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Film Projects

Each year, BYU produces several film and animation projects.  The following projects were funded by the Fulton Chair.


The Cools

  • Paul R. Tuft - Director, Wen Chia-Chang - Producer, Justin L. Cook - Production Manager
  • Awarded May 2005
  • For further information, contact: paultuft@gmail.com

The following letter was written on April 19, 2004:

Dear Brother and Sister Fulton:

We are students in BYU's film program and we received funding for an advanced project called The Cools from the Fulton Chair.  We appreciate your interest in our education and creative expression through film.  With the help of your funding we were able to capture the aesthetic we were aiming for with the project.  Many thanks!  We couldn't have done it without you!

Sincerely,

Paul Tuft, Wen Chia-Chang, and Justin L. Cook

Ella Peacock: Painting the Desert

  • Directed and Produced by Amanda Dabney
  • Awarded February 2005
  • For further information, contact: amandadabney@yahoo.com

This is a documentary about Utah artist Ella Peacock, who produced wonderful desert paintings during the 45 years she lived in Utah before passing away in 1999. This project was actually begun by Amanda Dabney's mother Barbara. She interviewed and filmed Ella and Dave Erikson, the museum director who first displayed Ella's work. Unfortunately, Barbara had to put the project aside as she began to start her family. Kathryn Abajian, Ella's biographer, later contacted Barbara about possibly making a documentary about Ella. Eventually, she asked her daughter to take over the project for her. This film features important archival materials, interviews with people who were close to Ella, and an original score created by Andy Pitcher Davis, a local artist who knew Ella well.

On September 8, 2005, Amanda Dabney wrote:

I am so excited about this project, and learned not only new production and editing skills, but also benefited other ways as I learned more about Ella, her life, and why she loved the colors of the desert.  This documentary was part of a special exhibit highlighting the artist's work at the Museum of Utah Art and History in Salt Lake City from June to August.  Because of your donation to the TMA Department, I was able to cover production travel and equipment costs, as well as post production materials such as archival digitizing and reproduction costs.

I consider it a great blessing to be attending this university, where I can link life and learning with the gospel of Jesus Christ all in one.  I hope that my art can someday influence others in the same way that your generosity is blessing students at BYU.  Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Amanda Dabney

Turtles


  • Directed and Produced by Thomas Leavitt
  • Awarded November 2004
  • For further information, contact: thomasleavitt@gmail.com

Created by some of the Juniors in the BYU animation program, Turtles was one of the first computer generated BYU short films that was animated to voices. The film is about an overly ambitious turtle that gets more than he bargains for when he decides to go fishing with his friends.  Among the many challenges the animators faced was the animation of the pond where the turtles were fishing. The animators labored for hours to create realistic-looking water that would not only fit the cartoony feel of the environment but which also interacted believably with the characters. The film took a year and a half of work to complete.

On September 15, 2005, Thomas Leavitt wrote:

Dear Brother and Sister Fulton:

Thank you for helping financially with Turtles in various aspects.  First of all, thank you for the top-of-the-line software that we have at our fingertips in the animation labs.  Also, thank you for the expenses that were needed for post production.  The Fulton grant helped to fund the cost of sound and music recording and the DVD duplication of the material.

Your kindness has been so much appreciated by me and many other students. The BYU animation program is incredible! It has been a dream of mine to be a part of it and I'm seeing the dream come to life.  You are such an example to all of us.  Thanks for helping us reach high and grab onto a bright future.

Sincerely,

Thomas Leavitt

Last modified: September 08, 2006 Maintained by CFAC Webmasters.

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