HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD/IN ALL WAYS

Looking to make your first short but short of funds? The answer may be to shoot it in Hollywood. At least that is what first timer Kerry Finlayson (main photo, right) did, and she found the process energizing.

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Finlayson’s HDV cameras started rolling in early December with 13 actors, including Finlayson, and 10 crew, including Finlayson, on board.

She describes the short, Hooray For Hollywood, which she wrote, as a comedy in the style of the Ricky Gervais TV show 'Extras', with a clash between very different American and British forms of humour at its heart.

Plot-wise, a documentary crew run into trouble when they try to shoot a 'behind the scenes' expose of a daft low budget film (above) which is suffering from cast meltdowns.

Finlayson adds, "Even a rare female filmmaker, I have found the American incredibly supportive. Nothing fazes them and the ease of production/planning is spectacular.

The actors were willing to work for very little, even a copy of the film and a credit and the crew for just the equipment rental fees, even though some of them had just worked on big budget features. Their passion for the craft allows them to take on smaller jobs.

. There is a generosity and love of film that I thought may have been dying out."

Now in the edit phase grabbling with a few minor sound problems from the first day’s shoot, Finlayson sounds as excited as ever. "It's great I am learning a broad spectrum of film making where most of my life has been in front of the camera. "

Posted April 28, 2008.