The Voices Behind and on The Set

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Committed is a film created by Jousha-Caleb Barton. The idea of the movie according to the Director Jousha-Caleb “is actually the reiteration of our previous silent film, The Proposal. We decided to revamp the script and expand on the story. -and also to include words. What’s neat about this film is that, even though some casting is different, you can watch both films and the story fits with each other. Both films compliment each other, showing parts of the story the other doesn’t have” (Jousha-Caleb). So, in a way the movie is a retelling of the previous film, The Proposal. Although when you think about it the decision to retell The Proposal as Committed sets it up like a true relationship. Since usually before a proposal one must be committed to their significant other. Moreover, Committed and the previous film, The Proposal are two halves of a whole. Meaning you can watch one or the other and not get confused. Because the stories of both movies fit together. Mr. Barton did not say anything on that being a reason for the idea of the film, but he did have time to answer some of my other questions. Along with Mr. Barton, his cast and crew had given me the chance to interview them as well. Given this opportunity I was able to get a closer look into the work that goes into planning a film, filming it, and working with the cast and crew.

For Committed Director Jousha-Caleb Barton, a Jack of all trades, was the man to take the idea of Committed and turn it into a film. He worked hard along with his cast and crew to make this film happen and never complained if the going got tough, especially when it came down to meeting the deadline, “Filming began in July. Our deadline was set to submit in time for the Rode film festival. We did submit in time” (Barton). Working to meet a deadline can put a lot of pressure on a crew and cast, but that did not stop them from meeting it. When you look at the film Committed you can see that the cast and crew were as committed to create a spectacular movie, according to the director his “team is Aperture Collegiate Films. The majority of it’s members I met at The Voice in Orlando FL. We started meeting and those who were Committed (no pun intended) stayed. I keep up the relationship by spending time with the team” (Jousha-Caleb). Having a good chemistry with your cast and crew is important in filming.

By every directors side they have their right-hand man or woman, the Assistant Director. The Assistant Director on Mr. Barton’s crew was Anthony Penney. Mr. Penney is a trusting and hard working Assistant Director, for rain or shine he understood that what the director says go’s. The Assistant Director and director are like a team, but according to Mr. Penney, “The Director is the law. Period. As an Assistant Director it is my job to offer suggestions but the vision is on the director. Wardrobe, make-up, shot lists, styles, etc are his decisions. Once he says what it is that he wants, it comes down to just making sure each department is doing what has been asked of them” (Penney). It is important to understand that there is a difference in where the director stands and the assistant doctor stands, however the assistant director still has a voice in the production of the movie.

However, you cannot have a movie without a cast, especially a lead actor or actress. The lead character in Committed is Karen and Rylin Utah is the one to play Karen. Whether it is getting into character or acting through some tough weather she is prepared and dedicated. But, everything may seem perfect in front of the camera, but for any actor or actress there can be stressful times behind the camera. According to Ms. Utah, “for this film, I found the weather to be the stressful aspect of the job. We shot a lot of the film outdoors, so we had to delay filming until the storm stopped, and then had to film after being rained on with no touch ups” (Utah). So, it is not always sunshine and rainbows behind the camera, but a lot of effort goes into creating a perfect movie. It takes dedication, loyalty, and hard work. While, Joe Choi was cast as Joe in Committed. Not just Ms. Utah, but Mr. Choi, another cast member, shines a little on the difficulty of filming and how having a great crew and cast comes in handy, “It got hot in the jewelry store where we filmed. I think everyone was a little uncomfortable at one point. But that's where having a great crew comes in. They worked so well together that we got everything we needed before everyone was sweating bullets” (Choi). Despite all the stress that could occur in filming though, there are great qualities in filming. For instance, Maurice Johnson, another cast member says, “the best thing about being part of the any cast is meeting so many wonderfully talented people! Not just the actors/actresses but the production crew and staff all add their individual skillset(s) that overall contributes to not just making me look good on film, but an overall great production!” (Johnson) Having a crew and cast that has skill sets they can bring to use in the production of a film is a major importance. So, creating a cast and crew can be vital to creating a great movie.

Overall, Committed is not just a great film based off an interesting idea, but it was made by a cast that was committed (pun intended) to creating a film that anyone can relate to and enjoy. The cast and crew was a mixture of talented and hardworking people. According to Mr. Barton, if you are interested in filming, basically go for it, “I would say start making film. Join groups on Facebook, get out and get active. Aperture Collegiate Films is a good place to start. So long as you start getting into film sets, you’ll get a feel for the industry and where your skills help you fit” (Barton). It is not just about going for it, but being active in the film community, to network and build on your skill sets, so that way you can find a place in the filming industry.