Creating Against the Odds

This is a shout-out to my friend Richard Clabaugh and an affirmation to the rest of us who dare to create just for the sake of creation.   The occasion is a screening I attended Saturday night.  First though, let me provide a little back-story…

Richard Clabaugh (Rick to me) is a friend dating back to when I was just starting in the business.   To those observing from the outside, it would have appeared that Rick had already “made it” as an accomplished and respected TV-news photographer.   In reality, Rick was an aspiring filmmaker with goals far beyond the daily news grind.  So, it came as little surprise when, one day, he announced he was quitting his job and placing all bets on a move to L.A..    Fortunately, the gamble paid off.   A formula of talent and tenacity led to a career as Director of Photography on some major features (Phantoms with Peter O’Toole, The Prophecy with Christopher Walken).    In subsequent years, Rick’s Hollywood credentials had landed him a spot at North Carolina School of the Arts, teaching the next crop of aspiring filmmakers.

Happy-enough ending.  But this is a filmmaker’s story.  Which means there has to be an even happier sequel:  Rick Strikes Again!

About a year and a half ago, Rick and I reconnected during one of his visits back home.    After catching up, he disclosed he’d gone and done something very Rick-like.  Weary of simply sitting back and watching his students make films, he’d quit his safe, comfortable teaching job and, once again, placed all bets on something crazy and unknown: an independent feature.

Those of you who know anything about independent films know this is an endeavor that makes the Sisyphus uphill-boulder-push look like a beginner’s level outing on the Wii station.

Rick explained the new project. “Eyeborgs” was not going to be an art house indie, this was going to a near-future sci-fi action flick; a popcorn movie meant to be entertaining and, in the tradition of good science fiction, slightly allegorical and, maybe, just a little bit thought provoking.

I’ve got to admit, the early sequences he screened for me on his laptop were a little rough.   Yes, I could look beyond animatics and placeholders.  Still, knowing that Rick’s vision was completely reliant on CG characters (killer spy-camera robots) that were yet to be created, I worried for him. Along with the enthusiasm for the creative, you could also see the stress of the gamble.    I wished him only the best as we went our separate ways, fearing he was closer to the brink of potential ruin than full funding and distribution.

Which brings us back to Saturday night. Rick and his wife Fran (co-writer and editor on the film) had a finished film in hand, one that had already played to enthusiastic audiences at several festivals!  Now it was time for a hometown viewing at the Beach Theater (owned by, Mike France, another local-made-good with impressive IMDB credentials of his own).  Proceeds went to All Children’s Hospital.  Thrills went to us all as Rick and Fran’s vision came to life on the big screen.  What I saw looked far larger and more lavishly budgeted than any indie I could recall seeing.   I have no idea what it really cost, and I didn’t press Rick on the point.  What I do know is the end result delivered a full plate of suspense, tension and good old-fashioned action.   Character development?  This was a killer robot movie.  Please!   The film delivered in every way a movie in its genre should deliver (editing kudos to Fran Clabaugh)! As for the part about making you think… I’ll just say I have a new, heightened awareness of all the surveillance cameras recording our every public moment (benignly, I hope).

Earlier, I promised a happy ending and, here it is:  through sheer perseverance and vision, Rick’s team landed a recognized character actor (Danny Trejo, one of those “faces you’ve seen before” from Spy Kids and countless other films).

Actor Danny Trejo

Having “a name” helped secure additional funding and distribution.   Sure, it’s just to DVD (at least for now), but that’s enough to pay some bills, validate the gamble, and prove that, sometimes, it’s the craziest ideas that are the ones worth having and pursuing – taking the illogical to its logical and very rewarding end.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Popularity: 6%