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Q&A: Alumni helps with second film

David P. Moore lived a dream when he worked on his second feature length film.

Moore, 34, of Portales was one of six Eastern New Mexico University alumni to work on Calvin Redder's "The Rambler," starring Dermot Mulroney, a film that premiered at this year's Sundance Festival.

Moore served as the best boy electric on the film, a job in which put him in charge of personnel and equipment for the electrical department as the gaffer's (chief lighting technician) assistant.

Moore, a native of Waco, Texas, has been married to Tammy Lynne Moore for a little more than 13 years and hails her as his first love, with cinema as a close second.

Moore says he served in the Air Force building bombs and working with other aircraft related explosives and left the service with an honorable discharge prior to attending ENMU.

How was it working with Dermot Mulroney? What other celebrities have you met?

I really didn't spend a whole lot of time around Mr. Mulroney. Generally, my job kept me running and working hard. From my limited experience around him, I can honestly say that he was a very professional and courteous man to work around. There are times as a crew member where you have to get into close proximity to the talent while working and in most cases they are very understanding.

The "Rambler" and "Roswell FM" both showcased several recognizable talents such as: Jason London ("Dazed and Confused," 1993), Brendan Fehr (TV Series "Bones"), Don Stark ("That 70's Show"), Lindsay Pulsipher ("The Oregonian," 2011, "True Blood"), and Natasha Lyonne ("American Pie," 1999). In most cases they were all very courteous and good to work around.

How many films have your worked on professionally? Which one was most memorable?

To include everything that I have worked on in one capacity or another, I have worked on two feature length films ("Roswell FM" and "The Rambler"), three short films ("The Visit," "The Hunt," and "Enigma") and one music video (S.H.I.L.O's "Bitter").

The Rambler and Roswell FM were the most memorable by far.

The reason for this is simple, working on an independent feature film is tough and stressful. Having been in the military, I understand what this kind of stress can do to a group of people. It forms a bond between you and those who you work with.

By the end of the production you may hate a certain person but in a few weeks you lose that animosity and the bond is still there. You have been forged through stress and exhaustion and what remains is a shared experience that not may others could understand.

What did this experience mean to you?

I have always wanted to be a part of the film-making process. It was a life's dream for me. I want nothing more than to continue that dream in one capacity or another until I am too old to do it anymore.

What are your top three films of all time?

Sam Raimi's:

  • "The Evil Dead"
  • "Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn"
  • "Army Of Darkness"

What can I say, I'm a horror geek.

Who or what inspired you to go into this business?

I think what inspired me most to get into the film business was simply the magic of cinema. The ability to tell a story through a visual medium.

It's taking a story from one's mind and passing it on through the various stages of a story or novel on paper to a script to the final product and seeing it all come together.

I think that it's the second love of my life. Good thing my wife doesn't mind my passion for it as long as it remains my second love.

Since you are a behind the scenes guy, what do you contribute to the film that people see on screen?

In film, lighting is almost the most important thing. Without lighting there is no film except for uneven images that are shot outside during the daylight.

We give illumination where there would normally be darkness or shadow. We give definition and beauty of horror and the case may be for what is portrayed on the screen.

We also give color balance and tone to the story or scene.

Yes, the actors and the director are the primary importance, but lights and sound have to be a close second and third respectively in importance.

What kind of film do you hope to work on next?

I would love to work on a horror or action flick, but in reality, I really don't care (just not romantic comedies ... uck).

I just want to be a part of that magic again. It's an addiction of sorts.