By Suzanne Coolen
Colin Gray has been making movies since he was 11 years old.
“I was always playing around with video cameras as a kid,” said Gray from the auditorium of the Empire Theatre, where his first full-length feature film will premiere this Saturday night.
“Muscle” is a coming-of-age comedy written, directed and co-produced by Gray. The plot centres around a teenager’s first car purchase.
The movie was filmed entirely in Belleville and surrounding area and most of the actors and people involved in the film have played a real role in Gray’s life.
“Most of it is based off of high school; events that happened to me or my buddies and we fictionalized and dramatized them a bit,” said Gray. “Some of the stuff in the movie is actually verbatim, exactly the way it happened.”
Gray said he found tremendous support from family and friends while making the film and that local businesses in Belleville were very accommodating.
“A lot of people helped us out and believed in what we were doing,” he said. “We were met with a lot of open doors.”
A recent graduate of Trebas Institute in Toronto, Gray said he hopes the movie will inspire people to make their own independent films and added that the opportunity to do it has never been easier.
“With digital cameras, non-linear editing and home computers, anyone can chop together a movie once you learn the basics,” said Gray. “I would love to think that other people in the area would feel inspired to do one themselves.”
Greg was asked for advice for college students taking film and new media. “Go for it! It’s tough and expect everything to fight you along the way, but it’s so much fun if you have a heart for it.
“Believe that you can do it and just keep trying.”
The Quinte Film Alternative will show the all ages’ friendly film as part of Belleville Culture days Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. The screening is free but seats are limited.