January 21, 2006

Zach is back. Zach Yoshioka, that is, the prolific young movie and music-video auteur of the Kyrene Corridor is debuting yet another of his homegrown cinematic efforts, 3 Can Keep a Secret, with a premiere on Friday, Jan. 27, at Tempe Cinemas.

Showtimes are 8 and 10 p.m.; admission is $5 presale, $7 at the door. Both include a free DVD with admission.

Here’s Yoshioka on his latest opus, as well as on some exciting news about a distribution deal for one of his earlier movies:

WN: So, tell us about 3 Can Keep a Secret.

ZY: It’s basically a movie about love triangles, and how people’s romantic emotions can get out of control, especially in desperate times.

WN: How is this film different from the ones you've made before?

ZY: This is the first movie that I had zero part in the writing process. Christi Wilson, who I co-wrote with over the course of five movies, left Ballistic Entertainment in 2003, and I made Disk Jockey and Capture the Flag during that time. 

The day after the Capture the Flag premiere she had sent me a copy of 3 Can keep a Secret. It sat in my email account for almost tjree months as I was busy directing music videos and still doing a lot of work with Kottonmouth Kings. When I finally did read it, I read the first 10 pages, then forced myself to print it out. About five minutes after reading it, I called Christi and was like, "Let’s make this!" So she rejoined Ballistic as a producer on the project and we held auditions. I then headed out on the Warped tour as she ran the rehearsals, and when I came home we made the movie.

WN: How has your directorial technique changed since your earliest efforts?

ZY: I’m a lot better with working with actors now. In the beginning I was very technical, and I thought of actors as props. I was still developing my style in shooting and editing and I wasn't focusing enough on performance. I feel like I’m a lot better at communicating with actors now that I'm older. I always tell the actors that the camera hates acting. So just be real. I try to let the actors go a little off book sometimes too, with improvisation, to make them feel more comfortable, and to capture natural dialogue in the same context as the script. Overall I think that I get better with every film.

WN: What’s up with your distribution deal for your earlier movie, Disk Jockey?

ZY: Our sponsors at Trash City got in contact with Maxim Entertainment. Maxim Entertainment are the people who own Maxim Magazine. We licensed them the national and international rights to the film about two weeks ago and they will be putting it out everywhere. We had to remaster the DVD and meet with a lawyer and all this crazy stuff, but it’s really exciting to know that your movie will be coming out everywhere on video soon.

WN: What's the next project you have planned?

ZY: We are going back out on tour with Kottonmouth Kings in February to produce a new live DVD.  Then we'll probably head out on the Warped Tour again.  In September we will be holding auditions for one of two films, Run Till Monday or Girls Night Out.  RUN TILL MONDAY...or.....GIRLS NIGHT OUT. 

Christi has two new feature films that she wrote and they are both killer. She and I have developed a good writer/director relationship over the last few years and I can't wait to see what we do next.

Go to http://www.BallisticEntertainment.net/ for details.