LOCAL SCENE
Husband-wife team wins grand prize at film shootout
By Phil Villarreal
pvillarreal@azstarnet.com
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.29.2007
The husband-wife team of Renee and Michael Griffith won the $500 grand prize at the Tucson 48 Hour Film Shootout a few weeks ago. They had help from their friends Matt Grogan, who is in the construction industry, and his wife, Cathy Grogan, a manager at a clothing store.
The Griffiths are University of Arizona grads and have two children: 3-year-old Rowan and a baby named Megan.
Competitors had 48 hours to make a short film that had to include a rubber spider, a character named Bill Ding and the line "It's a little bit tricky for people who aren't used to it."
You can watch their film, "First Date," at tallshipproductions.com/ ?page_id=5. Renee Griffith, a 39-year-old stay-at-home mother who graduated from Catalina Magnet High School, spoke to the Star on the phone.
Are you and your husband experienced filmmakers?
"This was the first time we did a film. My husband and I kind of entered the contest on a lark. We thought it would be something fun to do. We had been to a singalong at the Loft and we saw the information on the shootout.
"He has video experience and used to be a video news photographer for a local station. He currently works for the UA and does educational videos and podcasts things. We'd never done anything quite like this before. I like to write. My main job on this was doing the screenplay."
Did you think you had a good shot at winning?
"I was a little bit obsessed. I didn't think to myself, 'We're gonna win this.' I did think to myself, knowing I like to do pretty well at things, we'd be a contender to be one of the prizes. I thought we'd be in better shape for best use of elements. I had no idea we would win best picture, especially when the other awards were called out it seemed like we were underdogs. Another film won most of the awards. It was a surprise."
How many of the 48 hours did you use?
"The initial meeting was at 6 p.m. Oct. 12, and the due date was Sunday the 14th. The release to go get started was at 6:30 Friday. At 6:30 Sunday, Cathy was driving like a maniac to turn it in on time. We ran up there. . . . We really did take it to the very last minute."
What did you do with the prize money?
"My husband bought himself a wide-angle lens. He's all ready to shoot for the next screen competition."
Are you two going to enter a career in film?
"I don't know, although he gets a little light in his eye and says, 'You know, with the writers strike there may be people looking for material.' "
So the camera took up the whole $500?
"No. Part of the money is in an envelope on the fridge. We're thinking about throwing a party, having a little celebration."
If you're involved in filmmaking and would like to be featured in a Q&A, write to pvillarreal@azstarnet.com.
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