Full disclosure: Though I wasn’t completely involved in this episode, I am a member of The Vancouver B Movie Factory.
The latest episode of The Vancouver B Movie Factory series takes place at Master Gee’s Blackbelt Academy. They had so much fun there the first time they made a film there, they wanted to make another and were happy to get welcomed back. This episode is a good example of how one of our B Movies typically gets made, so let’s see what happened.
At the beginning Master Gee, the owner of the academy, explained what the place was all about. Then several members of the blackbelt academy showed the panel their moves and what they could do. Next the panel made a plan to create a concept for the film they wanted to shoot. They came up with an interesting idea and decide to present it to other members involved.
On the next day at Master Gee’s Blackbelt academy, B Movie Members as well as some students come along to the meet up. The panel members discuss their idea and everyone decides what they want to do. A demonstration is also held showing what the highest ranked students are able to do. As they’re discussing the idea, they also work out who wants to act in what role and get everything in place.
Over the weekend, the shoot day happens, and while they’re preparing and filming, all details of the shoot are shot and documented showing what they’re up to all day. This includes how lighting in certain scenes is done as well as how impressive a makeup artist is at turning a 23-year-old into a 90-something-year-old. As the shoot goes on, the host Jimi Stewart has occasional breaks saying how long the shoot has been going on for, and occasionally doubts if they’ll get it done or not, especially if there’s a time limit.
When the shoot day is finished, the entire cast and crew tells the audience to watch their film. It then cuts to a segment showing the editor in post-production working on the film. This is usually a 30-second or more segment featuring the editor doing something funny (like refusing to give the final cut to Jimi and being chased all over Vancouver). It then cuts back to the studio where Jimi asks how everything went, and the panel members share their opinion on how much fun it was. They then show the film and after it’s finished, they talk about how well it’s edited. Finally Jimi ends the show thanking everyone for all their hard work.
This episode, the story of a kid who goes through a journey to the future in his mind is very well planned out and also shows an amazing quote which tells people that in the end everything will turn out well after all. I’d like to see Vancouver B Movie Factory make more short films and episodes like this one.