SAN ANGELO STANDARD TIMES - 06.14.99

Former Central students working on independent film
By HEATHER MILLICAN
Staff Writer


An ambitious, 'just do it' attitude has landed some former 
Central High School students in the middle of producing an 
independent film.

The talented foursome of Ryan Junell, Jules Beesley, Wade 
Beesley and Amy Raymond recently joined forces to have a 
little fun doing what they really enjoy.

The end result of the venture will be "Radio Free Steve," a 
feature film the four hope will be the last film of 1999.

"We're going to finish in December, and our goal is for it 
to be the last film of the millennium," Jules Beesley said
with a smile. "Not the technical millennium, just the 
perceived one."

Along the way, the group has formed their own production 
company, UGH films, and dove headfirst into the whole 
production process.

"We don't think `do,' we just do it," said Wade Beesley, 
who likens the situation to when he started his own coffee 
shop, MOJO'S daily grind, in Austin. "How did I start my 
shop? I just did it."

It doesn't hurt matters that between the four of them, they 
have access to or possession of most of the resources they'll
need. Each is involved with different facets of the business.

Jules Beesley has worked with various people in independent 
films and has been working in the film industry in Los 
Angeles for the past year and a half.

Raymond has acted in independent films, along with acting 
for a time in England and Austin. She moved to Los Angeles 
to make a career of it more that a year ago.

Wade Beesley has spent the last five years running his shop, 
and MOJO'S has made a few appearances on MTV.

Junell is a web designer in San Francisco, and he recently 
purchased a digital video camera, which is where the journey
begins.

"We're having a ball. We each have our talents and gifts," 
Wade Beesley said. "Everyone concentrates on their own talents 
and we all feed off each other."

Raymond sees it as a perfect chance to call on past connections.

"It's fun now, to utilize connections you made that you never 
thought you'd use," Raymond said.

"Radio Free Steve" was written by Jules Beesley, who's also 
directing the film. Executive directors are Wade Beesley and 
their father Hampton Beesley.

Raymond is producing the film and also has an acting role. 
Junell is the lead character, and was touted by the rest of 
the group as a "very talented, improvisational actor."

The concept amuses Junell.

"It's more like acting out of necessity," he said with a laugh. 
"I'm not a professional. We're all just friends, hanging out, 
doing a film.

"My interest in it is having a blast. I haven't been on vacation 
in a year and a half. Making the film is my vacation."

It all began in March, when Jules Beesley visited Junell and 
the two of them shot a short web design farce, in which Raymond 
acted, with Junell's digital video camera.

The camera is a fairly new, relatively inexpensive way to shoot 
films. It helps the foursome keep production costs low and enables 
them to edit the film on personal computers. Wade Beesley calls the 
new technology filmmaking for the masses.

"We shot the short in a week, which is really fast. And we had such 
a good time, so we decided to do something else," Jules Beesley 
said. "We were listening to 80s music, got some images in our head 
and built on that."

"Radio Free Steve" resulted, an 80s post-apocalyptic road trip 
movie featuring an Austin radio deejay named Steve, who dreams 
of being a veejay.

Steve heads for Los Angeles, doing a pirate radio broadcast out 
of his old van and shooting a movie along the way. Steve's movie 
is in part a poorly organized "Mad Max" ripoff and part a 
documentary of the spontaneous road trip.

"Radio Free Steve" is actually the movie Steve set out to make 
when he and three friends raced off across the American Southwest, 
through West Texas, Sante Fe and the Nevada deserts.

The foursome has found their San Angelo roots to be advantageous 
to this filmmaking experience.

"It's neat to do this with people you grew up with, people you 
trust," Raymond said.

"We have the same sensibility, a unique sensibility from growing 
up in San Angelo," said Jules Beesley, perhaps remembering days 
at Central when he and Junell made videos, started a video club 
and hung out with Raymond.

UGH Films has also been integral to the venture, as it allows 
them to make the films they want, rather than following a certain 
formula.

"You can create exactly everything you want, you have sole 
creativity," Raymond said.

Raymond is the daughter of Jim and Julie Raymond, Junell is the 
son of State Rep. Rob and Beverly Junell, and Jules and Wade Beesley 
are the sons of W. Hampton and Bonnie Beesley.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unless otherwise stated, all material is copyright of the San Angelo 
Standard-Times. E-mail comments to standard@texaswest.com