THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 2, 1994 TAG: 9412020057
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KENISHA WIGGS, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
WHEN PORTSMOUTH NATIVE Valerie McLean was young, she produced plays such as ``Sleeping Beauty'' and ``Cinderella'' in her parents' garage with her friends as actors and actresses and dreamed of the big time.
Now, at 29, Valerie has a degree from Regent University in film communications. She has written and directed her first film, and she knows that making films is much more complicated than gathering friends in a garage.
Always interested in theater, Valerie became intrigued by film four years ago. She had a job at a local television station as a production assistant and realized it wasn't for her. ``Working in television is very frustrating; there are a lot of arguments,'' she said.
She quit television with the idea of getting into the film industry. It was a long process. First, she contacted
major studios like Paramount, Warner Bros. and Disney to find out what it would take to get a job in film.
She discovered she didn't have the proper qualifications, despite her work at the television station and her bachelor of science degree in telecommunications from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla.
Paramount and Warner responded with something like, ``We are glad that you are interested in this business.'' But they didn't give her the encouragement and feedback she needed.
Disney provided information on how to get into the business. They suggested she try working with a small studio or attend film school. Valerie contacted various schools, and Regent University in Virginia Beach was the one she really liked.
``I contacted Regent because it was a Christian school, and I am a Christian,'' she said. ``Also Regent sets up the budget for your film; at other schools you have to raise the money yourself.''
Valerie entered Regent in the fall of 1991 and started working on her first film, ``Go Granny,'' in August of 1993. At 27, McLean was the first African-American student film director at Regent.
``Go Granny'' is about a relationship between a teenage girl and her grandmother. Before making ``Go Granny,'' Valerie applied for grants from Kodak. She received $2,000 worth of film from the company and friends and family lent her the rest of the money needed to produce the film.
By then, her work had just started.
``You need a good story line and a strong script,'' Valerie said.
She got the idea for ``Go Granny'' from observing people she knows. Once she had the script ready, it was time for the production manager to start.
``The production manager sets up a crew list, which has a list of people who will be working with you on the set,'' Valerie said. This includes the make-up artist, costume designers, hairstylists, film editor and others. The production manager consults with the director about hires.
``With casting it depends on your budget,'' Valerie said. ``You contact an agency and get head shots of people. The agency can tell you who they think will be good for a part. You set up an audition, pick the people you want and then you are ready for filming.''
For ``Go Granny,'' Valerie distributed pamphlets soliciting actors at churches, high schools and colleges in the Hampton Roads area. Valerie used a lot of inner-city kids for actors.
Extras in the film were mostly kids from inner-city areas. Valerie recently got a release print, which is the final, polished version of her film, and she can now show it anywhere in the country.
``I want to open up an independent company and call it U-Turn Company and make educational or major films on black figures (that) a lot of people don't know about, and work with inner-city kids.''
She's also thinking about moving to L.A. or Atlanta in a couple of years.
Her biggest fear about the future is sending out her screenplay and having it rewritten by strangers.
``It's a big gamble sending your screenplay because of lack of creative control,'' she said. What she means is that sometimes you have a lot of writers that rewrite your script over and over again, and if your film is horrible, it has your name on it when you didn't write the story.
Her advice for future filmmakers? ``Just do it. If you want to write, then write. If you want to act, then act. You just have to get out there and do it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
PETER D. SUNDBERG
Valerie McLean was the first black student film director at Regent
University.
Photo
PETER D. SUNDBERG
Valerie McLean has a degree in film communications from Regent
University.
by CNB