Death Rattle visualized

Death Rattle, a short film based on a dramatic short story sprung from the creative talent of ACC creative writing teacher Amparo Garcia-Crow and directed by A.J. Garces, has been stirring hearts and minds since it won first place in the Austin Chronicle’s Short Story contest in 1993 up to its exciting 2009 nomination in the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) Its first competition was the San Antonio Film Festival, where it was chosen by jury selection for Best Director, a stunning achievement, punctuated by the fact that its competition was full-length films. The twenty-two minute film highlights the coming-of-age story of Victor, a high school senior, who must balance his mother’s relationship with the local sheriff, love for the beautiful Carmen, and a job as a part-time mortician’s assistant; all during the Annual Rattlesnake Roundup in Freer, Texas. Victor witnesses the ancient ritual of death and love develop into a new, shocking meaning that could change everything he believes in. Death Rattle reveals a cross-section of society in the mid 70s, depicting what it was like to be raised in a small, South Texas community, rife with misunderstanding and gossip. While working as a freelance graphic artist in 1993, Garces was commissioned to create an illustration to accompany the publication of “Death Rattle,” this was his introduction into what has now culminated into an internationally acclaimed short film. “I remember thinking, this could make a great short film,” Garces stated. It was not until ten years later, with a focus on film creation, that Garces decided to act on his plans for the story. Garces called Crow and discussed the idea of turning Death Rattle into a short film. She was enamored with the idea and the transformation began. “Soon we had assembled a crew of actors, including my son Alejandro Rose Garcia (Desperate Hippies), a talented professional actor, and Amanda Vaez Phillips ( Friday Night Lights the television series)” Garcia-Crow said. Though Death Rattle is fictional, Garcia-Crow, the executive producer, drew heavily upon her experiences growing up in a small community in Texas. She explained, “When I think back to how beautiful and rugged the land was where I grew up; full of animals, fascinating people, and such a rich life, I just think of how intense it all was. That, I think, really influenced my perception of the story.” Now, after a successful short story and short film, she is looking to extending the story of Victor’s triumphs and struggles within her novel-in-progress, “Had There Been Snow.” The film was shot mostly in Freer, Texas, but scenes were also shot in Austin, at an elementary school, Zilker Park and I-35. The editing took two years and by January of 2009, Death Rattle was completed. Next stop for Death Rattle is the LALIFF where, if it wins, it will become automatically a contestant in the Academy Awards within the Short Film nominations. LALIFF is a high-profile event, drawing a crowd of 20,000 people on average, and with many illustrious people to help organize it, such as the General Consul of Spain, Inocencio Arias, Antonio Banderas (Desperado), Angelica Huston (Seraphim Falls), and Andy Garcia (Hero), to name a few. The event is a non-profit affair with a focus on discovering and nurturing Latino talent, as well as helping bring awareness to the richness of Latino cultures in a promotion of their talent for the film industry. Death Rattle is scheduled to show between Oct. 11 - 16 at LALIFF. Garces has lent his skill to the film world as an art director, composer, writer, and editor. From growing up and helping his actor/director father on the set, to illustrating, writing, and directing his own films, he has learned to hone his style so that every frame has a timeless quality. Accenting his style, Death Rattle is shot in black and white to better convey the vintage quality of the story. For Garces, working with film is something he prefers above other art mediums. Garces: “Film has all those components; sound, music, an epic story line, wonderful acting, visuals…and these all contribute to make film my favorite tool to express my ideas for many years.” When asked about the film‘s message, he replied, “I really identified with Victor because of my memories from high school. Gossip really can destroy lives, and this is even more true, because some of the things mentioned in our film were not discussed in the 70s. Thus, I am glad we’re addressing these important issues.” There are some interesting parts in the film that explore the heritage of Texas, such as the rattlesnake roundup which is presently in practice in Freer, Texas. “I was very pleased with how A.J. kept the film true to my story,” Garcia-Crow said. “Even though I would not mind one day to have the story broaden out to include more about this character (Victor), he really worked (hard) to make sure the film reflected the exact voice of my story.” Crow summed up her experiences; “You can make great things happen if you find the right people to collaborate with. A.J. and I each worked to make this film go smoothly. We understood our separate strengths and I think that was a key to our success. A.J., being a professional illustrator, was a master at photography and was responsible for editing the footage. I, with a lot of experience as an actor’s coach, searched for the right actors and helped them discover their roles. Through working together, diligently and creatively, and with a lot of wonderful help from friends, we made it happen.”