Summit HS Graduate's Movie Wins Jury Selection Award at Boston Student Film Festival

Jeremy Weiss is a Summit High School graduate who is now pursuing a graduate degree in film at Emerson College; his film Riff Raf won the Jury Selection Award, essentially 'Best in Show' at the 2013 Boston Student Film Festival. 

Weiss said he is honored that Riff Raf was selected out of twelve films by a jury of professionals for the award.

"It means a lot to me that professional film critics chose it, Weiss told Patch. "Riff Raf had many contributors to its success and I share the victory with them all."

Riff Raf is black and white film about a Jazz Musician who finds himself in a situation of mistaken identity. Although Weiss originally wrote Riff Raf in 2006, it was not until his acceptance into Emerson where he realized he finally had the chance to make the movie.

“The film and the story matured over time as I did,” Weiss said. He added that it took many years for him to be committed to a story he believed in from start to finish.

When creating Riff Raf, Weiss said he thought to himself, “what would be the worst situation a jazz trumpeter could find himself in?” and what he ultimately concluded was playing in a classical orchestra and being called on for a solo.

Weiss said he chose to shoot the film in black and white because he believes that black and white still has a place in modern time and shooting it that way keeps the audience engaged in a way that a color film would not have done.

“I believe it helps keep audiences absorbed since it doesn't reflect reality as we see it in every day life,” he added.

When Weiss started the project, he had no classical music or orchestra connections and spent over eight months searching for music directors and conductors.

“I was speaking with award winning musicians who really had no reason to speak with me and it was very challenging at times,” he said.

As he kept hitting a wall in search of connections, family, friends and advisors suggested he simplify the project, but Weiss refused to go with anything other than a full orchestra.

“I needed to use a real orchestra filled with older members because their visual presence adds scale and realism to the drama of the situation,” Weiss said. “I was too stubborn to give up. I honestly just did not believe in any other project like I did Riff Raf. It had to be made one way or another.”

Eventually, someone said yes to Weiss’ project and that really got things moving in terms of finding other connections, he was then able to film Riff Raf the way he envisioned it.

“The posts [on Facebook] are being shared and liked by total strangers,” Weiss said. “It is a great feeling, but I owe a lot of thanks to those who believe in the film and helped make it a reality. 

To see more about Riff Raf visit the film’s Facebook page or Weiss’ film company's Facebook page. For more information on the Boston Student Film Festival visit, www.bostonstudentfilmfest.org.