By
Shaun Clayton
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA student sparks great interest with his first film
Mark Betancourt, like many media arts students, has dreams of making films. In Betancourt's case, he is already taking a big leap forward.
"I had a story that I wanted to make a film out of, so I am," Betancourt said.
His film, currently untitled, will be shot on digital video and is based on an original short story. It centers around two men in their 30s - Vernon, a mentally handicapped man, and his friend, Joe - and what happens after the two meet on a highway in the middle of the night.
"It's based on a short story I wrote when I was in high school, and I just thought it would be a great subject for a film," Betancourt said. "The screenplay is very close to this story."
This project is Betancourt's first venture into filmmaking. As a sophomore in the media arts department, he has yet to take any production classes. His only experience in this field is limited to his job filming weddings for the local videography business Black Sheep.
To get help with his film, Betancourt said he is enlisting the help of a friend, Neil Atchley, a videographer who is the son of Tucson's KGUN-9 News anchorman Guy Atchley. Further, Betancourt posted an e-mail on the media arts Listserv in order to solicit assistance with the film.
"The main reason I sent out the e-mail was that I wanted people to come out and actually help me do it," Betancourt said. "I've never done a production like this before, so, basically, I need help with the logistics of it."
Responses came quickly after Betancourt sent out the e-mail, mostly from actors who were interested in his film.
"The next morning after I sent out that e-mail I got a call from this guy from L.A. who was in a Darren Aronofsky film," Betancourt said, referring to the director best known for the independent feature "Pi." "Plus, I have 10 or 12 people from L.A., some from New York and one guy from Canada who have contacted me and said they would come out and act for free."
With so much enthusiasm directed toward his short film, Betancourt said he feels a bit overwhelmed, but is determined to make his film work.
"All of a sudden I realized I have to be a real director and actually make it happen," he said. "So it's more just deciding what to do - I have a lot to take care of to make sure that the people who participate feel it's worth doing. I want it to be like a real production and not just messing around."
Betancourt has yet to start production on his film and still needs more assistance with crew aspects, but he said he hopes that everything will go smoothly, and that this project will become the foundation of a long and successful career.
The young filmmaker has not yet decided what genre to focus on - not officially, at least.
"Good - the good genre," he joked.
Anyone wishing to contact Mark Betancourt regarding his production can do so by calling 624-8847 or by e-mailing him at bmark23@uswest.net.
