What's going on everybody? I hope you're having a really great day. I want to talk to you guys about something that's happening this week. You may or may not know, you probably do though, that my film Shelby Oaks is coming out on October 24th. There are early showings Thursday night as well. I've been going to Thursday late night showings of movies ever since I started my YouTube channel. Back when I went to the Macedonia Cinear, which is now a B&B Theaters, when there were midnight showings of movies on Thursday, I would leave the Kingdom Hall and rush to that movie as quickly as possible so that I could review that film, stay up all night until 5:00 a.m., publish it, and then go straight to work on the school bus. That was how I started my YouTube channel 16 years ago. It's been a really long journey. But my journey towards film began way before that.
As a lot of you watching this video probably know, when I was 14 years old, I saw a series of movies that made me want to make movies. It was Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Spielberg's Minority Report, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. Spider-Man was the first movie I saw thinking I knew what it would be like, as I had watched all of the Spider-Man cartoons, played every Spider-Man video game, and read tons of Spider-Man comics. But when I saw Raimi's vision, it struck me as a personal movie that was also an awesome blockbuster. Minority Report was the first time I ever had an intellectual discussion about film with an adult, my friend's dad, which made me realize movies could be analyzed. Signs introduced me to the film credits and different roles like gaffers and directors, sparking my interest in what each role did.
I started making my own movies soon after receiving a camcorder as a teenager. I would spend my time making hundreds of short films and features, sometimes by myself. My friends and I learned about filmmaking, continuity, and scheduling despite our separate commitments. My interest in film was often discouraged by the congregation I belonged to, but I persisted. I wanted to share knowledge and connect with others who loved movies as much as I did, which led me to start a YouTube channel, and it grew into a supportive community.
Through Kickstarter, over 14,000 supporters backed Shelby Oaks. This film is special to me as it is among the lowest budget films to receive a theatrical release this year. I hope Shelby Oaks inspires others in the way films inspired me, showing that you can pursue your dreams regardless of the obstacles. I also encourage everyone to support indie films and let Hollywood know there's an audience for original stories. The filmmaking landscape is changing, with YouTubers and influencers becoming significant contributors to the industry.
When Shelby Oaks opens on October 24th, and with early showings on October 23rd, I'll be thrilled if it inspires even one person to pursue filmmaking, just as I once was. Thank you for the support, and I hope you enjoy the film.