HONOR ROLL

4/22/04

 

 

COURTESY PHOTO

 

 

Brooks Institute graduate Boris Undorf

won first-place for his film "Sonata" in the

fourth annual Durango Film Festival.

 

When his first-place win in the student competition of the fourth annual Durango Film Festival was announced, it was music to the ears of Brooks Institute of Photography graduate Boris Undorf. The 25-year-old filmmaker who wrote, directed and produced the winning feature film "Sonata," received his bachelor of arts in film and video production in 2003 and had just completed post-production work on his movie weeks before competition began.

 

"I was surprised because we were competing with films from other very prominent schools such as the American Film Institute, the University of Southern California and New York University," said Mr. Undorf. "Some of the films were even in Sundance. We were definitely in a company of very capable filmmakers."

 

"Sonata," which was co-produced by Daniel Applegate and Ryan Vernon, both Brooks Institute grads, was described by the entertainment editor of the Durango Herald as "a genuine horror flick, with a thick, malicious atmosphere. Who said low-budget indies couldn't scare the living hell out of you?"

 

Starring Nicole DuPort as Megan Fergus, the story revolves around a girl who is raised in an isolated world of make-believe by her mother, played by actress Annie Scott Rogers, a fairy-tale author whose popularity has waned and whose fantasies verge into madness. Megan begins to experience the confusing desires of young womanhood and wills clash with devastating results as she struggles to gain independence from her confining family.

 

According to Mr. Undorf, the low-budget film almost didn't get made, even though it was shot in high definition, a cheaper alternative to shooting on film. Industrial Light and Magic, George Lucas' special effects company, which helped pioneer the use of HD, supported the project by providing equipment used in the shoot as well as a good portion of the tape stock. Mr. Undorf notes that Vance Piper, "Sonata's" director of photography, was instrumental in building the relationship with the company and in ensuring a high level of cinematography.

 

Mr. Undorf, who immigrated with his family to the United States from Odessa, Ukraine in 1989, is working on another feature project in conjunction with his partners, Mr. Applegate and Mr. Vernon. He lives in Los Angeles, where his production company, Station 12 Films, is based.