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Miquel Ubeda and Angela Williams checking the raw footage for their latest budget film project.
A Wellsford couple is using their experience in the film industry to make a movie that looks like a million dollars at a fraction of the cost.
Miquel Ubeda and Angela Williams are filming using a smartphone to break the myth that you need expensive equipment and time-consuming post-production to make a movie.
“We are going back to grass roots, using stuff that is accessible to everybody,” says Miquel, who has more than 20 years experience in the film industry as a compositor. His film credits include Superman: Man of Steel, Ironman 3, Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
As a compositor, Miquel spends weeks layering digital effects and images together for a single shot.
He says smartphone technology has reached the stage where just about anyone can make a high-quality movie.
“The quality of entry-level optics and recording is actually very good. I now have more power in my phone than when I started off in visual effects on Zena!”
Miquel has brought a low-tech rig to hold his smartphone and enable him to take shots smoothly. He can also put small lenses in front of the phone’s camera to create a more professional look. LED lighting and digital voice recorders complete the budget film gear.
Angela has worked in the film industry in a variety of roles, including casting coordinator for Disney, a writer for Greenstone TV, and a compositor for Spartacus Blood and Sand. She is writing the script for the latest project.
She hopes the movie will inspire young Mahurangi filmmakers.
“I think it’s so exciting for teenagers,” Angela says. “When I went to Mahurangi College in the 90s we didn’t even have YouTube. Now there are a huge range of free online platforms and resources to create and show your work. If the kids start playing around with this stuff when they are 13 or 14, imagine how good they could be by the time they graduate.”
Miquel says the biggest breakthrough has been the accessibility of film editing and special effects software.
“Houdini, Resolve and Fusion – these three software packages are brilliant for movie making. When I first started out, Resolve cost over $1 million. Now you can get a version for free.”
The couple returned from Singapore and settled in Wellsford two years ago to bring up their sons, Jordi, 2, and Xavier, 4. They have always wanted to make a film and have set strict parameters to stay on theme.
“I want to shoot it in four weeks and finish it in six. It will be seven minutes long,” Miquel says. “I am trying to demonstrate budget, speed, and efficiency with the best possible results.”
The couple is so passionate about film that they were married at Matakana Cinema. It will also be the venue to premiere their experimental film next month.
