Calgarian film producer Jason Wan Lim spoke to a packed theater at Canyon Meadows Cinemas at the release of his film, Gettin’ In.
“For those of you who knew me three years ago, I stand in an improbable place,” he said.
“Three years ago I had yet to own my first computer, had not done anything to realize my filmmaking dream. Feeling like I was letting life slip by, I bought a laptop, and enrolled in film school.”
The rest, as they say, is history. Wan Lim was able to find someone willing to
Photo by Nicolle Amyotte invest in a teen comedy film, and he began working up scripts for the movie.
Now, the film is a feature-length picture that follows a night in the life of a sexually-frustrated teenager, Joey, on a quest to lose his virginity, played by Joe Perry.
The evening started with the cast of the film emerging from a limousine outside of the theater, and heading to a red carpet set up inside.
Among the cast was Cassidy Waring, the role of Sherry, Joey’s friend, in the film. Waring reminisced about the time she spent filming as she stood on the red carpet.
“The best part was just the people. It was a blast every day on set. It was ridiculous in the best possible way,” she said.
Josh Brennand, a longtime friend of Wan Lim, played the role of Joey’s father.
“We think it’s funny, I’m excited to see if other people think it’s funny,” he said.
“It is because of the love of movies that our film was able to be made.”
-Jason Wan Lim
“Laughter is infectious, so I think that if four or five people are laughing at it, 300 people are going to make for a big laugh.”
“This is hopefully a catalyst and a springboard for more of this in the future.
Brennand brought along another member of the cast for the red carpet event: his son.
Nine-year-old Zachary Yee-Hicks was too young to be allowed into the viewing of the film, as it was rated 18A for sexual humour, coarse language and violence.
But he was excited to be a part of the red carpet action anyway.
Photo by Nicolle Amyotte“I liked that I was actually allowed to get a scene in the movie to be honest,” he said.
Matt Goddard was working as a camera trainee on the set when he was slipped into the role of “Elvis the stoner.”
“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Goddard said.
After the red carpet, everyone filed into the theater for the screening, which started off with a few words from Wan Lim.
“Movies give us culture and action, laughter and tears,” he said.
“Every person in this room has at one time or another been deeply moved by a film, or you would not be here now giving this micro-budget teen comedy a fair shake.
“It is because of the love of movies that our film was able to be made.”
Gettin’ In will be shown throughout the month of October at Canyon Meadows Cinema.