One-man musical
‘The Lion’ will screen as part of ABQ film fest
Kevin S. Bright is known for producing some heavy-hitting TV shows — “Dream On,” “Joey” and “Friends,” to name a few.
The producer is drawn to compelling stories, which explains why he signed on to produce the documentary “The Lion.” The film, a oneman musical, will screen at 5:15 tonight as part of the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience.
“The Lion” is a comingof-age story about love, loss, loyalty and the redemptive power of music.
A son seeks his father’s love and goes on a deeply personal journey to become his own man.
Writer-performer Benjamin Scheuer plays and sings the incredible story of his family and his close call with mortality, all while supported by a cast of six guitars.
Scheuer took the performance on the road, and that’s where Bright heard about it.
Bright says that in a sense, the film is “a capture of a live performance.”
“It doesn’t have a documentary feel,” he says.
“I was interested because I saw it as a play, and I’m on the board for the Geffen Playhouse,” he says. “We’re trying to expand our plans and this was a perfect play that had a video component to it. We believe there needs to be a marriage of film and theater in order to survive. This is one project I really wanted to be a part of. This is a good prototype.”
Bright recorded three performances at the Geffen Playhouse.
“Most of what you see in the show is what you
see in the film,” he says. “I recorded each one live three times, then cut it together to show different angles and perspectives.”
Bright says it was difficult to film a man who sits in a chair while he performs.
“The challenge was for the cameras,” he says. “It was to make the audience feel like they got to see it from every perspective and without it being selfconscious. I wasn’t down for fancy overhead shots. I chose to create movement through zooms and steady cam. I was able to get 12 angles on the show. It takes a great editor and fantastic sound mixer to bring it all together.”
AFME continues through Sunday at various locations in Albuquerque. For more information, visit abqfilmx.com.
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