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Issue #43
by L. Swift and Jeff McQ
“When I was just a little girl, I always knew that I wanted to be in the film industry,” says Film Connection screenwriting apprentice Brittany Clifton, who lives in Biloxi, Mississippi. “I was never really sure how to make it come true.” This was reinforced for her when she took a film studies class in high school, where her teacher told her about some story ideas for film that she had sold. “That’s when it hit me: Movies!” says Brittany. “I am going to either be IN a movie, or WRITE a movie one day.”
Still, it took several years, including a stint studying interior design at the Art Institute in Cincinnati, before she made a move toward pursuing her dream. After being asked by some film students to act in a few film projects, and noting the scripts she was being given, she said to herself, Wow, I can write better than this.
That revelation ultimately led Brittany to study screenwriting with the Film Connection, where she was placed for one-on-one mentoring with screenwriter Paul Guay, best-known for writing the screenplay for Liar, Liar starring Jim Carrey. “I am very lucky to have [Paul] as my mentor,” she says. “My brother and I have been quoting that movie since we were kids. Every time I brag about who my mentor is, everyone looks at me with amazement, as if I wrote the movie!”
Brittany says that working with Paul has opened her up to a whole new world of possibilities in film. “I thought I was a so-called ‘movie buff’ until I began speaking with him,” she says. “He has recommended many films that have inspired me more and more.” She also loves Paul’s ability to inject humor into his work (“He has that funny gene that I long for,” she says), and he is helping her do the same with her current screenwriting project, a caper-crime comedy. “I have learned that I am much more creative than I thought,” she says. “I feel like my writing is improving every day, and I might actually be forming that funny gene everyone keeps talking about.” By the time she graduates, she hopes to pitch her script in Hollywood, and hopes to build relationships with lots of producers, writers and directors.
Beyond just learning the skills of screenwriting, it’s apparent that Brittany’s apprenticeship is awakening something deeper in her. She recalls a time in her childhood when her father gave her a guitar and a voice recorder, and she remembers singing as quietly as she could into the recorder so no one would hear her. That’s when her father said something that she says has stayed with her ever since: “Why would you want that? If you are always quiet, then no one can hear what you have to say.” It wasn’t until much later that she understood what her father was trying to tell her. “With no voice, you make no difference,” she says.
Now, with the help of her mentor, Brittany is now learning to find her voice within her screenplays and her passion for film. “RRFC has brought me out of my creative shell a little more,” she says. “Thank God, I’m no longer singing quietly.”
Brian Kraft was on set in Los Angeles to interview filmmaker Ti West (The House of the Devil, V/H/S) who just wrapped In a Valley of Violence, starring Ethan Hawke and John Travolta. Ti talked creative influences, how he broke into the film industry, how manages to write, direct, edit and produce his own films and shared what he thinks about the current state of the film industry. We will have more on this interview and future interviews with other cutting-edge filmmakers in weeks to come so Stay Tuned!
After that, Brian hopped a plane to New York and then Atlanta to meet, in-person, with even more legendary recording studios including: MSR Studios and JUNGLE CITY in New York (owned and operated by Alicia Keys’ longtime engineer, Ann Mincieli). In Atlanta, Brian’s shaking hands with the people at Sonica Recording, Silent Sound Studios, the prolific Zac Recording and The Blue Room Recording Studios. Brian was last spotted heading into Patchwerk to talk with Curtis Daniel III.
Brian says, “It’s all about getting the best studios on board for our students.” Brian makes the connections so you don’t have to. 
We’re pleased and proud that Recording Connection mentor Joey Stuckey (Shadow Sound Studio, Macon, GA) has been asked to speak and perform at the Visually-Impaired Musicians’ Lives Conference, taking place in London, England on March 10-11, 2015. Being able to speak at the first-ever conference is a tremendous opportunity to inform the public and make a tremendous impact on the lives of visually-impaired musicians around the world. And we couldn’t think of anyone better to do it!
Joey Stuckey is a veritable powerhouse of creativity, intelligence, wit and humor. He has also blind since early childhood; however, within minutes of talking to him, you see that this difference hasn’t seemed to slow him down for one moment. His tremendous energy, creativity and willpower have enabled him to not only become an in-demand sound engineer, composer and producer, but also a singer and award-winning guitarist, inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
As to how he came to be involved with the VIML project, Stuckey says researchers from the University of London were the ones to reach out.
“They initially contacted me because they were writing a paper, doing research,” he says. “That experience was so positive, with musicians from all over the world, including Australia and Africa, that it has now turned into a conference. They want me to be a primary speaker and presenter at this conference to share with them [the] ways that I’m able to do what I do, and to inspire other people to be able to do what I do.”
Joey says he will be talking about the unique challenges aspiring music professionals face in a world that is largely geared towards sighted audio engineers and producers. As an iPhone user, avid iTunes audiophile and self-proclaimed gearhead, he’s hopeful the makers of DAWS and other technologies will soon catch up.
“I feel that some corporations, with very little expenditure and very little cost on their part, could really do a lot more for the blind than they do,” says Joey. “I’m not saying in any way that [this] is coming from a place of being evil or hateful or anything like that. I think it comes mainly from a place of ignorance, in the sense that it just doesn’t occur to them how accessible things can really be. So I work with as many people as I can to help them, and say, ‘I will beta test for you. I will do anything in the world to help you find ways that are not cost prohibitive to make your product as accessible as it can be.'”
Joey will also share some of the insight he’s gained over his 20-year career, including learning how to use both one’s strengths and limitations to carve out a career for oneself. While he has a stellar memory and can memorize long compositions, choosing to be more creative and improvisational has proven to be a smart career choice, one that gives Joey a certain edge.
“The fact that I love to be creative (and that’s the whole reason I want to play music and be a musician to begin with) happens to coincide nicely with the fact that I’m blind,” Joey says. “It’s easier for me to create things fresh than it is for me to copy, or interpret somebody else’s work. So that works wonderfully to my advantage as a producer, as an entertainer, as a musician. The thing I really want to bring forth at this conference is how to play to your strengths, and use even your weaknesses to your advantage.
“Everybody has a valid role and can have a career in music,” he continues. “Now, will you be the next Stevie Wonder? Who knows? But regardless of that, you can go out and make a serious difference in people’s lives. You can go out and have a very successful and wonderful career and be a blessing to yourself and others, [and] provide yourself with a source of income. You can do all of these wonderful things, despite whatever physical limitations you have.”
Not only will Joey be a keynote speaker at the VILM Conference, but his upcoming single “Blind Man Drivin’” (to be released in March) was recently named the Visually-Impaired Musicians’ Lives Conference official theme song!
RRF is proud to have Joey Stuckey as mentor, friend and out-and-out game-changer! We wish him the very best on his upcoming trip and all of his endeavors. Go get ‘em, Joey!
Learn more about Joey Stuckey and the VILM Conference here.
Visit Joey’s Shadow Sound Studio website at www.shadowsoundstudio.com
“I believe highly in apprenticeship & mentorship as I am a result of this teaching environment. I understand a strong theoretical education works for a lot of students, but hands on experience and doing these tasks teaches hands on involvement that is hard to get. It is harder to build these bonds that are taught cooking together. This style builds confidence in the apprentice to achieve the goals to raise them above cook status into Sous Chef over a period of time through hard and smart working techniques that will empower the students to be performers, not guided by someone else’s success, but creating their own.”
— Robert W. Phillips CEC, CCA, CFSP, CC, Director of Culinary & Nutrition, MCH Deanco
At RRF we believe the greatest wisdom in the world benefits no one if it is not shared and made useful.
We work hard to stay on the cutting-edge of mentor-led education. The more we know about YOU, the better equipped we are to create the tools that will help you hone your craft and break you in to the industry you want to work in!
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Straight from Berlin, Recording Connection student, Rinze Van Dellen, is apprenticing under Arnold Uribe Jr at the legendary Chung King Studios in New York City and he’s certainly making the most of the opportunity by jumping in with both feet!
“You have to put energy into what you want to do,” he says. “I understood early on that they don’t just let you do things; you have to show them you’re hungry to learn! As soon as Steve Kennedy (the studio manager) understood that I wasn’t just there to finish my program, but that I’m there to actually put work in it, he involved me a lot in the studio.”
Since starting at Chung King, Rinze has gotten the chance to help out on numerous projects, from pop to hip hop to EDM. He’s even met and worked with one of his favorite rappers, the influential hip hop record producer and emcee—Large Professor! But that’s not all! Just the other day, Rinze got called in to help out on a session only to find out when he arrived to the studio that the artist was none other than DJ Premier himself.
Rinze says, “Honestly yesterday was one of the best days in my life. Before I moved to New York my friends said ‘Yeah and when you move to NYC you’re gonna meet Premo.’ We were just kidding around but it actually happened and that is SO crazy to me. It was amazing! I got to help at the setup and the engineer was very happy with my work.”
Rinze has also been given additional work within Chung King Studios, and has even been able to mix some projects for some of his friends back in Germany. Congrats, Rinze!
Recording Connection apprentice Tyler Goosney (Bowtown Music, Calgary, Alberta) recently shared with us a fun track called “After Party,” which he recorded prior to starting with the Recording Connection. He told us, “I feel like I’ve learned a lot and that the next album will sound a lot better.” You can hear the difference in his new album Spark It Up, which is now available on iTunes! Way to go, Tyler!
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