S n a ps h ot
The Class Project ROBERT BASSETT,
dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, on the film school’s challenges as it audaciously goes Hollywood with its own production company
π “Trigger,” a feature-length
thriller starring Scott Glenn, is the first of what’s envisioned as a slate of titles made by alumniandstudents.Chapman FilmedEntertainment,thebold venture launched two years agowithBassettasCEO,banks on success begetting success. “Venture philanthropy,” as he calls it, is about to face its day of reckoning.—Pat H. Broeske
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As far as other film schools, we’re not trying to be like them. At USC you have to be a junior before you start making films. Here, we put a camera in your hand on day one. Another odd thing about most film schools is that they have students make short films. But short films are not the currency of the business. The currency of the business is features and episodic television. Somebody who hasn’t directed a feature isn’t going to get a chance to direct a feature. It’s a real chicken-and-the-egg kind of thing. Our belief is that the alumni are ready—they just haven’t had an opportunity to work on a feature film. So, the alumni are the heads of all the departments: directing, producing, editing, and so forth. And the students come on the set as production assistants for a day or two, to see how a real set works. “Trigger” is a thriller—a story about a young man whose pursuit of a serial killer raises questions about identity and truth. Is the town barber just what he appears to be, a solid, well-respected citizen? Or is he a killer hiding behind a carefully constructed persona? Scott Glenn [“The Silence of the Lambs” and the
more recent “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “The Bourne Legacy”] stars. The money is from equity investors … I call it venture philanthropy. They know that most films lose money, and that they’re probably not going to see their money back. But they might. So, is it a donation, or is it an investment? You can see it either way. My expectation is: If it makes money, they’ll plow it back into the next film. The No. 1 question everybody wants to know is: “What’s your distribution plan?” I would love to say we have an arrangement with Lionsgate or somebody, but we don’t. Any arrangement would imply theatrical release. That costs [the studios] maybe $10 million minimum, so not many $1 million films go to theaters. “Trigger” is still in post-production. Our focus is on one thing: making the best film we possibly can rather than being driven by an external deadline. I expect we’ll finish by the end of this summer and then evaluate what makes the most sense for this film. We’ll probably consult with international sales agents to see what’s possible in both foreign and domestic distribution. After that, we would look into video on demand. p h otog r a p h b y
Priscilla Iezzi
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