 70-minute movie, so it’s not that long, an hour and ten minutes, but with the music it just flies.”
“I felt there was something missing. And I loved
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Shapiro’s score, performed live with the classic film on October 29, 2015 by the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, ran the entire 70 minutes, adding an extra element to a classic film.
Shapiro, composing since he was fourteen years old, says he has had a wealth of musical resources available to him in Brooklyn, where he grew up. He says his father, a professional musician, often took
him along for his concerts-first, just community events, then to Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera House.
stand that the movement across the stage or the dramatic image, film, has to be depicted in some way, or underlined, to help [it].”
“Hearing music is innate,” Shapiro says. “My father was a professional musician, [composing] just was something that was natural to me. Composing is not something that you choose, composing chooses you.”
Shapiro says that music is necessary to move the action along on the stage or screen, but it is also important to make sure that the music doesn’t overwhelm the dialogue and ruin the experience.
After discovering composing, he says, he took piano lessons (and won a few competitions along the way), and eventually studied at Columbia College, the Juilliard School of Music, Bard College, and Mannes College of Music. He is also quick to point out the composers under whom he studied: Elie Siegmeister, a colleague of Aaron Copland’s, Vincent Persichetti, and Sir Malcolm Arnold, of Bridge on the River Kwai fame. “Now [composing] is also a craft, and a skill, and people’s ability levels vary, but I think you compose because you must. And I must,” says Shapiro. Shapiro says he believes the importance of music in film is grossly underrated. According to him, our visual senses just don’t give us the maximum experience while we are watching a film. “Those two senses [vision and hearing] really drive you along, and the great directors and great studios have understood this. So music can add that other element,” says Shapiro. “That’s why silent movies that had no sound, still had an organist or a pianist playing along. It goes right back to the beginning. Everybody realized that that extra element was essential.” The Process of Creation Shapiro knows firsthand the difficulties in composing scores for film as compared to regular composition. Music that is affiliated with a more dramatic action, he says, is easier to write. “For example, when you write a film score, or you write opera, or ballet, descriptive ballet, you are dealing with a story, a scene, a dramatic action,” says Shapiro. “The great opera composers, the great film composers, the great ballet composers under-
Shapiro also has a very different style of composing as compared to other famous composers. Some of the most famous composers, such as Prokofiev, he says, would just write a few short lines of a melody and write orchestration in later, called “short score.” Shapiro, on the other hand, says he writes in what is called full score. Instead of writing in lines, he composes in large blocks, and writes the orchestration in simultaneously. This way, he says, he can get a piece done faster and can have more time to edit it. “I don’t go back to orchestrate; I orchestrate as I go. I compose,” says Shapiro. “You’re editing, you’re writing, you’re taking phrases, you’re writing dynamics, phrase marks-it’s amazing how it works. Maybe a dozen to twenty measures come out of me in one shot. If I listen to my ear tell me where to go, I’m typically much more successful than if I use my Jerry Junkin brain.” Photo Courtesy of Jerry Junkin The Final Product The final edited score for Frankenstein premiered in 2002, at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York, with the Chappaqua Orchestra, Shapiro’s “home” orchestra, of which he is the music director and conductor. Since then, it has been performed numerous times across the United States. Interestingly enough, though, Michael Shapiro has worked with the conductor of
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October’s performance before. In 2014, Jerry Junkin, a professor of instrumental conducting at the University of Texas in Austin, programmed the premier of the wind ensemble version of Frankenstein at Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas. Although Junkin himself couldn’t then conduct the piece due to scheduling conflicts (Shapiro substituted as conductor), Maestro Junkin has now had the opportunity to work on and finally conduct the score. “The music is brand new. Writing music for something written in 1931 is an interesting concept,” says Junkin. “The visual aspect of the movie, of course, is very important, but the background score certainly helps it,” Junkin says. Much like Shapiro, Junkin also got his beginnings in music from his father, a high school band director. He saw many of his father’s concerts and became inspired to begin learning about music. Eventually, Junkin graduated the University of Texas with two degrees in conducting, and has been teaching at UT for 28 years. Besides conducting the UT Wind Ensemble and the Dallas Wind Symphony, he also conducts the Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia and has an appointment at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo, Japan. Although he’s worked on the piece before, Junkin is thrilled to finally be able to conduct it, especially with the UT Wind Ensemble. “Well, the student musicians are amazing. They play at an extraordinarily high professional level, so this
“[The audience will] forget there’s a wind ensemble actually playing. What they’ll see and hear is the whole thing...The great, iconic film plus the music, all in one, and it gets totally integrated, and it gives it a power that is just brand new. That’s why it’s a new art form.” 20 | Front Row
is just a different kind of experience, because we don’t find ourselves in a situation to do this very often; to play a film, so it just becomes yet another sort of experience,” says Junkin. Along with Junkin’s enthusiasm and eagerness, Shapiro also had high hopes for the performance. He says he was disappointed that he wasn’t able to actually watch the performance himself, as he was conducting in Charleston, South Carolina, but still knows exactly what the audience got to hear. “[The audience will] notice Jerry Junkin and the wind ensemble at the beginning. The film will start, [and] they’ll still kind of see the wind ensemble. But within a matter of minutes, they’ll forget there’s a wind ensemble actually playing. What they’ll see and hear is the whole thing. They forget there’s a live ensemble. And they just take in the whole artwork. The great, iconic film plus the music, all in one, and it gets totally integrated, and it gives it a power that is just brand new. That’s why it’s a new art form. Old film with new music,” says Shapiro. At the performance of Michael Shapiro’s score in Austin, audience members had high praise for both the performance of the score and for the score itself. Asher Ford and Hallie Reiss, both avid Frankenstein fans as well as film history buffs, say they were intrigued by the combination of a live ensemble with a movie shown on the big screen, and wanted to have a unique experience around Halloween. “I actually wanted to see a movie, a horror movie, before Halloween, and…I’m a big fan [of Frankenstein],” says Reiss. Ford and Reiss agreed that the movie can be slow without music, and even boring, but explained that the lack of music was really due to the lack of available technology in the early 1930s. “All [of] these early sound movies, they can be kind of boring…it’s just a lot of dialogue and feet walking around,” says Reiss. Ford also notes the relatively static state of the camera, which detracts from the emotional impact of the
film, and both he and Reiss are quick to point out that without music, the film would certainly not be as emotionally stirring and exciting. The Big Picture The creation and performance of Michael Shapiro’s score for Frankenstein is an occurrence which has become part of a rising trend in the performance of music. In many places, orchestras and bands are starting to hold more concerts just for music from video games, TV shows, and films, indicating that society may now hold a more appreciative view for the music in the background. Ian Jenson, a freshman at McCallum Fine Arts Academy in Austin, Texas, has experience in performing concerts such as these. A violinist in the McCallum orchestra, he regularly participates in a McCallum concert series called “Movie Music In the Park”, which is, as its name implies, a concert celebrating the best of movie music throughout the ages.
Bass Concert Hall Photo courtesy of University of Texas/Park Street Photography
Jenson believes it is important to play this well loved music, not only because classical music is beginning to lose popularity with the masses, but because modern composers and conductors have changed from a more classical-oriented style to a modern and different one to suit listeners. “Music makes a film worth watching, even if it isn’t always the focus of attention. Throughout any movie, there is almost always some type of background music, which is more often than not orchestral in design. The music provides emotional context and hints to the viewer, so that even if they miss something, the music can help them infer the reaction to an event. Without music, movies quickly become boring and can seem much slower and drawn out without the music to fill in gaps,” says Jenson. But perhaps the real value of music in movies is not just how well it showcases an action or a reaction to an event, or to provide an extra layer of depth into the viewer’s experience. Both Junkin and Jenson believe music, not just in film, but all music, serves an even greater purpose: “Music is emotion over time, in the way that art is emotion over space.
The original Frankenstein poster Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Although logically music is useless and a waste of time better spent on other things, I have found more and more that music brings people together, and forms cultural bonds between groups,” says Jenson. “Well, you know, music is...music, and music is art, and art is essential to anyone who appears to be human,” says Jerry Junkin. “I think it’s an important part of our culture, and music does things for people that nothing else can do. [This performance is] an experience that the people who will be there and see it will never have a chance to experience, in all likelihood, again. So, this whole aspect of shared experiences, with the performers, the composer, the audience, is one that you just cannot find anywhere else.” •
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Austin’s Filmmaker Christian Rousseau T
Christian Rousseau on the set of the Royalty Texts Studio
By: McKenna Everett
All photos courtesy of San Austin Productions Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ SanAustinProductions/
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he theater lights dim and the audience grows silent, all eyes fixed upon the screen-- waiting, in anticipation, for the story to unfold before them. People had to work together: some writing scripts, others perfecting them, people acting, directing, capturing, filming, producing. All necessary in order for that story to be on that screen for the audience to enjoy. Filmmaker Christian Rousseau is well familiarized with this process. Rousseau is a screenwriter, director, and producer, as well as the founder of his own austin-based production company, San Austin Productions. His works are products of collaboration, ambition, honesty and passion; vessels for the individuality of Austin culture.
“I’ve always been inspired by trying to tell the most truthful, ho nest story that I can,” Rousseau says, “So that when people take a look at it they feel like they can identify with it.”
On set at the Royalty Texts Studio shoot
Christian Rousseau is a budding Austin filmmaker with a passion about what he does. His uniquely honest approach to film is something that many filmmakers lack, and that makes his work stand out. He grew up in San Antonio, where his love of film lead him to major in it at the University of Texas, here in Austin. Since graduation, he has worked on a number of freelance projects and started his own production company, San Austin Productions. “I kind der to making ects in
of formed San Austin Productions in orgive myself and a couple of other film friends sort of a place to bring projan effort to collaborate,” Rousseau says.
One of these such friends is Rousseau’s colleague, Sean Foster.
greatest challenge of his film career so far, an award winning short film called The Overman. Rather than dressing it up in computer-generated imaging and fancy lighting, the story of The Overman was made to be raw, real, and relatable. He created the story to allow the audience to experience things that they never have, in a way that makes it seem as though it were really happening to them, right before their eyes. The Overman follows the story of a man involved in an illegal employment who is forced to choose between remaining safe and moneyed at other’s expense or to sacrifice that and clear his conscience, when an investigation is lead into his employment. His characters showed a level of thought and fear that was realistic and far more human than most films today bother to portray.
“My main goal with The Overman was to allow the story to unfold for the audience in the most realistic “He’s [Rousseau] the heart and soul of it,” Foster says, way possible. The story is not necessarily one that the “And he’s put so much effort into what it was started average audience has had experience with. We see a and where it is now. He gets people that he knows in the lot of movies, TV shows, where there are cops and robcommunity involved and he’s really passionate about bers, or gangsters sort of situation. But on an average it, and that makes everyone else passionate about it.” day, the majority of us don’t really experience that.”
The Overman
Foster worked at San Austin for almost two years, during which he worked closely with Rousseau on the
In order to achieve this goal, Christian Rousseau filmed the entirety of The Overman in one take. The actors acted for 23 minutes straight without pause,
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The Overman Cover the film was not cut or edited but instead left alone.
atmosphere she experienced on set. of the camera. Rousseau is a man of many skills, he has, in past produc“That just kind of goes to show that tions, served as a director, screenhe has a standard for quality he writer, producer, cameraman, and wants to produce high-quality work, in his youth was interested in acting. and he has a good vision of where he wants to be,” Byington says. “You never know where art will take you. There’s just so many different avenues of what you can Bug If there is one thing that can be get interested in,” Rousseau says. proven by Rousseau’s past productions, it is that Rousseau cannot be But what makes Rousseau so inconfined to any one avenue of film- terested in the art of filmmaking making; he says he follows where to begin with? Is it the money? his passion leads him and is flex- The fame? No. Rousseau attriible enough to adapt to whatever butes his success to the collaborasituation he is faced with. Such is tion of himself and his colleagues. the example with one of Rousseau’s more recent projects, another short “There’s something very thrilling film called Bug, due to be released to about working with people that not the public later this year. Rousseau only work very hard, but really enworked as the first AC, or first As- joy what they do. And so that, that sistant Camera operator. As a cam- felt really good,” Rousseau says. era operator, it was Rousseau’s job Rousseau’s greatest success, he says, to capture the raw integrity of the is the cooperation he experienced scenes, and to display another direc- working on Bug, where he served as tor’s story through the shuttered eyes the first assistant camera operator.
“Usually you film with one shot, and they [the actors] have like two or three lines, sometimes maybe a little bit more than that, and then you say ‘Cut’ and you do it again,” Rousseau says of filming The Overman, “And there were a lot of technical as- Christian Rousseau on set at pects, trying to be prepared, and the Royalty Texts Studio shoot everything had to be set in place, like pieces on a chessboard.”
Saatva Commercial
Another project that Rousseau has worked on is a Saatva mattress commercial, which is where he met actress Sarah Joy Byington. Byington has continued to work with other actors that she met on the set of the commercial and is also going to be working on a narrative piece with Rousseau in the near future. She says she is impressed by the quality of Rousseau’s direction and the fun and productive
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Christian Rousseau as first AC on the set of Bug
“There’s been works here and there, there’s been certain videos that have financially done better for me,” Rousseau says, “But overall, I feel like that’s kind of the way I measure success, the money doesn’t matter, if it feels like it’s successful, then the money isn’t really the reason behind it. And I feel like that, for me, is true success.” Future Projects
and director. He is also currently Rousseau is currently working meeting with an organization to on several projects. Some of his do some film classes and tutoriworks are still in post produc- als for the Austin community. tion, such as Bug, and others are in development. Rousseau is also “I think he has big vision for where writing drafts for a couple of short he wants to go and take his profilms to be filmed this fall, and in duction company,” Byington states, the process of putting together “And Christian’s a very passionate his first feature film as both writer person who has good vision, and
I think he has set some pretty big dreams for himself that I’m excited to be a part of in the future.” Rousseau has certainly overcome many challenges to be where he is today, but as he says, “It almost feels like your greatest challenge is always the next challenge.” And this is certainly not the last challenge for Christian Rousseau. • Christian Rousseau as first AC on the set of Bug
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What Austin-Made Film
Should You Watch? By: McKenna Everett
Start
Do you like action films?
No
Do you like comedies?
Do you like westernthemed movies?
Yes
Yes No
Yes
Do you enjoy a bit of twisted Yes romance?
Do you like office comedies?
Do you like films about high school?
No Yes
Office Space A comedy about 3 office workers’ rebellions against their boss.
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Dazed and Confused A timeless comedy surrounding high schoolers on the last day of school.
No
Fandango A comedy about some college friends embarking on one last road trip before having to accept their uncertain futures.
Do you like revenge stories?
Yes
True Grit
A western drama about a U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger helping a teen to find her father’s murderer in Indian territory.
Varsity Blues Waking Life A drama about an An animated fantasy film underdog leading his surrounding the journey team to victory when of a man through his the star quarterback is own dreams investigatinjured. ing the meaning of life.
Yes
Yes
No
Do you like movies about sports?
No
What’s Eating Kill Bill Vol 1 Gilbert Grape A classic romantic drama An action film about a in which Gilbert Grape woman’s revenge against must try to make room a team of assassins she for love while preocused to be a part of who cupied in caring for his betrayed her. family.
Do you like animated films?
No
Do you like horror films? No
Do you like crime dramas?
No Yes
No
Do you enjoy a bit of twisted romance?
Yes
Yes
Lonesome Dove A western drama that follows the story of 2 retired Texas Rangers moving cattle to Montana.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre A horror story about friends that encounter a psychotic chainsaw killer at their grandfather’s house.
Capote
No
Sin City
A crime drama in which A thriller surrounding a man falls in love with a the stories of 3 people murderer on death row caught in the corruption while writing about one of one dangerous town. of her homicides.
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Laugh Out Loud By Cameron Bennett
A look into how political comedy on late night TV programs can be affecting the political views of many Americans We’ve all heard laughter is the best medicine, but what can it really do to our brains, and how we think? Things we are exposed to every day that make us smile and laugh could be affecting how we perceive certain things. Something that we simply see as funny and witty with a hint of reality could be actually making us think differently about the things that we may normally have consistent opinions about. Take Jon Stewart and “The Daily Show” for an example. It has been argued by many people (including professional psychologists) that as well as making us laugh and providing us a funny take on current events, Late Night Comedy programs that focus on political satire for a large amount of their content (i.e. The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, even The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon) are also affecting the political views of their younger audiences, and are either an important source, or the sole source, of daily news for many americans. Laughter and comedy may have started to become effective political influences for voters of all ages. This is known by some as “The Daily Show Effect.” “The Daily Show Effect” is the concept that ‘fake news’ shows such as “The Daily Show” and “The Col-
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bert Report” are affecting the po- Research Psychologist Larry Rosen, litical views and voting patterns PhD from California State Univerof viewers of all ages. This is done sity is one of many that believes with the use of humor and laughter in this “Daily Show Effect” idea. to convey willingly received mes- “With an emphasis on comedy but sages about current political issues, with a strong sense of reality, The and can affect how some people Daily Show summarized the mathink. Studies have been recorded jor news events of the day. With a and reported by many universi- slant towards the far left political ties and trustworthy news sources spectrum, Jon Stewart attracted that validate the accuracy and Jon Stewart converses with USA President relevance of this Barack Obama on “The Daily Show” idea, including NPR and CNN. The following article will continue to dig deeper into the phenomenon of political comedy and “The Daily Show Effect.” How people vote is entirely their decision, and people can choose to interpret what they see however they want, however, most people do not blindly vote for a candidate with no background information. Any news source is an effective outlet for information that may sway or influence the votes of americans, but the presentation of the same information in a fashion that is more enjoyable and more willingly absorbed (comedy) is believed by many to have a greater effect on how people make their decision.
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an audience that ranged in age but was primarily a “young” audience. Given that this audience is not one to watch regular network news, nor are they known to read online news, this treatment was for many their only news,” says Rosen when interviewed. “Although I have never seen statistics on this I would venture to estimate that about a third of young people under the age of 40 get the bulk of
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their news from The Daily Show.” think it’s a really good thing. It’s really helpful to get people to laugh This goes to show how wide- and to get them thinking. That’s spread and relevant the topic is. the best kind of political comedy.”
from the Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy in Austin, Texas to find out her views, and how she has been affected by political comedy.
“Technically it should not play any role (in politics) as it is purported to be ‘fake news’ but it really does expose the world to a different view of politics,” says Rosen. “It should not be one’s only source of news but it certainly does fill that role for many.” While others like Rosen see potential issues if exposure to such political comedy is not moderated, others see no problem with the concept, and some even consider it beneficial. Austin resident Brian Gaar, who now has his own comedy show “ATX Uncensored-Ish” says:
With those perspectives in mind, we can try to further understand the mental implications behind political comedy.
“I think it’s healthy to make fun of the leaders of the country, and I think a lot of the time, comedy can expose a truth nothing else can. I
As usual, a better understanding comes from first hand experience, so we interviewed high school student Maya Martinez
“A lot of people with late night comedy shows can have a bit of a liberal influence if they talk about politics. Especially news based shows, like Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert,” says Martinez when asked what she notices about the political aspect often present in late night comedy.When asked how the comedic take on politics affected how she absorbed information and perspectives, she says “I feel like it can actually. I definitely agree with the views of the hosts, so it’s more that I think of the things they say as funnier and more true. It’s never deadly serious on there, and if they joke about something I care about they tell me, ‘hey now Maya, it’s just a joke,’ which can carry on into my actual life.”
It doesn’t take a professional to notice the clear slant or message most such shows convey, but most of the debate is about the true effect it has and whether or not it has a positive or negative general impact. Although there is no inarguably right or wrong answer to these questions, it is helpful to gain perspective and dig deeper into the phenomenon of political satire in late night comedy.
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“The Daily Show Effect” includes the idea that even larger effects can take place under different circumstances of the viewer. These include mood, quality of life, or outside factors and specific circumstances. Laughter can brighten up an otherwise dull or stressful situation, which can more heavily impact the effect each joke and each message has on the viewer. A subtly (or not so subtly) thought provoking joke that is more easily enjoyed by certain viewers will also be more easily considered and have a larger impact on a person’s mind or beliefs.
Almost anything can be made into a joke, but whether that joke is good or not is up to the person that tells it. It just so happens that a few of the funniest people we know of today are telling the best jokes about the most real and relevant political topics currently taking place. Whether we know it or not, these jokes and laughs are getting us thinking, and whether or not they really affect our beliefs and opinions is not entirely up to us. •
However, it truly depends on how the viewer processes and uses information they are given in any form, even one that is as enjoyable as comedy. “I think sometimes it doesn’t have a major effect on my political views, but it does tell me more details of the world that I don’t always have,” says Martinez. (Left to right): Jon Stewart (former host of “The Daily Show”); Stephen Colbert (former host of “The Colbert Report”); Jimmy Fallon (host of “The Tonight Show”).
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Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart at “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear”
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Approximately 10% of online adults cite programs such as The Daily Show and the Colbert report as their sole trusted source of news.
66% of online adults that range from “mostly Liberal” to “consistently Liberal” trust The Daily Show as a reliable news source, while only 5% of Conservatives do.
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Who is watching Late Night Comedy, and how do they process it?
So Who’s Laughing Now? By Cameron Bennett
Got news from the past week from The Colbert Report
50+
18-29
30-49
30-49
Trust The Colbert Report for news
50+
18-29
30-49
30-49
50+
Audience Age Ranges
18-29
0%
10%
20%
30%
50+
Audience Age Ranges
18-29
40%
0%
20%
40%
60%
So why do we watch?
Mixed/All In-Depth Reporting
Entertainment Views/Opinions
Latest Headlines
Latest Headlines In-Depth Reporting
Views/Opinions
Mixed/All
Entertainment 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
The Daily Show Viewership
Source(s): Pew Research Center Journalism.org
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Spooktacular Scores All about Michael Shapiro’s own creepy creation- a new composition for the classic monster movie “Frankenstien” See page 18