HONORARY DEGREES – DIRECTORS VISION
Written by: Anthony Haas (Writer/Producer/Director)
It is a long and very interesting story how Honorary Degrees came to be.
If all goes well, the story is not yet over. I would like to share the origins and the purpose of this work with the following statement on behalf of myself, and my Writing/Directing partner, Eric Coleman.
Two Writers, Two Directors, One Vision. This script came together progressively. From a venomous attack on a system accused of robbing creative spirit from those who dare step within its systematic ways, to a structured argument for not taking things too seriously, and having faith in creativity found in the spirit of play. More simply put, FIGHT THE POWER!
Eric came to Vancouver Film School armed with his comedic sense and the desire to “take the piss” out of those who took themselves too seriously in this world. He was everything I was not at the time; political, funny, and maybe a little bit crazy.
I came to VFS with a desire to meet people who enjoyed the aspects of film production that I do not enjoy so much. I was everything Eric was not at the time; apolitical, serious, and absolutely sure of my plans.
Our serendipitous meeting, and the synchronistic events of our year at Film School, are proof that this movie was part of those plans all along, even if I didn’t know it.
Around 1999, I found myself at a crossroads in life. I was just turning 18 and I had to start making choices. Eventually one of those choices was whether or not to attend a local community college, pay my dad rent, or find a new place to live. I chose community college. I ended up with a degree in Radio & Television production. More importantly I found a legitimate way to earn a living doing something I enjoyed. While working freelance at local TV stations around the tri-state area, I became very interested in living in Vancouver, British Columbia. During my research of the city I found out about a local film school, Vancouver Film School (VFS). I found out that an Inspiration to me, and somewhat local filmmaker, Kevin Smith had attended the school years earlier and dropped out. All I remember thinking was, “Wow, if he could only go half a year and do the things he's doing, I could probably finish the year and do the same thing.” The only problem was tuition. I then found out about an International Scholarship Competition the school was holding. After three progressively improved submissions, I was awarded a full scholarship.
Other than simply living in Vancouver, my intention was to meet like minded individuals who liked the aspects of producing entertainment that I hated. I did just that, and Honorary Degrees is living proof.
The school year began with huge amounts of excitement for everyone there. Full of hope, potential, and various intoxicants, every student in class 100 was full of bright ideas and hopes for our future together. It was right around documentaries when these feelings began to fade. A few students, including the creators of this film, began to feel like the film school environment was too stifling for their brand of storytelling. Growing forever frustrated, we began to take note of some of the characteristics and actions that caused their detachment from the program. From our observations grew a script originally written by Eric called, “Hair of the dog that bit me.” Seen by most as just a “venomous” attack on a few, instead of a story, the script was then shown to me by Eric, just as I was condsidering an early exit from the film School.
We proceeded to re-write it in Victory Square Park one sunny day in the spring of 2005. I decided to stay in the school at that point.
After its first rewrite, the script was given the title “The Only Reason to take a Sunday Drive to get School’d Regarding the Light of Inspiration from Underground.” The new title borrowed parts of the titles from each of the six scripts chosen by the Film School for class 100’s mid term drama rounds, after there was some disagreement among the class about the selections. When Eric and I held our first meeting together with the new script, and the writing instructor at VFS, we were given the advice not to do it, and told we would be considered in violation of Code of Conduct #40.
The script was then pitched to VFS as a Final Project, by Eric and I, as a mock senate sub-committee hearing, to the VFS staff and instructors responsible for selecting the six scripts to be shot for final projects. We walked in wearing full business attire, complete with secretary and water pitcher, and began to reenact the Oliver North Iran/Contra hearings, from the early 1980’s with transcripts changed to reflect VFS policy’s, including Code of Conduct #40. (Rumor is that there are recordings of these proceedings out there for viewing if you know the right people. CALL ME!)
After the script was turned down by the school, I began preparing the script for production anyway. The script gained so much attention within the school that I knew if I built it, they would come. At one point in pre-production near the end of our time at the school, I approached the head of our program at VFS about the possibility of using a classroom in the school to film scene 6 of our script. After some pump faking by the school, they denied my request, wished me luck, and swore it wasn’t because of the content of the script. Their decision put me on the hunt for a location, and the production in jeopardy.
In the meantime, I unexpectedly ran into the very person who was somewhat responsible for me attending VFS, Kevin Smith. Kevin was in Vancouver for the filming of Catch and Release. One night, at the River Rock Casino, Honorary Degrees producer, Chad Margulius, saw Kevin and asked him if he would want to read a script, about film school, written by kids from his former film school that he dropped out of years earlier. Kevin’s response was, “I don't read scripts, make it and I’ll just watch it.” Weeks later there was an “Evening with Kevin Smith” event held at the Vogue theatre in Vancouver. There were many VFS students in attendance that night, including the writers of this script. Vancouver Film School showed up to present Kevin with an Honorary Degree, even though he never finished school.That night, the script was renamed, Honorary Degrees, and was mentioned to Kevin again, by Eric, on the audience microphone. Kevin's response again was "just make it "
A week after Class 100 graduated, Honorary Degrees was in production. Filmed using volunteer cast and crew, it was shot in four days, using around 42 setups, and 250 minutes of footage. A rough cut was edited by Brett Kibbler during the two weeks following, while I was in Pennsylvania tending to a legal matter. I returned to Vancouver to assist Brett in the edit, with the deadline of getting it sent to Kevin Smiths online film festival, moviesaskew.com.
The main vision of the script was to take the piss out of film school, some of the things that go on there, and the decision on whether or not you need to go to one to accomplish your visions.
The intention is to appeal to the same audiences who love the works of Directors like Kevin Smith, Spike Lee, and other innovative filmmakers who have inspired our style of creativity.
Well that and to get the people who worked on it more work. I would personally recommend all of the people involved in Honorary Degrees to any worthwhile productions. I want to thank them all for helping Eric and I get this idea out of our crazy little heads.
