Film Students Make Their Festival Debut

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LA Live Score Film Festival

First-time student filmmakers directed shorts about love, loss and demonic takeovers.

Four students from The Los Angeles Film School poured their talents into the Live Score Film Festival last month. Each filmmaker drew inspiration from real-world themes and other established artists to create a distinct style for their own five-minute shorts. The finished products were screened on stage with a live-scoring ensemble at the Barnsdall Art Gallery. After the festival, LAFS interviewed two of our student directors who made their short film debut: Brandon Garman from Devil’s Hour, and Glenn Morisse from L’Ombre Amoureuse.

In its 5th season, the Live Score Film Festival connects novice filmmakers with composers to curate original scores. Congratulations to all of the students who worked on the shorts!


Short Film The Bag and The Bike

The Bag and The Bike

Director – David Haye

Film Synopsis:

The Bag and The Bike follows the journey of a poor, little backpack as it copes with the realities of being replaced. When the Old Bag’s owner receives a New Bag for his birthday, the Old Bag is discarded into the owner’s junk-filled closet. The film was shot over the course of 48 hours, in our “Directing II” course.

Inspiration:

I drew directorial inspiration from a Spike Jonez Ikea commercial about a lamp, and an episode of HBO’s High Maintenance that follows the journey of a dog in New York City. My goal for the film was to make audiences relate to inanimate objects. By placing everyday objects in relatable situations, you start to see various themes emerge and grow from there.


Bam-Bam Short Film

Bam-Bam

Director – Logan Mcdonald

Film Synopsis:

Bam-Bam is a drama about a browbeaten mechanic who wants to keep his girlfriend happy. When he is forced to choose between her and his layabout brother, he must decide what is best for himself before they decide for him.

Inspiration:

I was inspired by the various friends I’ve had throughout my life who were held back by the people around them. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met were stuck in menial jobs and unhappy with their lives. These friends were too nice and other people took advantage of them.


Devil's Hour Short Film

Devil’s Hour

Director – Brandon Garman

Film Synopsis:

An evil presence has taken possession of Sam and attempts to take the soul of her sister Ash. Ash is forced to fight for her life and murder her beloved sister. Now, the hour of the devil has struck and the demon claws its way once more into the body of Sam. Will Ash be able to make it out of the house with her soul intact, or will she fall victim to the demons insatiable hunger?

Inspiration:

We made the film for our “Production I” class during October, so Halloween gave the inspiration for the horror, but the style is from filmmaker Sam Raimi. He was one of my heroes growing up as a little kid.


L'Ombre Amoureuse Short Film

L’Ombre Amoureuse

Director – Glenn Morisse

Film Synopsis:
L’Ombre Amoureuse (The Love Shadow) is about a susceptible college student who dreams to escape the charade he’s built to protect himself from people’s judgments. The film is about exploring your subconscious and your dreams.

Inspiration:
The inspiration came from a friend who came to terms with his sexual orientation. I focused on that internal struggle as the main theme.


About The Festival

The Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival features short films with original scores performed live-to-picture. The 2018 festival is presented by Helix Collective in association with the Academy of Scoring Arts. The 2018 festival films are curated by faculty at the New York Film Academy and the L.A. Film School. Selected film composers are paired with a winning filmmaker to create an original score for the festival.