By Scott Madson
Each first-time filmmaker looks for a big break into the movie industry, and Todd Maetani is no different - except his big break may come this year at the annual Slamdance film festival in Park City.
While growing up in Utah, Todd Maetani had an experience that changed his perspective on life. Maetani caught a fish in the Provo River and decided to take it home with him.
'For some reason he felt like not killing the fish. He decided to keep it in a cooler,' Manju Varghese, cinematographer, from Potomac Md. said.
Maetani was surprised to find the fish alive in his cooler when he got home, so he decided to keep it at his house. He could tell that the fish was not happy and wanted to be set free. That same night, while Maetani was sleeping, the fish successfully knocked the lid off of the cooler and jumped out of the temporary prison. When Maetani awoke he found the fish dead on the floor, 100 feet away from the cooler.
Feeling guilty about the incident, a thought passed through Maetani''s mind. Did the will to be free exceed the desire to be alive when captive?
This experience is the inspiration behind Maetani''s student film 'Free.' The eight-minute narrative first appeared in Final Cut 2002, and was voted one of the best films at the event. The movie also received an award for best sound.
The film is about a ten-year-old boy who catches a trout in a river, and, like in Maetani''s experience, takes the fish home as a pet. He finds out that keeping the fish alive in captivity is complex.
The film approaches ideas of what freedom really means. Maetani said the film is about the price people pay for freedom.
'There are people out there ... every day who are willing to risk their lives for the cause of freedom,' Maetani said.
It represents how people view their own freedom and how people view others'' freedom.
'One thing unique about this film ... is that I tell it through the fish''s eyes, the fish''s point of view, and so really the audience or the viewer becomes the protagonist,' Maetani said.
Maetani said he feels this point of view captures the theme of the movie.
'Many unusual shots were necessary to complete the film through the perspective of the fish. Varghese had to submerge herself in the chilling water of the Provo River to capture some shots.
'It required some interesting special effects,' said Stan Ferguson, associate professor of theatre and media arts. 'There are some shots that had to be shot under water ... One shot requires him to be in a washing machine.'
Independent films, such as this one and the other films featured at Slamdance, are often hard to shoot because of the lack of money, time, crew and equipment. Maetani had to purchase two cameras with his own money to shoot the film.
Most of the film crews and actors of these films perform other tasks of production to compensate for the small budget.
'These films become a community effort, students coming together and wearing many hats,' Ferguson said.
Maetani said it isn''t easy to be an independent filmmaker. There are many challenges that came up for him, besides already being a husband and a father.
The Slamdance film festival is venue for first time independent directors. Maetani is happy to have been selected as a part of the weeklong ticket.
'It''s a great opportunity,' Maetani said.
The festival gives filmmakers like Maetani an opportunity to meet other independent filmmakers, as well as Hollywood producers and directors and to pitch their movie ideas and screenplays to them.
Last year, 'Peluca,' by BYU student Jared Hess was aired at Slamdance. The exposure led to funding and support for his first feature film, 'Napoleon Dynamite,' now being premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
'I think Todd ... took a simple story and was able to expand on it and make it really unique and fun to watch,' Varghese said.
Maetani said pitching and selling ideas involves a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time, but he plans on pitching some of his ideas and having some success at the festival.
The mission of Slamdance, now in its ninth season, is to support and nurture innovative artists, according to the Slamdance mission statement. The festival offers several awards for a variety of categories such as best cinematography, best screenplay and best feature.
'Free' is competing against fourteen other short films for best short film.
Maetani hopes that his film will open peoples mind to the idea of what freedom means.
'I want people to ask themselves, ''If I were free and dead; would that be acceptable?''' Maetani said.
'Free' will be screened at 3:30 P.M. January 22, 2004 in the main screening room at the Treasure Mountain Inn 225 Main St. in Park City. For more information, see www.slamdance.com.