David Daze
David Daze (born in Augusta Ga.) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and martial artist. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Georgia and South Carolina. In early 2006 , he began his career as an independent filmmaker drawing off a multiude of both circular and linear scripts he had written in the mid-late 90's after being in a near fatal car crash which he had spent much of his recovery time writing, many of these employing over-the-top violence and many of the scripts celebrate a heroine rather than a hero. His first film was in (2006), Street Godz of war II and since then, he has gone on to both direct and produce a multiude of independent films like (2007), DeMon (2008), Kill Whitey (2008), Drakkaz Revenge (2008), The Spook Movie (2008), Blood Moon Rising (2009), The Gunfighters Last Stand and a host of others. Daze founded his own production company in late 2006 which he called Film 1 Studios, located in his hometown of Augusta Ga. Like most directors, Daze has cast certain actors in more than one of his films, often times having them play double roles in the same production. Away from the filming aspect, Daze is an expert martial artist and cook and often times cooks meals for the cast and crew on his productions. While most notable filmakers start their movie careers making short films for many years, Daze just jumped right in and started making feature films off the bat and has never looked back, David considers filmaking an art and absolutely loathes the fact that film schools teach their students film as competition rather than art. Daze spent much of his filmaking learning process by traveling to NYC and Cali to watch the productions being made in the streets there he would watch for hours and take notes as the productions rolled. He often refers to this as his "school of film" . Because he makes films in any genre Sci-Fi, Horror, action martial arts, westerns Doug Diggs coined him the "genre buster" in 2008. Most notably Daze is known for his ability to turn a low-budgeted film with a very small crew into an example of primo hollywood style grande. Because David is involved so deeply in his films, he is often times able to capture what he wants in a shot the first time, which saves both time and money on his budgets. Daze's films often share some similar threads and ideas, whilst also having differences. Often times on his films, he uses a hand-held camera. He made this decision for several reasons. Firstly, he likes the idea of the camara being an extension of his hand and arm secondly, he likes to make the audience more aware of the action. In the action sequences, he is given more mobility with a hand-held camera and also allows for distortion of the unprofessional action sequences (because the cost of all special effects in film can be huge). Daze films his movies in a "keyed module" a system he devised to shoot several films simultansouly and because he is able to crank out a large number of feature films all at once, this has earned him the nickname of "The filmaking Machine" as first coined by Chad at (moviesmademe.com) from early reviews of Daze's films. Choosing not to go the typical route in filmaking and staying "out of the box " Daze Plays by his own rules or not at all", David Daze is quickly redefining what is and is not for an indie film-maker to do. Working in the shadows of Hollywood's ridiculously-high budgeted, multi-picture deals Daze sticks with maintaining complete creative control and freedom over his film projects and he proven time and again that lo=budget films done right can be just as entertaining as high budgeted films churned out in hollywoods mega studios. While most filmakers would look at having a small budget and lack of named stars for their project as a huge weakness Daze has turned these into his strengths, creating some of the most imaginative works the big-screen has ever seen from a truely lo-budget filmaker. While many people watch films and boldly and arrogantly proclaim "I can do that even better." David Daze said something very different: "One day, I'm gonna do that.... just make cool movies!". David is a huge fan of Roger Corman, Sergio Leone, John Carpenter, Akira Kurosawa, Robert Rodriques, Quentin Tarentino and The Shaw Brothers and often times pays homage to them in his films. Where will his career lead him next ?...... It's hard to say, he's just getting started and is way to busy making movies to think about a time when he can't make them anymore.
"The Filmaking Machine" and "The Gorrilla Krew"
Daze not only has the usual credits of producing, directing and writing his films, he also frequently serves as editing and editing supervisor , director of photography, camera operator, set dresser, costumes, steadicam operator, composer, production designer, visual effects supervisor, and fight/stunt chorographer on his films. Daze often abbreviates his numerous roles in his film credits; The Gunfighters Last Stand, for instance, is "written, directed and shot by David Daze", and 7 Loz Doggz is "written, directed, shot and chopped by David Daze." He calls his style of making movies "True Gorrilla Style" (in reference to his first feature film Street Godz of War II) in which (according to inside sources) on Daze's first film rather than support his production many of the local film community created almost overwhelming production problems for Daze using any means possible to hender his original production plan to finish his first feature action film in less than six months, many referred to Daze's speed in filming as being poor production quality and often compared his work to the cheaply made, low quality films of Roger Corman and nicknamed Daze's style of filming as lo-rate Gorrilla movie making.But as Daze promised on his first movie he would shoot the film, cut it and have it primere in a local theatre which he did within the first six months right on schedule. And knowing many of these "local filmakers" would be in attendence he created his signature "Film 1 Studios Gorrilla Krew" shirts for all his crew to wear during the proceeding month of the films primere, pictured above 3 years later on his western film Daze still wears his "Film 1 Studios Gorrilla Krew" shirt proudly..........
"The Gorrilla Krew Handbook of Indie Filmaking"
As an avid writer, David Daze started his own book of indie filmaking in 2010 because he belives that noone has truely covered the full spectrum of true indie filmaking. Whats out there now only covers the very basics of indie filmaking and usually only covers the core basics from a techincal view point, like what type of camara is best to film on, scripting and lighting and budgeting your project, these are very basic things that everyone on this planet has covered already? While this maybe fine for someone shooting a two min short Its really very little information to cover such a huge and complex task as making a feature film. Davids Book is based on five years of producing over 30 feature films, its a 20 chapter tell all book about true indie filmaking based on five years of indie film production and covers everything from the very basics of production, budgeting, securing locations ,film festivals, media, distribution, casting, stunts and fight chorography training, inexpensive ways to build set designs from small to complex. Trouble shooting set designing and quick ways to problem solving on set and even has chapters dealing with photographers, musicians, actors both professional and amature during the production phase (this is a very crucial point in any films production and you really need to know what to expect from working with these people, how they can affect your productions, in what ways, and how to trouble shoot issues that may arise during and after production ). There is also a chapter dealing with rival filmakers, and how they can affect your productions from casting right down to securing locations and even editing, these are all the true things you need to know when it comes to making feature films. Davids book is set to be released in late 2012.
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