Saucy Films
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saucy Films | |
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| Type | Private |
| Founded | 2003 (WAD Productions) 2007 (Saucy Films) |
| Headquarters | Murfreesboro, Tennessee |
| Key people | Andy Harness Ben Dongarra Casey Latiolais |
| Industry | Film and video production |
| Products | The Science Fair iWars The Resident Assistant |
| Website | http://www.saucyfilms.com/ |
Saucy Films, formerly known as WAD Productions, is an independent video production group based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that mainly focuses on creating short films and movie parodies, but also focuses on other media, such as online comics. Saucy Films is also known, indirectly, for its involvement with Middle Tennessee State University's student organization, "The Bubble Tent Team," so named for the inflatable, garbage bag tent that the founding trio built in the autumn of 2005. The bizarre construct drew immediate attention from The Sidelines, MTSU's student-run newspaper. The three later built an even larger tent that measured nine feet on all sides. Dubbed "Bubble Tent 2.0" by the press, the tent would attract students every Friday for a night of video games and movies. By early 2006, the Bubble Tent Team became an official, fully funded MTSU student organization. Two more versions have been since been completed, the most recent being "Bubble Tent 4.0," a 20x12x12' blue bubble.
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[edit] History
In March 2003, three high school video production students from Anderson County, Tennessee formed W.A.D. Productions (note the periods): Jon Dodson, Andy Harness, and Chris "Waldo" Trentham. They were assigned to make a music video as a beginning class project. Their first video, using footage from video games, can still be found under the website's video section. The company's name was an acronym of the three founders' names. After 2004, the acronym was replaced with the current logo.
During Harness' stint at MTSU, he befriended a Cordova, Tennessee film enthusiast named Casey Latiolais, with whom he started creating videos. Lack of finances meant the duo had no means of their own to show their videos online; YouTube was still several years away. They enlisted the help of MTSU student Jeremy Justice who had his own website. The three students made several new videos and ran them online via Justice's site. Most of these were music videos based on events at the MTSU campus and immediately became very popular with the student body.
During the 2005-2006 school year, the trio made a controversial web series known as The Resident Assistant. The episodes, loosely based on the premise of Reno 911!, were a less-than-flattering parody of campus residence officials. Pulled from the site before only three episodes were completed, the series was soon reintroduced on MrCasey.net, a website run by Team WAD member Casey Latiolais.
[edit] Growth
Later in 2006, WAD Studios found a home as a subdomain of a Eye Love Records, an independent record label based in Cleveland, Tennessee. The partnership resulted in the ability to show videos via YouTube as well as Myspace. WAD's latest films have included a spoof of the Fast and the Furious motion picture franchise titled 3 Fast, 3 Tarded. A parody of the situation comedy Saved by the Bell was done as a tribute to philosophers Socrates, Bonhoeffer, and Henri Bergson.
In 2007, Casey Latiolais and Andy Harness changed the name to Saucy Films to capitalize on the success of their previous videos. One was a well-received remake of The R.A. and the other was a YouTube viral video called iWars, which parodies Star Wars and the industry battle of Microsoft's Zune and Apple's iPod.
In 2008, Saucy Films gained international attention as part of Microsoft's Imagine Cup Competition. Team Saucy was the only team to represent the U.S. in the second round with their short film, "The Science Fair." However, they did not get to go to the third round in Paris, France. The team also placed second at the MTSU Film Festival for their compilation of videos known as the "Saucy Shorts."
[edit] Community service
Saucy Films is highly involved with community service. Andy Harnesss, an Eagle Scouts from Troop 122 in Lake City is active in helping improve the quality of life his home town. Andy Harness has worked with the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation to restore cemeteries, creek-beds and a Tennessee Militia fort. Harness and his younger brother Nick both received scholarships from the CCWF for their contributions.
In addition, two documentaries are being planned about the coal mining communities of Anderson County, Tennessee. One will focus on the Coal Creek War of 1892 that abolished convict labor in the mines of Tennessee and the other will be about the Coal Creek and Fraterville Mine Disasters of the early 1900s.
[edit] Filmography
- There's Something in the Air (2008)
- The Science Fair (2008)
- Plan K for Kill (2008)
- Wheels: The Great White Remake (2008)
- Value: Cologne For Men (2008)
- Dude, Where's My House? (2008)
- Andy's Day Out (2008)
- The Land Before Thyme (2008)
- Iron Vagina (2007)
- Wheels: The Great White Cart (2007)
- iWars (2007)
(under WAD)
- The Resident Assistant (2007)
- Hero's Day Off (2007)
- Sidekick Saloon (2007)
- Boys Meet Girl (2006)
- Why Ninjas Died (2006)
- Saved by Philosophy (2005)
- Eggs of Wrath (2005)
- I am WAD (2005)
- The Resident Assistant Episodes 1 & 2 (2005)
- Halo Music Video (2003)
[edit] External links
- Saucy Films
- Andy Harness (Blog with Videos, Community Service Info)
- Casey Latiolais (Video and Special Effects Blog)
- MTSU Film Festival YouTube page with "Saucy Shorts"
- Imagine Cup 2008 Leaderboards
- Bubble Tent 2.0- 485 Bugs Fixed
- Bubble Tent Team Information
- Andy Harness and Longfield Cemetery
- Trash bags, box fan make for good time
