Loveland, Ohio – Loveland is home to so many young talented writers and film producers and Loveland Magazine has been fortunate to have an association with so many of them. They all have inspired us and enhanced our pages.
Dean Parker directed Call the Shot and it is now available for free viewing. Parker interned for Loveland Magazine while attending Loveland High School and now lives in LA.
Call the Shot is a short film about a suicidal man who forces his bartender to carry out his death wish through a life-defining conversation.
In announcing the film’s availability on YouTube and Vimeo, Parker said on his FaceBook page:
“It’s here! Call the Shot is now streaming on YouTube and Vimeo! I had such a blast directing this short film with an incredible group of people and am so proud of what we accomplished. Please go check it out! Links below! Thank you to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe! Thank you to my killer cast and crew! I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to create this film with you all!”
Dean Parker’s film Call the Shot has received two more official selections to film festivals! Parker is a native of Loveland and a graduate of Loveland High School. Dean is a former writer and videographer at Loveland Magazine.
First, The Rockport Film Festival in Rockport, TX!
Second, The Studio City International Film & TV Festival in Studio City, CA!
A suicidal man forces his bartender to carry out his death wish through a life-defining conversation.
Currently playing in the film festival circuit. Like on Facebook to find a screening near you: facebook.com/calltheshotmovie
Starring LeJon Woods, Chanse McDuffie, and Yang Miller Directed by Dean Parker Written by Raan Shalom Produced by Mackenzie Keaton, Josh Lehrfeld, and Dean Parker
THIRD PLACE: 2020 Maumee Film Festival
• 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Picture’s Up! Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: The Roxbury International Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Columbus International Film & AnimationFestival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Charlotte Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Studio City International Film & TV Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Rockport Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: LA Student Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: F3: Frankly Film Festival • 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Youngstown Independent Film Festival
Los Angeles LIFT-OFF FILM FESTIVAL returns to cut through the trials of a global pandemic by serving up a treasure trove of independent film, delivered and available to enjoy from the safety and comfort of your own home.
Dean Parker hails from Loveland, Ohio and is a graduate of Loveland High School is one of the participants.
You can watch the short film Parker directed, “Call the Shot” online as many times as you want until October 11th as part of the Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival. Call the Shot is about a suicidal man convincing his bartender to carry out his death wish through a life-defining conversation.
Follow this LINK and purchase a ticket. Make sure you have chosen the Trendsetters shorts 4 section! That is the section where Call the Shot is playing.
Also make sure to vote for Call the Shot for the audience choice award!
Parker is an award winning filmmaker and a former Loveland Magazine intern.
In traditional Lift-Off fashion, we bring true independent film from emerging artists around the globe, connecting the US and international markets. Our aim to maximise artist’s connection with audience, and provide an experimental platform for indie creatives to help nurture voices and launch careers.
A mixture of new voices, trendsetter feature narratives and genre bending shorts; for the first time in Lift-Off’s history, we bring you a programme of online-only content with our partners Vimeo OnDemand.
This story produced by WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio is about the newly released film by Loveland native and Loveland High School graduate, Dean Parker, Call the Shot. Parker, an award-winning filmmaker is currently studying Integrated Media Production at Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication. Parker was an intern at Loveland Magazine.
OU Student Produced Film ‘Call the Shot’ Coming to Athena Nov. 9
Being a student at Ohio University, there’s ample opportunity to create and collaborate with others, especially when you’re nestled in the foothills of Appalachia- inspiration is everywhere. For some, this means working on passion projects with a group of talented students and making dreams become a reality.
Call the Shot, a short film set to premiere this weekend at the Athena, was written, produced and edited by Ohio University students. Raan Shalom wrote the screenplay, and Dean Parker, Mackenzie Keaton, and Josh Lehrfeld produced the film. Parker also directed and edited the film. The film tells the story of the life-defining conversation a suicidal bar patron has with the bartender.
Dean Parker on the set of his upcoming short film, which has the working title The Bartender and the Drunk, coming this fall.
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Have you ever sat down and thought about what it takes to make a great film? Have you ever wondered just how the lions in the Lion King remake look and sound so real? Did you ever look beyond the “scary” parts of a horror movie and look into why those scary parts are so effective? This is what makes a good move excellent and, well, Loveland local Dean Parker knows exactly what it takes to make an excellent movie!
Dean Parker attended Loveland City Schools where he began his journey into film making. Parker began making films at a very young age where eventually that developed passion took him to Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication to study Integrated Media Production. Dean is also a former paid intern, writing and doing videography and video editing at Loveland Magazine. Several awards and opportunities later, Parker landed himself in L.A. interning for Lifeboat Productions! After following Parker’s amazing story, I decided to invite Dean to Loveland Magazine’s One-on-One series so that he could share with our readers just how he has accomplished everything thus far! Sit back in your chair, grab your popcorn and enjoy, One-on-One with Dean Parker.
Dean on the set of his short film “Virtually in Love”
Ijust want to say before we start, Wow you have quite an impressive resume in the film industry! Where did all this passion for film and the performing arts come from? Was it passed along from your family or was it a newfound talent?
Dean – Thank you for the kind words. I don’t really know exactly where my passion entirely came from, to be honest. It’s really a mix of a bunch of things. I’ve just always liked stories and being a part of creating stories. I used to read all the time growing up and would like to write short books for fun. My dad also had an old camera that I would use to film silly videos with me and my friends. I think it’s fascinating how books, theater, and films can leave an impression on someone through the stories they tell and how they tell them. So, I think that impression stories left on me, especially through film, made me want to become a part of that industry and create. Definitely a newfound talent, for sure.
You went to Loveland High school, GO TIGERS, what did you learn at LHS that has helped you through your career path? Did you partake in any special courses at Loveland for film, if so, what were they? Brag about yourself for a minute! Share with our Loveland Magazine readers some of your high school accolades!
Dean – At the time when I was at LHS, they didn’t have the really cool video production class they just added. The only course they had was the LHSNN class, which is the school news. I was the lead editor for the news, and I had to learn how to use new editing software and how to meet deadlines on a tight schedule. That was a fun class because I got to collaborate with the other anchors on coming up with different news specials and skits. Other than that, I had to teach myself everything else. Mr. Barrett, who runs LHSNN and the video classes, was also very supportive of me especially when it came to the different shorts I was making. I was also very fortunate to meet a really cool group of friends in high school that were also interested in becoming filmmakers. We all worked on various projects together and we taught each other different things that helped us grow. In fact, those students started the LHS film club, which I believe is still around? Hopefully, it is! Beyond that, LHS let me have the premiere of two of my films in the auditorium, which was extremely nice. They were very supportive of me and a lot of the students came to see the premieres, as well as our principal and superintendent. I was very grateful to everyone for coming out to see the films.
You later made your way to the Ohio University, why did you select OU? What degree are you going for? Share with us your experience at OU and how it has helped you become the amazing film artist you are today!
Dean – My degree at OU is called Integrated Media Production, which is basically a create your own major within the media school. I selected OU because of its great media program that includes some amazing opportunities. I’ve participated in an advanced narrative production class called 419 Productions. In that class, we got to make a major short film that takes us an entire year from prepping, to raising a budget, to actually filming and editing it. Then we have a premiere at the end of the year. I have participated in many other student film sets and have learned so much from each one, mainly due to the other students who teach me different things. I also work in my school’s video equipment room and have familiarized myself with most of what we have there. And then there’s amazing our LA program, which takes students out to LA for real-world experience. All these things have helped shaped me into the filmmaker and person that I am today. I have learned so much more about the film over the past three years than at any other time in my life.
Let’s really get to know Dean! Tell us about your family! Who inspires you? Would you say your family has helped you become what you are today? Anyone in the family into film making? What were some of your favorite films growing up? Have you drawn inspiration for your films through some of your favorite films of the past?
Dean – My dad runs his own company which makes home inspection software. My mom works as a territory manager at BGR. I have two sisters, one of whom currently goes to LHS. My other sister plays soccer at Miami University. I’m inspired by Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Damien Chazelle, and Bo Burnham just to name a few. My family has always been so incredibly supportive of me in my film endeavors. Some of them even came out to visit me in LA and I showed them around. They always watch my films and have helped me attend film festivals too, which I am very grateful for. I actually don’t have any family members that are into filmmaking, but my great-grandfather owned a drive-in movie theater so maybe that’s where I got my urge to be in the industry. Growing up, I loved Toy Story and Harry Potter movies. My favorite movies currently are The Social Network, Whiplash, Lord of the Rings, and American Beauty, just to name a few. I definitely have drawn inspiration from some of these films and into my work.
Ivisited your website deanparkerfilms.com and looked over all of your films and they are so interesting! Dean, tell us about the films that you have made and what has inspired each of them. I saw you made a film called No Love in Loveland, tell us about how Loveland inspired you to create this film. What is your favorite film you have made? What film took the longest to make? What film are you most proud of?
Dean – For No Love in Loveland, it was inspired by what I was feeling during my time at LHS, or more so during my freshman year. I thought it was interesting how the dating culture was in school and all the different ways of how quickly people got into and out of relationships. Not to mention all the crushes people had on each other and how they went about approaching that situation. Maybe it was because a lot of people knew each other at our school due to the size. It was a bizarre and funny time and I wanted to make a film that showcased that. So, I played on how our city was called Loveland to poke fun at the situation.
Regret is by far the most personal film I have made. I would like to tell you exactly how I was inspired to make that film but it’s still too personal for me to fully explain. All I’ll say is that it was inspired by a time in high school where I was struggling with the thought of something to come. Now, it was with this film that I met my good group of Loveland film friends. I needed crew members and they reached out to me and offered to help. I continued to work with those guys on my other two films after that. If it wasn’t for this film, I don’t know if I would’ve met them and I’m grateful that I did get to meet them.
Images I came up with shortly after the time I wrote Regret. I was inspired to make the film after meeting certain people and seeing how the way they presented themselves online and the image they were trying to show off was different than when I really got to know them. I’m proud of all the work we put into making that film. It was by far my most ambitious project at the time, especially due to the length and complexity of the shots. We all had a fun time working on it though, and the cast and crew got really close. I would also say it’s my most successful film so far, due to the number of festivals we were fortunate enough to be a part of.
Together was actually based on a short story a friend of mine wrote. When I read the story for the first time, I knew it could make for a good short film. I spent time talking to the writer of the story about what she intended and then putting that to film. It was exciting to interpret someone else’s story, write a screenplay for it and then bring it to life. I think that’s my favorite film I have put out so far. Currently, the film I’m editing right now is taking the longest to make (it’ll be worth it, I promise). But prior to that, it was Together. That film had some complications at the beginning of production that put filming on halt for almost two months. We scrambled to get that film shot in time before I had to go back to OU for the sophomore year. Then I had to edit it while I was at school and my roommate was using his free time to make the music. But it all worked out, thankfully.
Dean with some of his OU friends on the set of a student production.
You have collected some unbelievable awards over the past few years! What were some of your proudest awards? Tell the readers about how recipients are selected for these awards and what you had to do to be considered. You have been to a number of film festivals, which I’m sure was really exciting for you to be part of! What are some of your favorite film festivals you have attended? Have you been invited to any extremely exclusive film festivals?
Dean – Thank you again for the kind words. I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of some very neat festivals. One of my favorite festivals I was selected into was the Nashville Film Festival, which is a major festival. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to attend, but just being selected was very exciting. Being a finalist for some awards and also winning one at the All-American High School Film Festival was also great. I got to attend that festival and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I also enjoyed attending the Golden Lion Film Festival here in Cincinnati. I won the best short film award and best of fest award back in 2016, which was so crazy. That festival has greatly expanded since I was a part of it and it’s cool to see how they’ve grown. The thing is, with all the great accolades I’ve been fortunate to receive, there is actually much more losing than winning. I’ve been rejected from way more festivals than I have been accepted. This is a very common thing for all filmmakers submitting to festivals. But to me, I see it as another reason to get better with every project. Also, each festival is different and is looking for particular films to make up their lineup so that it also plays into how one gets accepted. I submit to all my film festivals through the website filmfreeway.com. If you are a filmmaker looking to submit to festivals, that website is currently the #1 festival submission platform.
Ok, you have been in L.A having the time of your life! You are interning for Lifeboat Productions? Tell us about your experience thus far in L.A. I saw that you got the opportunity to be at the Jimmy Kimmel show? What was that like? Talk about the new film you are producing Virtually in Love.
Dean – L.A has been quite the experience and I definitely see myself living there. Yes, I interned at Lifeboat Productions as a production office and development intern. Most of what I did there is read tons of screenplays and then provide coverage, which is basically a form of feedback. I also helped around the office by prepping the conference room, answering phone calls, greeting clients, and anything else they might’ve needed me to do. They also had me pitch a screenplay in development to the company executives, which was great practice for me.
LA is a much different world than Loveland. Way more people, buildings, and cars. In fact, there really isn’t anywhere to park. Traffic happens all the time, any hour, any day of the week. But it’s all part of the experience. And there’s always something to do. Lots of events and cool places to see. Through my school, I’ve gotten to do some studio tours like Warner Bros, and Sony Pictures. I’ve also gotten to go to Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland. And I’ve run into some celebrities as well. I once saw Ryan Gosling while I was out for dinner, which was crazy.
I’ve gotten to attend Jimmy Kimmel twice, actually. The most recent time I went, Quentin Tarantino was the guest and he was promoting his new movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In fact, at one point, Leonardo DiCaprio came out and surprised the audience with an invite to come to the movie premiere. So, I went and got to see the movie a few days before it came out. If you go onto YouTube, you can find the video when this happened. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEkXCCgz2o.
I got to write and direct one of the short films for our school program while we were out in LA. The film is a science-fiction drama called Virtually in Love, which is sort of like an episode of Black Mirror. The film takes place in the near future and is about a man who is struggling to make a romantic connection in a time where everybody is disconnected due to technology. We had an open casting call and got to work with some really cool LA actors. We had a lot of tight deadlines with making the film but managed to get it done well. It was a great learning experience and made me reflect on what I know about filmmaking and how I can get better. That film will also go through a festival run for a bit and will be released shortly after.
Now is your chance to promote yourself! Tell us about your future plans! Any films or big projects in the works? Any fun opportunities?
Chanse McDuffie and LeJon Woods from a scene in The Bartender and the Drunk directed by Dean Parker
Dean – I am currently still editing a short film I directed back in the spring that is set to come out sometime this fall. It’s currently titled The Bartender and the Drunk, but that is just a working title. We actually have a Facebook Page you can go check out if you want to follow updates on the film. I am really excited for this to be released. I had a stellar cast and crew, and this is the first short film I’ve directed where I didn’t write the screenplay. We also self-funded this film through GoFundMe and were fortunate enough to reach our goal of $2,500. Once the film is completed, I’ll be using the rest of the budget to send it off to various film festivals.
Besides that film, I’m going to keep helping out on projects when I get back to school, and my buddy and I are also looking to possibly make a short in the fall as well. After I graduate, I plan to eventually move out to LA with some friends to get started working in the “real world.”
Now let me ask you some fun, but random questions! What’s your favorite color? Who’s your favorite director? Any hidden talents? What’s your favorite food? Who do you emulate? What’s the last film you saw? Any recent films you have seen that you recommend? Lion King original or Lion King remake? What do you hope to be doing in 5 years?
Dean – My favorite color is blue. My favorite director is Damien Chazelle. I can sing, but anyone who knows me well knows that’s not a hidden talent. I can also make a really good grilled cheese apparently. My favorite food is a tough question. I like steak and calamari a lot. I’m kind of a picky eater but I’m getting better. I guess I emulate my dad. My sisters tell me that a lot. The last film I saw was The Farewell, which I recommend. I also recommend Booksmart, and Toy Story 4, which is my favorite film of the year so far. I’d definitely pick the original Lion King; the remake was not good at all. In five years, I hope to be working in LA on or at least starting to work on my own feature film, whether or not done independently.
To keep up with Dean Parker and his film career you can visit deanparkerfilms.com.
DEAN PARKER’S AWARDS
VISUAL ARTS SEMI-FINALIST: 2016 Cincinnati Overture Awards
TOGETHER
WINNER: Best College Student Film, 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
WINNER: Best in Show – College Division, 2018 American Youth Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best Editing, 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best Musical Score, 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best College Film, 2018 Austin Student Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST: Los Angeles CineFest – November 2017 Edition
IMAGES
WINNER: 60th CINE Golden Eagle Award for Narrative Youth Media
WINNER: Best Editing, 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
WINNER: Best High School Student Short Film, 2017 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
WINNER: Best Youth Film, 2017 Boise Film Festival
WINNER: Best Structure, 2017 Premiere Film Festival
WINNER: Best High School Film, 2017 UPIKE Film & Media Arts Festival
FINALIST: Best Overall Film, 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
FINALIST: Best Drama, 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
FINALIST: Best Cinematography (Sam Smith), 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best Student Film-High School, 2017 Alhambra Theatre Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST: Los Angeles CineFest – August 2016 Edition
HONORABLE MENTION: Best Dramatic Student Film, 2017 Lionshead Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Nashville Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Scout Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Benicia Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Lake Charles Film & Music Festival
REGRET
BEST OF SHOW: 2016 Golden Lion Awards
GOLDEN LION AWARD: Narrative Film, 2016 Golden Lion Awards
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Sam Smith): 2016 Blue Ridge Young Filmmakers Festival
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Sam Smith): 2017 Premiere Film Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: All-American High School Film Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Royal Starr Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Ballston Spa Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Lake Charles Film & Media Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Drop Your Shorts – Fall Edition
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Film Forum on the Lake
SPECIAL PRESENTATION: 2016 Hoosierdance International Film Festival
NO LOVE IN LOVELAND
SILVER KEY AWARD: 2016 Cincinnati Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: All-American High School Film Festival
2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Film Dayton Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Texas Independent Film Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Los Angeles CineFest – March 2016 Edition
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Scout Film Festival
Dean’s Associated Products
Wake Up Mark (2018; Director – Michi Heckler)
Dean was the script supervisor for the Flat Pop Productions short thriller-comedy: Wake Up Mark. The film is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in 2019. The film is directed by Michi Heckler.
Dean was the script supervisor of the 419 Productions film: The Horseman. The film had its premiere on April 29th at Ohio University. The film was directed by Annabelle Fisher.
Dean was the editor/DIT for the short film Emma. It was created as a part of Ohio University’s film club: Rough Cut Collective. The film was directed by Samantha Houtchens.
Many in the Loveland area already know of the remarkable work of Loveland High School grad Dean Parker.
Dean, a highly awarded film-maker, is a former employee of Loveland Magazine – Writer, Videographer, Video Editor and Producer.
This is an independent short film that is being created entirely by Ohio University media students and being shot in Athens, Ohio. The film takes place entirely in a bar and tells the story of a suicidal man who forces his bartender to carry out his death wish through a life defining conversation. The film is written by Ron Shalom and being directed by Dean Parker.
A film like this requires certain financial needs to make it possible. This includes paying our professional actors, paying for their location, feeding the cast and crew, purchasing props, makeup and costumes, and many other things.
By donating to the film, not only are you helping make this story come to life, but you are also supporting student filmmaking. Everyone on the crew is dedicated and ready to make this film the best it can be. And with your support, it can be possible.
The students have created a GoFundMe page to make it easy for you to be part of the films success. Watch their GoFundMe promo…
Any donation of any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated. And there are also various rewards if you become a backer:
$10 – A special thank you in the credits
$20 – Everything listed above, plus you will receive a short special thank you video from the cast and crew
$30 – Everything listed above, plus access to see the completed film before the general public
$50 – Everything listed above, plus you will receive a copy of the script
$100 – Everything listed above, plus you will receive a movie poster
$200 – Everything listed above, plus you will be credited as an executive donor
$350 – Everything listed above, plus you will be credited as an executive producer
$500 – Everything listed above, plus if you are of legal age and live in Ohio, one or all of the producers will take you out for a drink at any bar of your choice
Top donor will also receive the crystal bar set that was used in the GoFundMe video
The deadline for their goal is March 3rd, 2019
Sangha is a place to experience skillfully designed, fun, and inspirational hatha yoga classes close to home. Simply drop in and yoga!
Taul’s film was selected from more than 2,000 entries
Taul’s film tells the story of a young man struggling with the loss of his mother, and the added responsibility of caring for his brother with special needs while battling drug addiction.
Stone Taul and Sam Smith
Loveland High School (LHS) Senior Stone Taul has earned the title of Best Director at the All American High School Film Festival Sunday on Oct. 8, in New York City for his drama, Viceroy, which Taul wrote, acted in and directed. Taul’s film – which tells the story of a young man struggling with the loss of his mother, and the added responsibility of caring for his brother with special needs while battling drug abuse – was selected for the 2017 festival from over 2,000 national and international entries.
“I was shocked when my name was called,” said Taul. “There were so many talented directors and filmmakers from all over the world. I feel honored that I was selected.”
“We could not be prouder of the creative endeavors Stone has been a part of during his tenure at Loveland High School,” said LHS Principal Peggy Johnson. “He is a stand-out talent, and this recognition he earned is well deserved.”
LHS Senior, and Loveland Magazine writer, photographer, and videographer, Sam Smith, was the cinematographer and assistant director for Viceroy.
In addition to winning Best Director, Taul’s movie Viceroy, was nominated for Best Drama and Best Overall Film. LHS Senior Sam Smith was the cinematographer for Viceroy, and other LHS contributors included: co-starring Jon Parker (2017 grad), audio Dean Parker (2016 grad), and crew members and current students Sam Sauer and Tommy Blair, with a cameo by Jonah Smith. Taul traveled with Sam Smith, Tommy Blair and Sam Sauer to New York to participate in the film festival events (screenings, networking events, college fair), and attended the red carpet awards event held at the historic Kings Theater in Brooklyn, New York. Viceroy is Taul’s major directorial debut.
Dean Parker (2016 LHS grad), a former intern at Loveland Magazine and current Ohio University student, produced the audio for Viceroy.
“There is so much hidden talent in Loveland,” said Taul. “I was able to pull together a small, but super talented team of filmmakers and a couple of friends who just wanted to help. Sam Smith was there for me throughout the whole project. I couldn’t have done it without him and I’m grateful to my friend, Dean Parker, for all of his encouragement along the way.”
The All American High School Film Festival is the world’s largest high school film festival with submissions from over 40 countries and all 50 states. The festival’s judges are made up of directors, producers, actors and writers from some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Taul had two films (Viceroy & Tunnels) officially selected. The films were screened at the Times Square AMC 25 theater in New York.
Stone Taul (left) and Jon Parker (right) in Viceroy
Actress Haley McCrory
Jon Parker
Taul has also received filmmaking accolades from the Cincinnati Teen Film Challenge, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and charitable/community organizations, and he is the co-founder of the LHS Film Club. Taul plans to study film in California after graduation.
Watch Viceroy
Watch Highlights from the All American High School Film Festival
Heather Higdon is the Chief Information Officer for the Loveland School District
by Heather Higdon,
Early on at Loveland High School (LHS) Sam Smith’s ability caught Photography Teacher Jim Barrett’s eye.
“We have a photo contest every year at LHS and it is open to all high school students,” said Barrett. “Most of the time it is entered by students that have taken Photography. Sam entered the contest as a freshman. The contest is judged by students in the photo classes and the Art Department staff and school principals. Sam’s work stood out to all involved. He won.”
Sam Smith – a Tiger since kindergarten – has been racking up accolades as a photographer, writer, journalist and filmmaker ever since. His passion for “sharing visual art that is both personal and universal” is evident. For this special feature, Sam shared what drives that passion – and offers younger Tigers some advice on how to make the most of their Loveland experience:
Loveland City School District (LCSD): Your creative work has put Loveland Schools on the map in larger forums – can you tell us about the awards you have earned so far, and what projects you are currently involved in?
LHS Senior Sam Smith (Photo courtesy of Lauren Questell)
LHS Senior Sam Smith (SS):Really, 2016 graduate Dean Parker put Loveland Schools on the larger map in my opinion. Many of my now closest friends met on the set of his film, Regret. There, we discovered a group of like-minded creatives and formed Loveland Film Club and a filmmaking community in Loveland. Dean introduced me to a lot of awards, people and film festivals that I would have otherwise never known about.
On the set of Regret, I received an email that I was a finalist for the Overture Awards, which is the region’s largest arts contest. I went on to speak about my work and have it displayed at the Aronoff center. From the 100 entries from different schools (each with their own vetting process), I was awarded First Place – something unusual and flattering for a sophomore. (Loveland Sophomore Sam Smith wins Overture Award)
SAM SMITH HONORS
Best of Category at Golden Lions Film Festival, Best Cinematography at Blue Ridge Young Filmmakers Festival, Best Cinematography at Premiere Film Festival, Best Editing and Cinematography and second overall in 2016 72 Hour Teen Film Challenge, Best Cinematography and third overall in 2017 Teen Film Challenge, Best of Show at Exposure: Montgomery Photo Show 2017 and 2016 student winner, National Film Festival for Talented Youth official selection and official selection and nominee for Best Cinematography and Best Director (for a film I assistant directed with Senior Stone Taul) at the All American High School Film Festival.
I’ve been named Best of Category at Golden Lions Film Festival, Best Cinematography at Blue Ridge Young Filmmakers Festival, Best Cinematography at Premiere Film Festival, Best Editing and Cinematography and second overall in 2016 72 Hour Teen Film Challenge, Best Cinematography and third overall in 2017 Teen Film Challenge, Best of Show at Exposure: Montgomery Photo Show 2017 and 2016 student winner, National Film Festival for Talented Youth official selection and official selection and nominee for Best Cinematography and Best Director (for a film I assistant directed with Senior Stone Taul) at the All American High School Film Festival.
At festivals like the All American High School Film Festival, pieces from Loveland have begun to dominate Ohio submissions. Loveland filmmakers have had their work shown on IMAX screens at the AMC in Time’s Square and the historic King’s Theater in Brooklyn. This year, three out of the five Ohio nominations at the festival were from Loveland. I shot four out of the eight total selections from Ohio, and Loveland students have collaborated with directors of six of the eight Ohio selections.
I’m currently writing a narrative film, editing behind the scenes for a proof-of-concept for a friend’s film, helping finish an experimental drama I did cinematography on, editing an experimental film I helped make for someone’s poetry-based film project, planning and running Loveland Film Club, putting together a new photographic portfolio about life after death and working for Loveland Magazine.
(LCSD): What is your personal favorite creation, and why?
(SS):I think right now my favorite piece is the music video I made for 2016 Loveland graduate, Ryan Mangan.
Delusion was a huge undertaking in very little time, and it was a chance to explore a genre of visual art I really enjoy. I had a lot of creative freedom and got a chance to utilize a technique I’d been experimenting with for a while. All the glitchy holographic effects were done in-camera frame by frame, and the entire film was shot in just two days with almost no crew. I spent most of my free time for about three months afterwards trying to piece the film together and get everything timed and looking just right. In the end, I’m pretty happy with the experimental semi-narrative told through the visuals and music. It’s not perfect, and every time I watch it I find new flaws. But I think that’s what pushes me forward as an artist and lets each piece be better than the last.
(LCSD): Who has inspired you at Loveland Schools to stretch yourself artistically and achieve the success you’ve achieved?
(SS):I’ve had a lot of inspiration in Loveland Schools. My biggest inspiration has definitely been from other students. Dean Parker really showed me how to have an idea and keep the forward momentum to make it a reality. Stone Taul, Sam Sauer and Jon Parker started the film club and have offered creative minds to bounce ideas off of and to inspire.
Teachers have also really inspired me at Loveland. Creative writing teacher Mrs. Borchers created a classroom atmosphere that allowed for honest expression and gave me confidence and momentum as a writer and as a person. Physical science teacher Mr. Laughman really showed honest and genuine interest to his students and would take time after class to talk about art and even how some of my photos related to concepts in physics. Strings teacher Mrs. Bierkan has watched me grow for the past eight years and helped me find an expressive artistic outlet. English teacher and now librarian Mrs. Bosse has been very encouraging of my art and writing, and helped teach me how to organize my thoughts in a way that other people can understand and feel– the basis of good art. Art teacher Mrs. Woodruff took time to personally encourage my creative endeavors and offer feedback.
Lastly, photo teacher Mr. Barrett has done so much for me as a student and artist. He gave an immediate and excited “yes” to the prospect of a Loveland film club and has critiqued, taught, pushed and helped me plan my photographs and films. He’s watched me grow as an artist and has always been encouraging and excited about my projects– he’s come to art shows and stayed many collective hours after school to help me prepare photographs, critique work and supervise the film club. I really appreciate what he’s done for me and for Loveland’s visual artists. He’s a dedicated teacher who really wants to help students achieve their creative potential.
(LCSD): What advice would you offer to younger students who are interested in creative pursuits – what should they be taking advantage of as they progress through Loveland Schools?
(SS):My biggest piece of advice is cliche and easier said than done, but it’s this: get out there and do it. Make art. The only thing holding you back is you. I’d heard it a million
“Get out there and do it. Make art.”
times, but it really took seeing the creative peers I found at Loveland making art for the notion of doing to sink in. Take electives that interest you and put everything you have into art you make for school – don’t just see it as an assignment, see it as an excuse for authentic self-expression. More than anything, surround yourself with creative and interesting people. There will always be an artistic community in Loveland. Take advantage of it.
(LCSD): If you could design your ideal future – what would it look like?
(SS):In a perfect world, I’d go on to make a living doing cinematography on narrative films and music videos, maybe supplementing some income shooting interesting commercials. I’d have the opportunity to bring my own visual style to the table and work somewhere interesting like LA or New York doing what I love with creative and driven peers.
(LCSD): Is there anything else you’d like to add?
(SS):Art is a form of expression, and in some ways a coping mechanism. Good art
“Visual art has the ability to speak above words and to say what there aren’t words for.”
transmits an idea, an emotion. It transmits something personal. And visual art has the ability to speak above words and to say what there aren’t words for. I really enjoy trying to share something that is both universal and personal. I try to share art that means something, art that has a purpose. If my images create a reaction, emotion or inspire thought then I feel that I’ve succeeded.
SAM SMITH WORKS AS A WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND VIDEOGRAPHER FOR LOVELAND MAGAZINE
Dean Parker hails from Loveland, Ohio and is a graduate of Loveland High School is one of the participants.
by Cassie Mattia
Dean – At the time when I was at LHS, they didn’t have the really cool video production class they just added. The only course they had was the LHSNN class, which is the school news. I was the lead editor for the news, and I had to learn how to use new editing software and how to meet deadlines on a tight schedule. That was a fun class because I got to collaborate with the other anchors on coming up with different news specials and skits. Other than that, I had to teach myself everything else. Mr. Barrett, who runs LHSNN and the video classes, was also very supportive of me especially when it came to the different shorts I was making. I was also very fortunate to meet a really cool group of friends in high school that were also interested in becoming filmmakers. We all worked on various projects together and we taught each other different things that helped us grow. In fact, those students started the LHS film club, which I believe is still around? Hopefully, it is! Beyond that, LHS let me have the premiere of two of my films in the auditorium, which was extremely nice. They were very supportive of me and a lot of the students came to see the premieres, as well as our principal and superintendent. I was very grateful to everyone for coming out to see the films.
![[Be part of] The Bartender and the Drunk – A Student Short Film](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/hqdefault.jpg)
Heather Higdon is the Chief Information Officer for the Loveland School District
SAM SMITH WORKS AS A WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND VIDEOGRAPHER FOR LOVELAND MAGAZINE