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Local filmmaker wins Boulder contest

Com September 30, 2009 5:25 PM WARREN EPSTEIN THE GAZETTE Mark Copley, a local engineer who recently started dabbling in independent filmmaking, took several top prizes at the 6th annual Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival in Boulder. The festival challenges contestants to shoot films seven minutes or shorter in 24 hours or less. Copley’s “Alien Probe — The Musical!” took honors for Best Film, Best Music Composition and Best Sound Design. The filmmaker and his team of local actors took home several prizes, including a high-end studio lighting kit and $2,500 of professional editing studio time. The film also earned a spot at the Boulder International Film Festival on Feb. 11-14. “I doubt I will ever leave the technical side behind but if this filmmaking success and exposure should open some revenue-producing doors, I would definitely be open to doing filmmaking as a larger part of my day job,” Copley said. The short is about a silly sci-fi about a young woman, frustrated with her recent dates, who falls for a guy who’s literally out of this world. The female lead, Carmen Vreeman, is a freshman at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs who’s appeared on stage at the Fine Arts Center and TheatreWorks. The male lead, Brian McClure, also has done shows for TheatreWorks and the FAC and performs with the local band “Head Full Of Zombies.” Copley wrote, directed the film and co-produced the film with Mark Keisling, who works for Fluke Networks, a telecommunications company based in Everett, Wash. WATCH “Alien Probe — The Musical!” Go to tinyurl.com/ydmx6vn. Despite the risque title, the short probably would get a PG rating for mild sexual suggestion. See archived 'Entertainment' stories »