Young filmmaker explores teenage love, loss
By Mike Price
Coming off the success of his last movie, Urban Pressure, local filmmaker and Corona del Sol High School graduate Zach Yoshioka is preparing to make his biggest mark yet on the cinematic world.
Yoshioka recently finished his 11th film, titled Rebound, which delves into the often-confusing process of teenage love and loss.
“This is a movie about every bad relationship I’ve ever had,” Yoshioka said. “(It) explores different types of relationships and problems.”
The film follows two friends through a dialogue about relationships. The stories shared between one another are visually represented by a wealth of local actors, including a number of current and past Corona students.
In his latest effort, Yoshioka employs some visual devices that have proven successful for veteran filmmakers.
For example, scenarios that act out the dialogue are shown in color, while those that feature the two friends talking are filmed in black and white. Co-writer Steve Cowan explains that it is an attempt to differentiate between fantasy and reality.
“It’s really on a lot of different levels,” Cowan said.
The movie also offers differing views on relationships.
“It’s written from both male and female perspectives,” said Christi Wilson, another Corona grad who is both producer and co-writer of the film.
Wilson isn’t the only familiar face. A hallmark of Yoshioka’s films has been the use of people he knows in all facets of production.
In his early days of producing films, he says, Yoshioka would take anyone willing to act. Lately, however, he’s been able to have his pick of the local talent pool.
“I used to cast all my friends, but then things got serious and we had people lining up to be in my movies,” Yoshioka said.
At first glance, Yoshioka’s productions might seem a bit simple and unrefined, but there is a lot more at work than what goes to the projector.
Yoshioka has his own production company, Ballistic Entertainment, which has a producer, actors, digital editors, grips and all the other essential parts of making a movie.
The grassroots effort by himself and the rest of the crew are what give the films their uniqueness.
All the scenes are shot locally, mostly at the homes of the actors. The majority of the cast and crew graduated from or are currently attending Corona. Music for the films often comes from local bands, for which Ballistic Entertainment also shoots music videos from time to time.
This connection to the community has allowed him to build a fairly strong local following. His two previous big premieres, Urban Pressure and Premonition, together sold almost 1,000 tickets.
Compared to today’s high-budget filmmaking, production time for Rebound was remarkably short—the script was written in two days, though the ideas had been in the works for a few months. Yoshioka says he also saved on time by editing the movie as he shot it.
From start to finish, he says, the project took about a month and a half.
Casting local people as actors and shooting digitally instead of on 35mm film allows Yoshioka to keep the cost of production down as well.
All of the actors volunteer their talent. The largest expense for his films comes in the form of advertising.
The days of such austere filmmaking might be coming to an end for Yoshioka and Ballistic Entertainment.
Producer and co-writer Wilson won’t be specific, but says big plans are in the works for the group’s next project.
“I believe we’re going to start hiring actors, write a full-length feature script, find some investors and make a real, marketable movie,” Wilson said.
Yoshioka also says he would like to spend several months pounding out the script rather than only a few days as with his past films.
Ticket sales from the premiere of Rebound, which Yoshioka anticipates will be the best yet, should help with his future effort, he says.
Two showings of Rebound have been scheduled—8 and 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 at Tempe Cinemas. Tickets are $4.
Information: www.BallisticEntertainment.com
