Local Filmmaker Produces Unusual Hollywood Studio Hit: The ‘SnapFocus’

June 16, 2012 - PRLog -- BRISTOL, CT -- With his project called the SnapFocus, a local filmmaker has attracted the support of Hollywood studio directors JJ Abrams, Jimmy Hayward and a host of reality television executive producers. The project, however, is not a film but a new camera technology that allows independent filmmakers to achieve Hollywood production value on a shoestring budget. The filmmaker-inventor’s name is Brandon David Cole, Writer-Director of the crime-genre cult-classic ‘Bristol Boys’. And the product, dubbed the ‘SnapFocus’ uses BMX bicycle brake levers to control the focus on a DSLR camera, the current tool of choice for independent filmmakers. The SnapFocus is available only through the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter for $399 and the opportunity to get it ends June 28th.

DSLR cameras, the current rage in indie filmmaking, allow you to capture HD video with the shallow depth-of-field that is the signature look of expensive movies and television shows. The promise of what these cameras can do for the indie filmmaker is a dream. Sadly though, the reality is that keeping a DSLR camera steady and pulling focus like they do on studio productions is more of a nightmare. With the SnapFocus, the dream has become a reality and filmmakers from DSLR bloggers to studio moguls are raving about this simple yet brilliant device.

JJ Abrams, Co-Creator of ‘Lost’ and Director of ‘Star Trek’ and the Tom Cruise franchise ‘Mission: Impossible III’ backed the SnapFocus Kickstarter project in the first few days and emailed Cole to say “Love the product, design and determination.” Jimmy Hayward, Director of major Hollywood studio releases ‘Horton Hears a Who’ with Jim Carey and Steve Carell, ‘Jonah Hex’ with Josh Brolin and Megan Fox and ‘Turkeys’ with Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson declares the SnapFocus as the ultimate device for indie filmmakers looking to break into the Hollywood studio system as he did with his early independent work. “The SnapFocus gives you access to big-league production techniques that are normally reserved for large crews and spending tons of dough.”

Reality television producers are also raving about the SnapFocus because it will allow them to give their run-and-gun productions the big-screen cinema verite allure of a Michael Mann movie. Biagio Messina (www.jokeandbiagio.com), Executive Producer of MTV’s ‘Caged’ and CW’s ‘Beauty and the Geek’, has been skeptical of using DSLR for his documentary-style projects until now. “With the SnapFocus it finally makes it possible to shoot reality TV on a DSLR.” Said Messina. Scott Gill, Executive Producer of the hit financial-crisis series ‘Wall Street Warriors’ is beating the same drum. “Finally there’s a way to shoot DSLR for reality television.” Said Gill. And Lorena David Esguerra, Producer of 11 independent feature films including ‘Poor White Trash’ and the Speed Network reality show ‘My Ride Rules’ believes the SnapFocus will allow producers to achieve higher production value with little or no crew. “It makes low-budget work look like high-budget work.” Said David Esguerra.

An ex-professional BMX rider, Cole bought a DSLR camera to shoot his fourth independent feature film (set in the world of BMX street riding in New York City) and with the help of a retired machinist designed his own camera support with the BMX technology he was most familiar with. “The brake levers for focus control were an obvious choice.” Recalls Cole.

Even though the filmmaker headed west to Hollywood to make it big producing and directing studio feature films, it’s the manufacturing venture that’s getting Cole his big break. “I’m dealing with the guys who spend a hundred million or more on their films, who are working with the biggest name stars,” says Cole, “and they are just as interested in my story as I am in theirs. I always knew the SnapFocus idea made total sense, but the people getting on board with it is kind of mind-blowing.”

Kickstarter, which recently raised more than $10 Million dollars for the Pebble watch, has become a legitimate way for entrepreneurs like Cole to raise capital without giving control to investors. “Launching this on Kickstarter is a perfect fit for us.” Cole says. “They are sort of a punk rock way of getting products out into the world.”

The SnapFocus project was lightning in a bottle on Kickstarter, meeting it’s $20,000 minimum goal in the first four days of its 30 day run. And even though at the halfway point the project was 200% funded, there’s more reason now to back it for the product. “The $20,000 goal was the minimum amount we could raise with this Kickstarter project and deliver a solid product to backers.” Cole states, “Every extra dollar pledged beyond our goal gives us more power to negotiate price, turnaround times and other terms with suppliers and translates to a better product with more value for filmmakers.”

This is also the only chance to buy it this year. After the Kickstarter campaign, filmmakers will have to wait until 2013 when it will be available exclusively at EVS (www.evsonline.com), a retailer that carries Cole’s Midas Mount line of gear.

Backers of the SnapFocus project can receive the filmmaker’s feature ‘Bristol Boys’ for a pledge of $10, a T-shirt for $25, the SnapFocus System for $399 or the entire Midas Modular Shoulder Rig for $699. Find the SnapFocus Kickstarter project at www.MidasMount.com/SnapFocus

About Midas Mount
Midas Mount Camera Support Systems builds and sells equipment by independent filmmakers, for independent filmmakers. All Midas Mount products are handmade in Los Angeles, California by local craftspeople. http://www.MidasMount.com

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