A Long Time Ago, Or So It Seems Now

In high school, Steve Christensen worked at a slow corner video store. He spent most of his time drawing and watching all the new movies, which would come out each week. This is the story of his journey from Independent Student Media to Steven Spielberg movies.

He had a fun job at the time but most of his time was spent watching movies and dreaming of what it would be like to be a part of the creative filmmaking process. As he sat there doodling he thought to himself, how can I find a way to make a living telling stories and making art? He began to hunt for ways to learn as much as he could about filmmaking and how to break into the industry.

In his search he met Darrin "Fletch" Fletcher, a talented young storyboard artist. He started asking him all kinds of questions about filmmaking, storyboards and his experience in the industry. In the conversations Fletch told Steve about a project he was developing with a producer friend of his, Chet Thomas, called Independent Student Media. The idea struck Steve as something with potential so he requested to be involved in some capacity. Fletch assured him that his place was secure and soon the project would quietly launch.

Steve turned his eyes towards college, attending the University of Utah and creating his own degree, which he titled, Entertainment Design. Combining the curriculum in fine art, drawing & painting, set design, filmmaking, urban design, communications and business management. He was looking for something more from the filmmaking program, so when an assignment was given he would join ISM at their office and talk it over with Fletch.

"With ISM's help I was able to make several short films, including "Mother Nature" and the documentary short, "And Action", both of which were huge hits back at the university."

"I started hanging out at ISM like some sort of film junky, working on as many student projects as I could."

Around this time, ISM had a few small commercial projects they were working on and due to Steve's hard work and obvious desire he was offered a job as the production designer. Not long after this Fletch and Chet planned a series of summer workshops with the purpose of teaching teachers how to make movies, equipping them with hard fought experience they would need in their own filmmaking classrooms.

"Because Steve had worked hard, proved himself and was a complete joy to work with" Fletch says, "we offered him the production design position on the very first ISM summer workshop, 'A Kiss Remembered.'"

Collin Fletcher rounds the corner looking for a German machine gun nest in, "A Kiss Remembered".

When it came time for the next workshop, "Simplicity," Fletch once again offered Steve the opportunity to come to Los Angeles and work as an art director. "It was fabulous to be behind the scenes and watch Chet and Fletch at work; together they are an amazing team and it was a privilege to learn from them."

During this workshop, Steve was teamed up with Luke Freeborn, the Los Angeles production designer who was hired for "Simplicity." Steve's association with Luke, and the chance to prove himself once again at the ISM workshop, earned him a paying job on the action thriller, "xXx."

Steve had gone from watching movies in a small video rental store to working on a major Hollywood motion picture and all because of the opportunities presented and his hard work with ISM.

Following "xXx," Steve went back to Utah and finished up his college education. It wasn't long before an opening became available to become Chet's assistant in Los Angeles. Steve jumped at the chance to work at WhiteLight Entertainment, Chet and Gerald R. Molen's production company. "Its not every day you get to work with the producer of "Schindler's List," "Jurassic Park" and "Hook." Once again an opportunity to study with some of the best in the business. Steve learned first hand how film development works and how incredibly hard it is to put a project together.

While working with Chet, Steve heard about a project starting up with Alex McDowell, an incredible production designer. Alex designed such films as "Minority Report" and "Cat in the Hat", and Steve knew it would be fantastic to become part of Alex's team. Because Steve had worked so desperately hard, proving his metal time and time again, Chet picked up the phone and made a call to his good friend, Mr. McDowell.

"The next thing I knew," says Steve," I am in an interview."

Steve would later discover that the film he was interviewing for was a new Steven Spielberg movie, "The Terminal," starring Tom Hanks.

It wasn't long before Steve was notified that he had the job.

Steven Spielberg discusses the next shot with Janusz Kaminski on the set of "Terminal".

"Because of ISM I am now working in the art department of a Steven Spielberg movie."

And this was not the end. Steve went on to work on "Christmas with the Kranks" and is currently involved in the new Steven Spielberg film, "War of the Worlds," with Tom Cruise.

"I am very grateful for Chet and Fletch for putting this program together and for giving me the opportunities to reach my goals and giving me a start in what only a few years earlier was only a distant dream."