By Anthony Rifilato
It's not a Hollywood set, by any means, and the untitled film, about a young man named Harry who becomes increasingly obsessed with his controlling computer, is being produced on a shoestring budget.
It's also Oscar night, and while nominated actors such as Michelle Williams and Reese Witherspoon are preening before the cameras along the red carpet, these filmmakers, four Hofstra graduates and two Baldwin residents, are busy living their dream of making short, independent movies. To them, the Oscars are just an "overblown love festival" and don't always reward real talent.
"Hitchcock never won an Oscar," says Baldwin resident Drew Schofer, who is the sound engineer on this film and a student at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
"Neither did Scorcese," replies Director Rob Albrecht.
"See, there's hope for us yet, Rob," says Schofer.
There is hope because ever since the group formed MAS Voodoo Productions six years ago, they have been pursuing their filmmaking aggressively and are being recognized for their offbeat, edgy, independent short films. The group is also launching an independent film festival in May, the New York Short Shorts Film Festival.
"It's a group of six to eight dedicated people," said Baldwin resident Matt Schechtman, who co-founded the production company with Albrecht and friend Jose Morris in 2000. "It's a lot of fun. When you're making a film, you need a good group of people."
Scene two: A director is born
For Schechtman, a burly, friendly guy, the filmmaking bug bit late. A 1991 graduate of Baldwin High School, where he was active in the theater, Schechtman's future as an auteur was not clear until the late 1990s. After high school he attended SUNY-Binghamton, where he toyed with the idea of becoming a physicist or an electrical engineer.
"I think I was partying more than studying," he said. "I was always a huge film buff, and had thought about a film career. But I was being practical."
With an associate's degree in computer science and a stint as a consultant while working in retail, Schechtman's decision to pursue his dream came after he landed a tiny role as an extra in the 1996 Sylvester Stallone film "Daylight." "It had a huge impact on me, and in between takes we'd watch playbacks with the producer," he said, although meeting Stallone was a bit of a letdown for Schechtman. "He was a bit aloof," he recalled. "But watching the whole process and seeing it done gave me a taste of the magic of filmmaking."
Soon afterward, in 1998, Schechtman enrolled in Hofstra's School of Communication, where he majored in television and film production. "Right away, I went to school to be a director," he said.
At Hofstra, Schechtman worked as a production assistant for CBS's "Jets Kickoff" and NBC's "Gameday New York." And while he earned a degree and had the technical skills, he found it daunting trying to find work after graduation.
But he stuck with it, and eventually Schechtman earned a place in the stagehands' union and, in 2000, landed a job at NBC Studios' electrical and special effects shop, doing everything from camerawork to light programming on numerous shows.
Since then, Schechtman has received Emmy Award certificates for his work on the "Rosie O'Donnell Show," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Saturday Night Live" and "Last Call with Carson Daley," where he met artists like David Bowie. And while Schechtman continues to work at NBC, he has not deferred his dream of being a movie director, even though it's a struggle, a one-in-a-million chance of being the next Spielberg or Coppola. "The odds of you being one of them is slim," he said.
The next Jonathan Demme?
But with some good fortune, Schechtman and Schofer, who met each other through Schechtman's brother, Isaac, wouldn't be the only filmmakers from Baldwin to achieve success and fame. At least one director, Jonathan Demme, who made the Oscar-winning film "The Silence of the Lambs," is also from Baldwin.
In the meantime, Schechtman continues to pursue side projects with fellow Hofstra alum such as Albrecht as well as frequent collaborator Philip Armand, producing and directing small films and entering festivals such as the National Film Challenge. The challenge is an intense competition in which contestants are given one weekend to produce an eight-minute digital film.
"A lot of us met during the film challenge and have worked together on each other's projects, like documentaries and short films," said Schechtman.
The MAS Voodoo collective has competed for three years now, and each year they scramble to make a short, interesting film on the spur of the moment. Contestants are given a theme via e-mail and a line of dialogue they must use. Last year's genre was comedy.
"As soon as you get that e-mail, the insanity begins," Schechtman said, adding that auditions are held weeks ahead of time. "It's really crazy; a total frenetic weekend."
Past MAS Voodoo entries have included "A Taste of Honey," about an unwitting dog walker who is set up as a secret agent. There was also last year's "Touch and Go," which was shot in Baldwin and revolves around two female groupies who set out to meet their favorite rock star, albeit while one of the girls desperately has to urinate.
While the group enters each year, the top prize has proved elusive. "We've yet to win," said Schechtman. "I thought they were solid entries. I'm shocked we haven't won yet. But I'm happy with the work, even if we didn't win."
Still, Schechtman and the others continue to plug away, and when they aren't entering film festivals, they're busy working on their own projects. Most of the films MAS Voodoo produces are shot on digital film, simply because 16-millimeter film is so expensive. "Just the film stock alone costs over $9,000," Schechtman said. But, he added, not everyone can make the next "Blair Witch Project," and there's something to be said about skill. "Digital tape is cheap, and it's improving tremendously," he said. "It's gotten to a point where it's affordable, but there is no substitute for things like good acting, lighting and production."
When its members aren't making movies, MAS Voodoo offers its technical services, which in the past have included video work for the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation. And Schechtman said he is excited about the upcoming New York Short Shorts Film Festival, which, he explained, is meant to be more accessible and less elitist than others. Entry fees are minimal compared with those of other festivals, which charge hundreds of dollars, Schechtman said, and the festival will also feature training seminars for budding filmmakers.
"There doesn't seem to be a place for independent filmmakers, or at least not enough of them," Schechtman said. "We're going to be taking submissions soon. We want it to be accessible to the person who is just starting out."
Scene three: Getting the perfect shot
For now, the MAS Voodoo crew assumes different roles during productions: Sometimes Schechtman directs, while at other times Albrecht is at the helm, as is the case during the latest production.
In this scene, the actor Jay Friedman, a Hofstra graduate, is paying intermittent attention to his nefarious computer as he vacuums his carpet, while cameraman Jim Shipman moves backward. What seems like a simple shot is filled with complexity, such as the challenges of maneuvering in the tight apartment and coaxing the actor to show more emotion.
"Cut that, it's not working," say's Albrecht, looking at his video monitor. "What was that little zoom? Let's use the hand-held camera and follow him."
While the film will only be about 15 minutes long, there are numerous takes and cuts. It's not as easy as it looks. This is the 15th day of shooting, and the crew is already on the 50th take.
"Jay, let's try it again," says Albrecht.
Schechtman, the director of photography on this shoot, positions the camera overhead, while Schofer keeps the boom in place. They do it over again, and this time, it looks they nailed it.
"Cut, good, cool," Albrecht says.
The end.
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