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Teen film-maker makes big screen debut

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Talented teen: Al Seymour Jr shooting his short film ‘Slight Fright’, which is now showing at the Liberty Theatre immediately before the blockbuster ‘Goosebumps’ (Photograph supplied)

‘Slight Fright’ is just five minutes long but at the moment it is Al Seymour Jr’s cinematic masterpiece.

If you’ve watched ‘Goosebumps’ at the Liberty Theatre, you have most likely seen the 18-year-old’s big screen debut.

The short film shows immediately before the Hollywood blockbuster.

“I didn’t want to put ‘Slight Fright’ on YouTube,” said Mr Seymour, who is now at Seneca College in Toronto studying aviation operations. “A lot of film-makers put their work on YouTube and it is a good way to get out there.

“I wanted to do better than that because YouTube can degrade the quality of a film. The experience is so much better in the theatre. In the future, new films are coming from me — bigger, better and more ambitious.”

Rashaun and Rashae Bean and Seth Taylor star in ‘Slight Fright’, which shows what happens when the three friends decide to spend Hallowe’en night at home.

The CedarBridge Academy graduate, who claims to “have a passion for film-making”, was determined to make a movie before he left the Island for college.

“I took a media studies and photography class and it was there that I was really bitten by the film bug,” he said.

He and his friends took several weeks to write and produce ‘Slight Fright’. Although his friends had a little acting experience, they knew nothing at all about the technical aspects of filming.

Mr Seymour made up a bunch of short demonstration clips to explain how to use such essentials as an audio recorder and sync slates, and to teach his friends about blocking.

Surprisingly, the hardest bit was keeping everyone from starving. Snacks and sodas were constantly on demand.

“I would have to buy food regularly while we were filming. It was expensive. But by the time it came to filming, they all knew what to do,” Mr Seymour said. “It seemed a bit silly to be doing it at first [but] you should never judge a film until it is all put together. It looks quite different with special effects and sound.

“My friends were pretty amazed when I sent them the link to the final product.”

He approached the Liberty Theatre and was thrilled when they agreed to screen his film. His father, Al Seymour Sr, is also a film-maker. His credits include ‘Paper Byes’ and ‘Crimson Gold’.

“My family was always very artistic,” the younger Mr Seymour said. “My sister Kerri is also into film-making. I either wasn’t around or wasn’t interested when my father was making his films. For this film he pretty much guided me through the techniques of film-making.”

Mr Seymour produced some video content while at CedarBridge and also did some photography for the senior school.

“It seemed that any information about film, whether it be cinematography, lighting or screenwriting, just seemed to stick to me,” he said.

Friends Maleke Martin, Laurent Wellman and Wendell Simmons helped with the technical aspects of ‘Slight Fright’. The film runs at the Liberty Theatre until October 29.

You can watch Mr Seymour’s video of the CedarBridge graduating class here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ObfEzPFuQ.

Hallowe’en treat: from left, Rashaun and Rashae Bean and Seth Taylor in Al Seymour Jr’s short film ‘Slight Fright’, about three friends who spend Hallowe’en night at home (Photograph supplied)