ABQ BREAKDOWN
Short film focuses on unplanned stop during road trip
Albert Fry Jr. has ideas floating around in his head. From time to time, he will take one out and put it to paper and see what comes out of it. “I get ideas all the time,” the filmmaker says. “This idea was rather to get filmed. It worked out well.”
Fry is talking about his latest film, “Uncle Max,” which will have its first public viewing at IndieQ on Wednesday, March 16.
“Uncle Max” follows the story of Billy — who along with his wife Michelle, sister Janice and brother-inlaw Steve — is traveling in a 1976 Lincoln from Arizona to Nebraska for the funeral of Uncle Max.
The group breaks down in Albuquerque, and it’s going to take three days to get the part they need, although the funeral is in two days. Oh, don’t forget to throw in some twists and turns.
The idea for the film came to Fry when he was working on a previous 48 Film Project. One of the categories was road trip.
“I just thought the idea would be great,” he says. “The idea sat in my head until it was ready for me to write it. The writing took a few days.”
In addition to writing the script, Fry is also the director.
“This is only my second film to direct,” he says. “We scheduled the shoot for four days. One day got rained out, so we finished in three.” The production shot in Albuquerque. “The location we used is one of the free locations that the state of New Mexico offers to anyone that wants to use it,” he says. “Very unique and right in the middle of Albuquerque.”
For casting, Fry didn’t hold auditions.
He cast a group of his friends he had worked with in the past.
Starring with Fry in the film are Denny O’Connor, Michelle Smith, Royd McCarish, Wendy Tillery-Boling and Michael Guajardo.
Ryan Turri served as the director of photography. The film runs 26 minutes.
Working in the film industry for years, Fry has held numerous jobs on set. With directing “Uncle Max,” Fry has been inspired to learn more about filmmaking.
He is currently enrolled in the film program at Central New Mexico Community College.
“I’m shooting my third film, called ‘The Back Room,’ now,” he says. “The new project is for my editing class which will be fun to make.”
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