Filmmaker Profile

Going to need a little work, methinks.

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Creating a New World with New Media: A Profile of Justin Litton, Filmmaker

Spend some time with Justin Litton, 26, and you’ll realize that his clothes speak louder than he does. From the finely spiked Mohawk that grazes the top of his head, to the caution tape strap on his messenger bag and the loosely hung tie over a button up shirt, Litton has a sense of style you can assume has been crafted with anything eccentric that interests him all thrown together to make an odd, yet somehow cohesive, unit. But what Litton really has to say is marked within his short films, most posted on YouTube and all full of dark wit and quirky characters.

Take a few moments to explore parts one and two of Video Blog and you’re realize it’s anything but a dry diary entry in the life of a 26 year old boy from West Virginia, though it opens under this premise. From the first cut to a different angle, you realize you’re not so much watching a boring blog, as viewing a sly story the likes of which Poe or Hitchcock might have created.

Justin Litton could be considered you’re typical Charlestonian. He was born in the capitol city and grew up in Cross Lanes, the only child of seemingly normal parents. His stepfather is parts manager at a Toyota dealership and his mother is now retired from her job at Verizon.

“I have been spoiled all my life,” he admits. “Neither [of my parents] are particularly creative, but both have supported me in my journey. I am blessed.”

What his parents may lack in creativity, they passed on to their son. Litton is nearing the end of his Communications education at West Virginia State University. And as someone who considers himself “not a movie person,” he certainly has a knack for presenting real characters and interesting situations, even in the short amount of time allowed in his short film projects. It’s certainly a reason why Dave Brock, a film professor at State, recommended him as one of his top filmmaking students.

“Justin is what I would call a total filmmaker," Brock said. “He gets it. He typically avoids the usual list of catastrophes that student filmmakers often face by soliciting input from everyone who's working with him and utilizing that input in a way that helps the story; it's not about one person, it's about the story. It's about the film.”

But Litton isn’t dreaming about his future blockbuster hit. In fact, he prides himself on stepping away from the Hollywood system of films, something he thinks amateur filmmakers today take too seriously.

“The most common mistake of most filmmakers is taking the Hollywood system built on three-act structures, paradigms, and genre seriously,” he said. “And never making an interesting or unique movie, but instead making a product to sell.”

While he hasn’t sold his films or scripts, he has won top honors at the Mountaineer Film Festival. He was awarded first place in the Narrative Short category for his first short film.

Finding what you love

So why study film if there is no interest in becoming the next Steven Spielberg? For Litton, it’s about doing what he loves.

He started his career at State in 2003 as a Computer Sciences major, but soon realized that, while he did enjoy computers and technology, he wasn’t interested in a career as a programmer or technical support analyst. He took some time away from school and got a full-time job making a good deal of money. But, still, he wasn’t happy, and he found himself searching for what kind of career would hold his interest without worrying about potential salary and benefits. He did what most people do when they’re lost and returned to the memories of the last time he really enjoyed something.

“I had to think back to those short, stupid videos I created with my best friend back in high school and I realized that with each video we created together there was a noticeable difference - I was getting better. I already knew that I enjoyed editing video more than almost anything else, so I thought I would like to take my knowledge of the medium to a higher level and try my hand at video production.”

This love of making backyard movies, combined with memories of making dioramas and putting on puppet shows as a child at church, led Litton to filmmaking. He enrolled again in classes at State, first as a part-time student, and then on the full-time path. This time he focused his efforts in the Communications department.

With the advent of YouTube and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, Litton began to recognize that art is moving in a new direction. He saw film as his opportunity to combine his love of technology with his love of making films. It’s no doubt why his films and film projects are posted on YouTube for viewers to watch, rate and comment on, and certainly the reason why he hopes to focus in this new media exclusively.

In one film project posted on YouTube, he cast a male actor as the female lead from Diner (1982). The short scene, entitled Confusing Friendship, toys with the notion of gender and, as he puts it, “adds a bit of absurdity to the scene”. In the scene the (now male) “Barbara” announces that she…I mean he…is pregnant. Hilarity ensues as the male lead asks if he is the father and the two discuss whether getting married is the right option and what the baby will mean to them.

It’s work like this, with bizarre characters in bizarre situations that Litton feels most passionate about in his films, which fit more into a genre of character pieces than anything else.

“I will continue to do work that focuses on very few people, and people who are either misunderstood or misunderstand things around them. It's fun to watch,” he said.

According to Litton, it’s about trying to find something original to say, and having a little fun with it as well.

“I am bored by ideas that copy heavily from other work that is already out there,” he said. “And while it is hard to come up with something original these days, I believe that there is still a mountain of untapped creativity.”

It’s likely why he cites offbeat directors like David Lynch, Takeshi Miike and Alejandro Jodorowsky as influences, as well as more well-known, yet still very original directors, Tim Burton and Wes Anderson. While few recognize the likes of Miike and Jodorowsky, or even Lynch who created the classic Mulholland Dr. (2001), most now know of the strange worlds created by Burton in such films as Edward Scissorhands (1990), Corpse Bride (2005) and, most recently, Alice in Wonderland (2010).

“Any film that you can turn on and then queue up to any frame and instantly recognize what film it is... those are an inspiration. I love films that exist in their own world.”

The man behind the camera

While Litton’s choice of style may place him in the same category as the characters from his film, those who know him best credit him with having a huge heart for his friends.

Betsy Allen, 31, is a Professional Writing major in the English department at State. She’s known Litton for the past three years, since a Facebook message got them talking.

“He's one of the few people on Earth I know I can count on when I really need it,” Betsy said. “When my home was flooded May 2009 he was there for me. I called him and he talked me down from a panic attack, then he and our friend Michael came over and helped rip up the ruined carpeting. He's a good person and comes from a good family.”

And Litton doesn’t make friends with just anyone, describing himself as “socially awkward” and “introverted”.

“I’m not into a lot of things that most others tend to be into, so it makes it more difficult to have a conversation,” he said. “I wonder if I’d ever make a friend at all if it wasn’t for other people’s ability to sit down next to me and force me to speak.”

But through his films, he has formed seemingly lasting friendships with people like Allen, who has worked as both cast and crew on several of his projects.

“I love his films because he is original. He wants to try something new and he does; he just goes for it,” she said. “The best part is that he is a good director and he pulls whatever he's doing off.”

She recognizes that his directorial choices don’t follow typical mainstream Hollywood films, but believes that his attention to detail calls attention to his growing talent.

His instructor Brock agrees and believes Litton’s willingness and ability to perform every aspect of filmmaking to the best of his ability is the key to his success.

“He understands that there are no small decisions when it comes to making a film,” he said. “I could ramble endlessly about his proficiency in numerous technical areas, but it's this quality - this "Big Picture" mentality of his - that makes him an excellent filmmaker.”

The big picture

So what’s in store next for Litton and his “Big Picture”? Why, more filmmaking courses, of course! He hopes to enroll in State’s Media Communications graduate program when he finishes his B.A. in Communications this fall, or head to a film school for other graduate work.

“State actually has some talented professors in the film department. They have been very inspiring to me,” he said.

And more work with professors like Brock, who is rumored to be working on a feature-length film this summer, could certainly help to hone Litton’s talents. One thing is for sure, Litton’s set on his filmmaking future.

“There are a lot of times when I feel like going into graphic design or just stop my life and go to culinary school! I could enjoy them just as much, but I had to pick,” he said.

And, as his friends and professors would argue, he picked right this time.

Until graduation and future studies roll around, you’re likely to find him on campus, shooting another short film or listening to some music on his iPod, which he calls his “most beloved possession”. Filled with a full 160GB of music, many original pieces he scoured the internet to find, Litton finds inspiration in his music.

He also has a few concepts for films rolling around in his head that, he says, could never be made without money – money he doesn’t currently have. Perhaps a job in that new technology field will allow him the creativity to test these ideas out, but he’s not holding his breath for a high salary.

“I hope to find a new media job that will allow me to use everything I've learned and be a part of creating something amazing.”

I’m sure whatever he creates, we should probably all be watching. As for me, I’ll stay tuned to his YouTube channel, waiting for new project releases. I’ll see you there!

http://www.youtube.com/user/vxgasattack