By Denise Ortuno Neil
Three films produced by Jason Miller, two of which are WALLY!! Award winners, will be showcased at this year’s AM FM Fest of Art. music. film and more, which takes place November 13th -16th in Cathedral City.
The San Diego State University student is majoring in Business Management/Entrepreneurial with a second in Film. He became interested in film because of its direct ability to come to fruition, “You can take what is ever in your head and communicate it right away and exactly how you imagined it,” said Miller. Miller has been involved in the SDSU film class for two years, and his main focus is in producing. He brings a sense of business to his producing skills, emphasizing that each film is like a little company, “It’s creating something out of nothing, bringing people together to make it happen,” he said. He points out that each film that he has worked on has had at least forty people involved, each bringing their own specific talents to the table to create the finished artwork.
When asked to define what a producer does, Miller came back by saying that is a question he is often asked. “I am responsible for hundreds of tasks, and making sure that they all get done, so we can end up with a film that we are proud of. Basically, the producers’ job is to produce the movie…to make it happen in all aspects. From project management, to promoting the film and even refining the script, the producer does it all.”
The three short films that Miller has produced that will be presented at the AM FM Fest are War Torn, Smile and Highroad. Two of the three films have won the coveted WALLY!! Award. The grant award is given to SDSU film students and was created by respected SDSU alumnus Wally Schlotter.
War Torn-WALLY!! Award winner in spring 2014 for best drama. The moving film is about a young veteran struggling with the harshness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Smile-WALLY!! Award winner in spring 2014 for best comedy. The film is set in the not too distant future and focuses on a character of some meekness who uses an infomercial product to help him smile more. Comedy ensues when the results are more than he wanted and he can’t stop smiling.
Highroad-This dramatic film has a rewind effect, when it brings a woman back from her bad decisions that she has made in her life, and allows her to choose a different path.
All three films have been submitted to certain short film fests and Millers hopes are high.
He is currently working on two other projects. The first project is with the Director of Smile, Jack Winemiller and Director of Photography for War Torn and Highroad, Matt Radican. Their efforts are focused on a modernized film adaptation of August Strindbergs play, Miss Julie.
The other is a documentary about the sport of Polo. Why Polo I asked? Miller pointed out that Polo is a misunderstood sport, and is much more accessible and interesting than people think.
Miller will be in attendance for this year’s AM FM Fest and looks forward to having the films that he has worked on viewed by the masses.
The future is bright for Miller. He graduates from SDSU in May of 2015, and intends to go to graduate school to pursue a law degree and his masters. After which, he plans on working as an entertainment lawyer and eventually shift gears back into producing once again. Sounds like a great plan!
For more information about the AM FM Fest visit www.amfmfest.com
