Campus Times Work

Dreams in Film
By Brandy Kimes
Willie and Patricia Navarro of 24 Frames of Light have long dreamed of their own movie. They are in the pre-production stage of their first full-length film, a suspense thriller, Relapse. Willie wrote the script, which deals with the crystal meth problem in Kona. The main character is a woman who moves into a home that was once used to produce crystal meth. Filming begins in mid-August. Students from the fall quarter School of Digital Filmmaking will work alongside directors and producers to create this motion picture.
The Navarros’ films are produced to depict truth and provoke thought. Typically dealing with social issues and injustices, students see that their passion for the Lord and for film can bring light to the film industry.
“In order to make it in the film industry they need to have character, skill, and anointing,” said Willy. “Character is crucial. You are not going to survive without it, but skill is crucial also. Anointing is the extra plus that puts you ahead.”
In 14 years, the Navarros have created a program that equips students to work in the film industry. Currently, 150 film department interns are using their skills around the world. Twenty of them are working in Romania with David Cunningham on the full-length feature, The Dark is Rising, based on a novel by Susan Cooper. Others recently returned from filming in the Sahara.
The internship program is custom made for each person. Equipping each student to succeed in lighting, camera work, editing, or whatever their area of interest, the Navarros help teach the skill needed to compete professionally. Many students have gone on to work on films like Million Dollar Baby, Polar Express, and Tears of the Son.

Of the 70 student films produced, 20 of them were accepted into film festivals around the world and eight have won awards. The most recent, The Legend of Father Fields, a 17-minute short film, competed against 4,400 other short films in the Houston Worldfest, and won the Gold Remi award in the Science Fiction category.
The film tells the story of a woman who arrives at a secluded chapel looking for Father Fidel, the warrior priest. What she finds is something she never expected. To see how it ends and watch other short films, visit www.24framesoflight.com.