Middle Georgia filmmakers to host showcase, mixer in Macon Saturday evening

A group of local, independent filmmakers has been busy this past year – slowed by COVID-19 but still busy at work – and four of them are showing films Saturday at an actor-creator-crew event.

And you’re invited.

It’s called the “Middle GA Talent Showcase & Network Mixer” and it starts at 7 p.m. at the Macon Arts Center, 4570 Pio Nono Ave. That’s the old Whiskey River location.

The cost is $15 at the door but you can still get advance tickets for $10 online at maconartscenter.com.

“We’re showing short films by Stacy Jenkins, Tim Buelna, John Carroll DeShazier and myself,” said Chris Hall. “We’re also showing a number of preview trailers by people whose movies aren’t finished yet.”

Hall is among those spearheading the effort, a loose conglomeration of cooperative filmmakers under the moniker United Filmmakers of Middle Georgia. The group has a page at facebook.com/middlegafilmmakers and they often share equipment, work on each other’s projects as co-writers, cinematographers and actors.

“There are a lot of people besides us making films in Middle Georgia,” Hall said. “There are people who do this full time but also a lot of people like us who have day jobs or are students but still have a passion for making films. They say some make movies to make money — I make money to make movies. But all together, we’re just a group that has drawn together – not exclusively by any means — and work together a good bit.”

United Filmmakers is presenting the evening along with Terry Wilson’s Middle GA Talent Agency (middlegeorgiatalentagency.com). The agency is a link in connecting United Filmmakers as well as many other groups, actors, creators and talents.

This is the group’s second showcase. The first was in March of 2020 just as COVID was shutting everything down. Hall said this one comes just as everything is cranking back up.

“It’s been born out of the fact that when each of us completes a film we try to gather the cast and crew and others involved to show it and celebrate what we all worked so hard to do,” he said. “Somehow we got the idea to combine forces, show them together at a venue and make it bigger and invite the public.

“Going into and coming out of COVID and trying to hurry to put something together while we could each time made it mostly about the films but the original idea grew to it being a networking event, sort of a mixer, for all kinds of talent from musicians to models to actors to filmmakers to technical people and all the related fields. We wanted to show off our work, sure, but we also want to give time and make it a thing where people can talk, share business cards, share vision and maybe help put future projects together.”

A touch of that attitude is seen by having the showcase emceed by area comedians Ricardo Randall and Shane Leverett.

There may also be a bit of music.

As for the films, Hall said they’re all short films, about 20 minutes, with one being an episode of what he called a Southern soap opera created by Jenkins called “Love Blood & Cotton.”

Buelna’s film is called “James.” It’s a detective thriller and the last of a trilogy about finding a serial killer. Despite being part of a three-piece set, Buelna said “James” is a complete work in itself.

Hall’s movie is a horror film called “What the Devil Said.”

“This is my first venture into horror,” he said. “My other films were more crime dramas and gangster flicks.”

The last film is “Low Heat” made by John Carroll DeShazier. It’s a good example of the cooperative nature of the group. While at work on initial production, DeSahzier realized his film would make the perfect prequel to a film Hall had previously made titled “This Day Sucks.” The two talked and decided to write the new film together with Hall serving as cinematographer and DeShazier keeping the new film his as director.

Hall is also involved with the Macon Film Festival, he’s on the board, and said the showcase in no way competes with the festival but instead promotes it and all other efforts to advance filmmaking in Middle Georgia.

Those attending the showcase can walk a red carpet and have photos made which will be available later on the United Filmmakers page. That’s part of the mingling and mixing and meeting filmmakers and talents. While doors open at 7 p.m., trailers don’t start until about at 7:45 p.m.

Among filmmakers there will be Buelna, who is a smidge older than some of the other filmmakers and who is plant manager at Signify (formerly Philips) in Perry. Instead of partying as a young high school student in Iowa, Buelna said he stayed home and watched movies.

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” was a favorite.

“I loved movies but got a job and attended night classes after high school and didn’t think seriously about making them,” he said. The fact equipment was expensive and hard to get hold of also kept filmmaking out of reach but as time went on, he said technology evolved and equipment became more accessible so 15 years ago he bought a few things, read up on how to shoot and edit and started making movies.

Now his equipment is even better and includes shooting video with drones.

“You can learn a lot these days just by watching YouTube, but 15 years ago it wasn’t so easy,” he said. “I tend not to gather too big a cast or crew and do most of the work myself. I’ve made a lot of short films, about 70 of them. Some are 60 seconds and others 20 minutes. I use my family in them a lot and guess I really should make more than I do.”

Buelna said whether local filmmakers’ teams are large or small, most typically work for food and a spot in the credits.

Or just out of passion.

The showcase is a perfect way to be entertained by the results of their passion and may also be the way to make a few acquaintances and become a part of it.

Due to the nature of some films and there being a cash bar, organizers put an 18-and-over age limit on the night.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.

This story was originally published July 17, 2021 at 8:00 AM.