Summertime Grind: Success is Hard Work

August 26th is the official kickoff date for the beginning of the semester at USC's School of Cinematic Arts. I haven't been lulling away my summer though. Every day represents a new opportunity, so I'd like to share a few of my summer projects before the school year begins.

During the summer I learned about a film competition known as Looking At Democracy. The competition focused on finding creative media pieces which strengthened American democracy. I decided to submit my documentary, Portrait of the Storm: Tuscaloosa, AL, to the competition. I won the title of Emerging Artist in the competition.

This came with a $5000 dollar prize. You can also watch the submission by follow this LINK.

  

During the jury decisions of Looking At Democracy I came across another competition called The New York Television Festival A&E Unscripted Development Pipeline. Filmmakers pitched their reality television show to A&E Television Network for a chance to be produced. I pitched following the lives of black greeks on their prospective campuses. The title simple, The Black Greek. A month later I was chosen as one of twenty-five semi-finalist. You can check out the video I made during undergrad that was the inspiration.

Semi-finalists will also participate in the NYTVF pitch as an Official Artist in the 2013 New York Television Festival this upcoming October. So I'll be in New York a year after choosing to attend USC instead of NYU for my graduate film studies. If my pitch goes becomes top 5 I'll receive 20k to make the pilot. 

I also participated in writing competitions over the summer, though decisions haven't been made for most. I sent in a short script to Slamdance's Writing Competition. The first critique sent back to me was well received. This is a competition I'm not expecting to win, but I need to participate in. Writing is a crucial piece of my development as an artist. The best way to hone this craft is writing as much as possible, then allowing your work to be read.

First Critique Sent from Slamdance

I sent in a feature treatment, lookbook, and short script to Break Media's Prototype Competition. Eight chosen filmmakers will receive 20k to make a 5 - 10 minute short film based on their treatment/short script. One filmmaker will be given a deal to make their short into a feature. It's a long shot, but I'm more than willing to give it a chance!

Finally, I was a semi-finalist for a smaller writing competition sponsored by Dreaming Tree Productions. If I had won I would've received a 1k budget, use of a Red Epic Package, 1 Ton Grip and Lighting Equipment, and free editing and color grading of the film. This would've been an amazing win, but I wasn't chosen. Still, the feedback and collaboration with the production company left me with a very polished short comedy script I'll shoot in the future. 

The majority of the post has been geared towards non-production work, but I have been on the ground running. I decided to take the summer off and focus on honing my cinematography skills. This brought a large amount of pressure off my shoulders to direct anything in a small amount of time, freed me to work more on writing, and made me available to work on colleagues' projects. 

Working as DP and Steadicam Operator on set. 

Lighting the scene for a Kickstarter Video

I worked as The Director of Photography on a sets over the summer, and finally got the chance to steadicam operate again. These are a few of the many endeavors I dived into over the summer. I'm finishing my internship with Spiritclips, Hallmark's film production branch and I'll start with Panavision in early September. I'm working towards a dream, and I'll do whatever it takes to succeed.

The Bridge

Que The Light is going to Sidewalk. During my last semester at Alabama I took a year long class known as, Documenting Justice. The course was grueling. It was the most challenging film course I took during my undergraduate. This stemmed from the gruff, yet honest nature of my professor, Andrew Grace.

Andy pushed us. He constantly emphasized humanity over mechanics. I came into class a prolific DSLR snob. I asked him to allow me to shoot with my own camera. I honestly thought I was ahead of my peers in this regard. Andy shot my down my proposal. He forced me to realize a strong film begins with a story,  not a camera.

After taking his class I came to the realization my camera was the conduit of my storytelling, not the creation. He made me understand I needed to get over my fascination with cameras, and appreciate my ability as a storyteller.

Along with fellow classmate, Greg Houser, we created a film known as, The Bridge. The film follows the life of JBS mental health authority, Tashee Dunsmore, who uses her experience as a former consumer of mental health services in Alabama to help current consumers transition to the community.

The Bridge from Xavier Burgin on Vimeo.

The film premiered at the Bama Theater at the end of our one year program. 

Now it has been picked up to show at The Sidewalk Film Festival this upcoming August. I'm excited about our acceptance into the film festival. This will cap my final piece of work within the TCF film department before I graduated. It's awesome to end on a good note, but I've learned from experience what you've done in the past must take a backseat to your ventures at the moment. 

I'll Meet You at North Greene

North Greene Records (which consists entirely of UA undergraduate students) has been working with me recently to finish & amp their resurgence into the rap game. The group purports that their sound is a unique compliment to the way we examine southern rap culture. I can get with it!

I'm always interested in working with individuals who I know work hard themselves. Friends, clients, models and co-workers should all have a similar concept of my work ethic- I'm thorough. Once I start a project-I'm GOING to finish it.

Most importantly, I have to feel a NEED to work on the project. It's the urgency that makes me work best. Any project I pick up I'm going to work with the kind of diligence that warrants and brings about more work. The client's project is a reflection not only of his subject matter, but my skill and propensity as a blacksmith of tangible redefinition (could've just said editing there. I'm being fancy on this piece)

I've learned you've got to be willing to help those around you in order to build a good rep. This goes beyond friendships

To clarify the guys I did this project for were my dorm-mates. We even went in together and produced an online radio station show for the campus our freshmen year. This plays into what I'm saying. It's not so much about the friendship (though that makes play a factor). It's more-so the understanding I can trust these individuals to stand by their word & work just as hard as I do. That's all I ask.

 Who is North Greene?

We Are The Youth

Dianna Scholl and Laurel Golio 

A week or so ago I have the privilege of photographing the minds behind the "We are the Youth" movement and documentary.

W-ATY was an idea cultivated from the minds of Laurel Golio and Dianna Scholl. Quoting from the website:

"We Are the Youth is a photographic journalism project chronicling the individual stories of LGBTQ youth in the United States."

If you don't already know LGBTQ stands for Lesbian-Gay-Bi-Transgender-Queer. Here's some background. The LGBTQ is a large nationally recognized group which highlights many of the problems children, students, and individuals in general experience due to prejudice or hatred against their sexual orientation.

The group does not discriminate against membership. Straight or Gay, LGBTQ looks for people who are willing to help the cause. As a Residential Advisor at the University of Alabama I recognize LGBTQ and sponsor an offshoot of their premise known as SAFE ZONE which designates my residence as a place kids can go to if problems related to sexual orientation occurrences emerge.

Dianna talking to a Anna, a student at the University of Alabama, about her experiences

I'm getting a tad bit off topic though. Laurel and Dianna decided to document the lives of LGBTQ youth by photographing & interviewing students across the United States who proudly express sexual orientation without qualms in response to those who would condemn them.

I ended up covering this event for a news photographs for my college newspaper, but I thought this would be something interesting to share as well.

Be sure to check out their blog We Are The Youth and their fan page. For more information on LGBQT check out their site here. Looking forward to seeing this piece of work completed,