Continuing with our look back at the 24 Hour Video Race‘s first decade, here is the sixth best video as chosen by the race’s organizers: O Productions’ “Feet First Whirling” (2003). After the jump, we have a interview with the video’s producer, June Owens.
To view all the videos in the countdown, go here.
FrontRow: Where are you now? Is filmmaker still part of your life?
June Owens: Yes, I will be in the Texas Film Industry forever – I can’t imagine doing anything else. I own my business, Whirling O Productions, where I produce commercials, corporate videos – anything and everything. I love to do it all! I’m 38 years old, and I worked as a professional corporate video producer for 12 years for a local corporation. I produced 85 videos during that time including a Reality show, music video, marketing videos, documentaries, and I produced two magazine-format shows (one in Spanish). I’ve always taught college at night since earning my Masters Degree, and I’m currently an adjuct instructor at North Lake College and working on my dissertation for my PhD from UTD in Arts and Technology (specifically working on a feature documentary for my dissertation).
FR: How did the idea for your movie emerge during the 24 hours you spent making it?
JO: Scott Reeder (writer-director) and I (producer) were the only crew members up the entire time. From midnight to 6 am the film is written. Reeder has been a prop master on many feature films, so there are always a lot of props in his films. I think every writer draws from their own experiences and he tends to write something funny but also something that has an emotional quality to it as well. From 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. the first A.D. arrived and we broke down the scenes. Cast was called with call times. Then at 7 a.m., the crew and equipment arrive. Then the first shot is set up. It’s always the hardest. Our secret is to “run tapes” through-out the day to the post house. Frames Per Second is a wonderful post-production house in Dallas. We wanted to be done shooting by 6 p.m., but we ran over (we shot until it was dark) so we were against it until the very last minute. (Filmmakers do not want to “let go” of a project – you are never happy with the end product – you want it “perfect”). When I brought the tape to the location at midnight to end the race I remember riding up on an elevator and I could hear them say 5, 4, 3 – the door opened and I actually “threw” the master tape to Bart Weiss. It was pretty exciting – just like it’s suppose to be!
FR: What was the most frustrating part about filmmaking under the race’s conditions/ What were the most freeing aspects?
JO: The most frustrating part about filmmaking under the race’s condition is that you have to make abrupt decisions (but that is also what I love). Being a filmmaker you tend to want to “not let go of a project.” The race “forces” you to let go and just complete a short film. At the end of the day (well night and a long day) you are very rewarded because you and your team accomplished so much in a short amount of time.
The most freeing aspect for me is that I surround myself with the most talented crew and cast. When you get a lot of talent in one room…it’s amazing!
FR: Why did you originally enter the race – how did you put together your team?
JO: I was involved in the very first Dallas 24-hour race when I was on the board of directors for Women in Film Dallas. I produced the short for them the first year (I wanted a challenge so we shot on 35mm film – yes in 24 hours!). That film went on to win four film festivals. The next year I wanted to try it on my own under my own company, Whirling O Productions. I asked Scott Reeder to write and direct it. He just had his first child (and you can tell this by what he wrote in this film). Then I recruited Michael Cianco to shoot it. He had an HD camera, and he wanted to try a new color effect so I was lucky he had a lot of guys he usually worked with in terms of lighting. Then the Mary Collins Agency as well as Kim Dawson Talent Agency helped me recruit some talent to have on call. I’m known to have the largest crew ever on a 24-hour race, so usually my biggest challenge is how am I going to feed all these people with little to no budget.
FR: Looking back at your movie, do you have any reaction to it/thoughts/things you would do differently?
JO: I would probably not shoot outside on the street and would not involve so many vehicles! I wanted to shoot on the street (to challenge myself), and I also wanted the Dallas skyline in the background. The noise of the DART bus passing by, dealing with traffic and people (ironically homeless people), and the heat all made for a long day. It was the day that vehicles were damaged – not good when working with zero budget. Greg Haynes Johnson was in the film and his white Mercedes took home some abuse from the camera in the backseat. The director’s car was used in a scene and we ran over something and I still don’t know exactly what all we did to his car (but it was towed away!).
FR: Has the race had any lasting impact on how you view movies/moviemaking?
JO: The race has had a lasting impact on how I view moviemaking. I see what we created in 24 hours and I now know what is possible!
