Directors on the Rise - Hart '08 and Devon Perez '10
Show of hands, who has watched the “Gaels Gone Wild” music video? Who has watched it multiple times?
Hart ’08 and Devon Perez ’10 were the directors behind that video and have since developed several short films, many of which have debuted at film festivals across the globe.
In 2014, the brothers were invited to New York City for SHOOT Magazine’s New Directors Showcase. It was here where their film “The Weigh In” (2014) was screened in front of some of the industries best and brightest.
The momentum continued to build for the Bay Area natives and their 2015 short “Universal Gentrification” was premiered at the Raindance Film Festival in London.
“In a nutshell, the film humorously imagines the possibility of aliens gentrifying planet Earth,” Hart said. “The production was a great experience for two reasons. First, we were able to work and collaborate with our friends over at Corduroy Media. Their support and guidance through the project was essential to the film’s success. Second, as a collaborative effort, we were able to produce a piece that hopefully not only entertains, but also raises social awareness.”
Hart and Devon released another short, “Coffee Virgin,” in January and it will have its world premiere at the 16th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival in April.
“We have found that our greatest success has come from making short films,” said Hart. “In contrast to music videos or commercials, which have to be approved by labels and clients, shorts films are blank canvasses that allow you express your true voice as a filmmaker.”
The pair continues to pick up new projects and they are in the process of developing another short about a wedding engagement.
Hart said, “I guess it only make sense since all of our friends are getting married, but we are already in a committed relationship with film.”
Despite some of their successes, Hart and Devon know they are still learning and figuring out the film industry process but continue to be driven by that passion for film.
Universal Gentrification from Perez Bros on Vimeo.
They grew up enthralled with movies. The images and stories opened their imaginations and that followed them to Saint Mary’s, where key mentors showed the brothers how to turn a passion for movies into a career.
“Growing up, our imaginations were constantly being molded by the cinema,” Devon said. “Our earliest memories revolve around such art house classics as, ‘The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ (1990), ‘The Rocketeer’ (1991), and Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ (1989). We carried that passion for storytelling into high school and eventually to Saint Mary’s College.”
“The faculty members at Saint Mary’s College were instrumental in helping us better understand both the theory of cinema and the logistics of film production,” explained Hart. “Professor Dan Leopard did an incredible job of exposing us to films from the past and understanding their impact on the history of cinema. On the other end of the spectrum, Professor Gus Guardado helped us to execute our scripts and create films in present. Finally, Professor Virginia McCarthy’s travel course to the Sundance Film Festival really got us excited about the future of cinema and the possibility of making it our career.”