RED, 24min,. USA
Directed by Corey Davis
In life, everyone is meant to share their adventures with someone special, someone they hold dear to them. Red tells the story of two friends who become lovers in a relationship that develops over the course of 12 years. Love itself is a long journey if you use it properly. Red is the story that will elevate the youth in a way to make them think about their futures and how they want to share it with someone, if they wish to do so. A lot of people today don’t last very long in relationships, especially the generation I live in today. But, Red is the story that can inspire people to love each other through the best times and the worst. It’s pretty rare these nowadays to see people last a long time, but I hope Red will inspire you follow your hearts.

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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I made Red back in 2018. I was on the verge of entering my senior year in high school. I had feelings with this girl I had known since Kindergarten. I never told her I was in love with her, so I wanted to project my feelings into my craft as a way to help me process them. I was a young kid longing for something that others had. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place; maybe I was too young to know what I wanted, but I just wanted to express the idea that I wanted someone to love and in return love me back.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took me about 3-4 days to write and create this project. I am a night owl. I tend to stay up very late to work on projects, so sticking with a nightly schedule definitely helped me finish the project more smoothly and efficiently in a reasonable manner.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

In two words, I would describe this film as colorful and vivacious.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle I faced when completing this film was making the animation believable. I worked on an app that had animated presets that you could use for characters. The animation itself was kind of still in the beginning, so me, who is not at all an animator, had to make something out of the presets that were given to tell a story from it. Every movement the characters make, every piece of clothing they wear, every score placed in scenes. All aspects were all done meticulously in a timely fashion.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I got goosebumps seeing the audience give their feedback on my film in the video. I never h had an actual audience give their critique on my films before, so to see that come into fruition was a very humbling and incredible experience. I appreciated their honesty in how they viewed this film as that only told me what worked and what I could improve on as a storyteller. I have asked some of my peers in the past to critique my older works, but it went nowhere, so to see a group of strangers take the time out to watch my film was a very awesome experience to witness.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Ever since I was six years old, I always knew I wanted to make films. I always knew that I wanted to use film as an outlet for me to channel my emotions and commentaries on the world in ways I could not do so in real life. I had a very imaginative mind growing up as I would always envision myself portraying these imaginary characters in my head. From that point on, I knew then and there that being in the creative field was my true calling.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Out of all the films I have watched in my entire lifespan, the film I have seen the most was Rocky (1976). That film is very inspirational and heartfelt as it has encouraged me to "go the distance" in life and keep pushing forward.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

To enhance the festival experience, I would say for all the films that have participated in this festival, the best way to enhance the experience would be to share those films on social media to help get the traction they need to boost the experience. It would also be a great networking experience for fellow filmmakers involved.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

My festival experience on the platform site has been very positive as I was able to locate my film and read about others. It has allowed for me to follow other people and follow up on their films. I definitely did not feel disappointed.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I like some good old-fashioned southern soul food (ribs, chicken, baked beans, etc.).

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I am planning on making a feature film about a young man trying to escape the metaverse after wearing a dangerous VR headset that transports his mind into the game. I hope to release this sometime next year.