An Industry Case Study
Narrative | Dramatic Features
Film Name: US | MX (Short Film)
Genre: Sci-fi, Thriller
Date: January 2020
Director: Joseph Hooten
Producer: Liliana Granados, Don Ohmer, Chase Block, George C. Hall
Writer: Joseph Hooten
Cinematographer: Brian M. Tang
Production Company: Turtle Road LLC
Budget: Low
Financing: Grass Roots Crowdfunding
Shooting Format: RED Helium
Screening Format: ratio
World Premiere: San Luis Obispo Int. Film Festival 2020
Awards: Best Film – UCLA Film Festival, Nominee for Best Film – Pasadena Int. Film Festival
Website: www.usmxfilm.com
The Official Trailer for Joseph Hooten
Watch The Trailer for US MX directed by Joseph Hooten
A Short Biography of Joseph Hooten
Joseph Hooten is an award-winning writer-director based in Los Angeles. He graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in December 2015 as a first-generation college student and a scholarship recipient. Joseph is passionate about telling emotional, provocative stories about socio-economic classism. He grew up in the Southern US and now lives on a sailboat. He is also dyslexic.
The Joseph Hooten Interview
indieactivity: What is your film about?
Joseph Hooten (JH): US MX follows a mother and her daughter as they race against the clock to cross the US | MX border before sunrise in a dystopian, not-too-distant future. However, as officers close in, the direction they run becomes less and less clear. At its heart, this is a story about a mother willing to do anything to give her daughter a better future. It’s a story about sacrifice, resilience, and, most importantly, love.
It’s about holding faith in our youth, and fighting for hope, no matter how dark the times become. We started developing this story in 2016, and unfortunately, as the social climate in America became increasingly inhumane and hateful, our story became more and more timely. Our cast and crew were made up of over 60+ diverse storytellers, all passionate about telling this emotive and provocative story in today’s society.
Tell us about the festival run, marketing and sales?
Joseph Hooten (JH): Most recently, we were honored to screen US | MX at the Oscar Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival 2020. Prior to this, our film won ‘Best Film’ at the UCLA Film Festival, and we were nominated for ‘Best Film’ at the Pasadena Int. Film Festival.
So far, we’ve screened at multiple festivals across the US including the SLO Film Festival, Charlotte Film Festival, SCAD Film Festival, Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival, Seattle Latino Film Festival, IndieNight Film Festival and Ft. Meyers Beach Film Festival. We will be screening with the Golden Door Film Festival, SENE Film Festival, and Twister Alley Film Festival in 2021 amongst others.
Give the full Official Synopsis for your film?
Joseph Hooten (JH): In a not too distant dystopian future, LEAH, 30s, and her daughter, ARIEL, 9, race against the clock to immigrate across the U.S./Mexican border before sunrise. As officers close in, the direction they run becomes less and less clear.
UX / MX centers on a woman and her daughter who will stop at nothing to find a better future. They will never give up, no matter what the cost. This is a story about placing our faith in the youth. It’s also a story about sacrifice and resilience. Even in the darkest of times, we can find strength and hope in future generations’ potential to do better.
Development & Financing?
Joseph Hooten (JH): The conception for this story began in 2016. There was so much going on politically that was extremely alarming and heartbreaking, which were some of the initial sparks that started the fire. It started with the Muslim ban, and things continued to become more heartbreaking with children, ripped away from their parents, in cages at the border.
Unfortunately, fear and hopelessness became normal emotions across this country and the globe. Our story fights back against those emotions. Our film was self-funded by a large web of passionate artists, storytellers, and supporters, all of which were passionate about our script and wanted to help us tell this important story.
Production?
JH: We’re still on the festival circuit, so we’re continuing to focus most of our PR efforts there. But similar to most productions, we used the little resources we had to make a trailer, a website, and an EPK. The festivals have all been extremely helpful in this regard, especially our most recent, HollyShorts.
The Release?
JH: We premiered on the festival circuit, which we are still on. We’re currently meeting with Sales Agents and Distributors to discuss options once the circuit comes to an end.
Advice from the Filmmaker?
JH: Don’t wait to start. If you’re passionate about the story, others will be too. You will find a way to pull it off, even if you don’t know how at first. For us, it took a lot of time, and we had no idea how we were going to pull off a production of this scale without a professional budget.
But we persisted, and excitement for our script spread to others who wanted to help. It’s amazing how much can be achieved when you have a story that resonates with collaborators in a powerful way.
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