Shadow-Believe II: Are you a believer?

by: Mark Arellano

Independent movie projects always have an eclectic mix of themes, elements, storylines, and casts of characters. What more would be lacking with a story based on drama, action, and music geared towards the teenage audience? If you have to see a movie with all of these essentials, and a very plausible storyline, Shadow-Believe II is the best bet this school year.

Student directed, produced, written, and edited by ESHS alumni Kevin Batton and Sean Batton, Shadow-Believe II stars an array of who’s who in El Segundo: ESHS alumni Kevin Batton, Sean Batton, Brandon Lane, seniors Kali Fontecchio and Ben Shea, junior Jimmy Batton, and Jason Almanza. Filmed during the summer at SCROC, the cast and crew had over six weeks to complete the film. The Video Production class at SCROC, taught by Jared Grimes, was funded on a shoestring budget. The majority of that budget was spent on a professional camera. “Much of the money was spent on this camera, but was well worth the investment; everyone involved in the movie was equally stunned with the quality of the film as the high picture quality was vibrant and sharp. It’s going to appeal to many viewers with its grand picture quality,” said Fontecchio.

The plot of the movie is deep and carefully thought out, with the Batton Brother’s sensibility, wit, and charisma woven into this emotionally stirring and entertaining production.

“We’ve carefully looked out for the strongholds and leads in the movie that would only produce the best quality entertainment for the film, the viewers, and the sake of the story actually being a well-written script. I can’t wait to see the end result and the responses to everyone who sees it,” said Kevin Batton.

As compared to the first installment, the effects and direction of the sequel now fully showcase what the real vision of the movie was. With high-quality resolve and a bigger story to boot, the second installment is sure to captivate all audiences who see the movie.

“With the hype and attention surrounding the forthcoming release of Shadow, it shall ensure its success and subsequent exposure to bigger and better things,” said Shea.

Along with the Old Town Music Hall release in early December, a possible DVD release may emerge from this success. The movie has been submitted to a prestigious New York film festival, and a killer soundtrack is in the works, by courtesy of the mutli-talented DSMA. Shadow-Believe II is a sure hit in the process, and many have faith in its expectant triumph. “Along with the possibility of release at the local Pacific Theaters, foreign prospects for the movie are being considered as other local interests are pouring in. I hope the movie does very well and that everyone appreciates it for what it is, and for what the cast, crew, and I hoped for it to be,” said Kevin Batton.

Another important aspect in the making of this film was the intense schedule of shooting it took to make the deadline. Sean Batton, the Blue Team, who had the “good scenes”, such as DJ Jason and Matt the Mixer, directed Eight a.m. to noon. From one to five p.m., Kevin Batton directed the Red Team, known as the “dark scenes” with many including Malakai and Shane. This was the set up for the first six weeks, and in the last two weeks, the groups combined to do the scenes needed to put the characters together in some scenes.

“The set up regarding the shooting schedule was a bit hectic throughout the entire process, but we managed to pull through smoothly. The experience was great, and a lot was learned from this project, and bonds were made. I’m glad to be a part of every little moment that it was in production,” said Jimmy Batton.

The third installment in the trilogy of the Believe saga will be made next year, and Grimes is having a contest within his next video production class at SCROC to determine who will write the last and final installment of the trilogy. Shadow is now on DVD and will be available for purchase at the Shadow premiere this December which will be held at the Old Town Music Hall.  “The film was our most outstanding project to date, and the Feature Length Filmmaking
Program (FLFM) is the most exciting program that I have had the pleasure of teaching. "SCROC went out on a limb for us by providing a huge classroom that was transformed by our students into a fully functioning production facility. Additionally, they provided us with a brand new Panasonic 24p camera that helped to create stunning images for the project.  This project looks, sounds, feels, and basically is better than anything we have ever done before. Overall, I was extremely impressed with the project, and pleased with the high quality, attention to detail, and professional demeanor that our students displayed. They worked hard, and it shines through every time I watch the completed film,” said Grimes. Look for Shadow-Believe II to open sometime in early December at the Old Town Music Hall and the new songs from the movie from DSMA are available for download at www.mp3.com/dsma. With such promising young talent, and a job well done through dedication and determination, Shadow-Believe II will become an instant and memorable success.