TWO BELLMEN, the first original short film production from Marriott International, Inc.’s Content Studio, will have its world premiere on March 10th, 2015 with a global YouTube launch, as well as a gala screening and party at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. The iconic JW Marriott property plays a starring role in the film. We interviewed director, Daniel “Malakai” Cabrera to get an inside look into this amazing production.
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Q: Where did the concept of this film come from? What do you want viewers to walk away with after they see it?**
A: The main inspiration for this film was to try and create a fun short story that showcased the amazing group of talent we have in the Substance Over Hype family and take advantage of the beautiful setting we had in using the JW Marriott at LA Live.
Q: What made Marriott Content Studio want to release a film like this?
A: I believe they wanted to make something cool and fun where the hotel could simply help further the creative.
**Q: What do you hope to accomplish with the studio, and have you already seen results for the brand? **
**A: **We hope to make amazing content that rewards everyone involved and inspires and entertains the audience. I already see the "cool kids" around us / in our cultures (music, dance, stunts, etc) starting to say Marriott and JW Marriott and it's the beginning of crediting the brand for supporting creators. I don't think they could ask for better results than that. Those will find their way to sales and filling rooms as they stay at it.
Q: How did the partnership between Marriott Content Studio and Substance Over Hype come to be?
A: Through David Beebe, VP, Global Creative & Content Marketing at Marriott International. He has an eye for finding and fostering what's "fresh" in entertainment and fortunately we are on that list!
Q: Why did the production team choose to shot with RED over other cameras in the market?
A: Our DP loves the look. He owns a RED and we have been using them on our shoots for the last 3 years. A lot of my familiarity with them comes from our residency at the YouTube Space LA where creators are trained in how to use them and allowed to check them out for in house productions.
Q: What challenges arose during filming and how were they solved?
A: Having enough time was the main challenge and we did all we could!
Q: What editing software was used in post-production? What did you like about the software used?
A: We are using Adobe CC. The software handles raw files well.
Q: What features in the film do you think made the production quality “truly innovative cinematography”?
A: We have a few "one shots" and moving shots that were achieved by using a ronin with the RED as well as flying a large copter that could handle a 4k rig. We tried to get some classic wides mixed in to let the stunt men prove themselves as well though. Going for a classic Jackie Chan feel where they have to prove it with the fight (not a bunch of cuts or camera tricks).
Q: How were you able to get such amazing stunt men to take part in the film?
A: We have an in house stunt team that has grown organically over the years through William and Caine's connections (they play the lead bellmen). I can say we have assembled one of the best stunt teams in Hollywood and we are still growing and excited as we work with more great men and women from the stunt community.
Q: What’s next on deck for the studio?
A: That's up to David Beebe but we have plenty of ideas between film, music, and live shows ready to share with the world.
Q: Anything else you would like to share?
A: We are simply extremely grateful to share our group with the world. We've been at it for about 4 years now and doing, learning, growing steadily but the one thing we need help with is exposure. This opportunity gives us that and we couldn't be more thankful to Marriott Content Studio for that. We hope people enjoy the creative of course!! Proof is in the pudding :)
Learn more about Marriott Content Studios from these articles:
Marriott Launches Global Creative and Content Marketing Studio
Marriott International’s Content Studio Rapidly Expands Presence
