Christmas movie camera sets career path for local student

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Brad Thompson, 22, of Athens, second from left, recently won two prizes totaling $2,500 at the 2010 George Lindsey UNA Film Festival for the short film, “Collecting Chloe.” His parents, Dean and Lori Thompson of Athens, pictured at right, gave him a Tyco movie camera when he was 9, and he began filming relatives ¬— “unbeknownst to them,” said Lori, a counselor at Athens Elementary School. His brother, Brian Thompson, far left, is a drug task-force officer. Courtesy photo
Brad Thompson, right, a 2006 Athens High School graduate, got to meet Bob Gale, author of his favorite film series, “Back to the Future,” at the UNA film festival, where he received two prizes. Thompson will earn his bachelor’s degree in communications from UNA in May. He plans to head to Hollywood in hopes of someday becoming a film editor and, eventually, a director. Courtesy photo

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March 10, 2010

By Jean Cole jean@athensnews-courier.com The News Courier Wed Mar 10, 2010, 02:00 AM CST

— A package tucked under the Christmas tree changed Brad Thompson’s life.

The Athens boy, who was 9 at the time, ripped open the gift to find a Tyco movie camera. The gray, plastic, battery-operated camera was not expensive or high quality, but it was lightweight enough to take anywhere or duct tape to anything, and it plugged right into the VCR for playback.

His parents — Dean and Lori Thompson of Athens — didn’t know it yet, but their gift would open a door for their son.

Brad loved videotaping — everything.

“He mentioned a few years ago that he and a cousin used to set up the camera at his grandmother’s house in Wichita, Kansas, and tape the relatives — unbeknownst to them,” said Lori, a counselor at Athens Elementary School. “Then, he learned how to add sound.”

She and Dean, an electrical engineer at United Launch Alliance in Decatur, assumed the video camera would go the way of most childhood gifts. Instead, it was cherished.

“I did random skits with the black and white Tyco,” said Brad, a 2006 graduate of Athens High School. “Then, my dad gave me his dad’s 8-millimeter camera, and it was color so I was so excited, and we moved on to mini shorts. We first did comedy and then, in high school, we moved to dark comedy.”

Those experiences led to him videotaping commencement ceremonies, weddings and, eventually, a country music video that may soon be featured on television, Lori said. He was largely self-taught until he met Jason Flynn, assistant professor of communications and film and digital media production at UNA.

“He taught me a lot more about film and the industry, and was a major help,” said Brad, who also works as an assistant at UNA’s film and digital media lab.

In May, he will earn a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on film and digital media, which he can use in radio, film or television. He hopes to head to Hollywood to become a film editor and, ultimately, a director. The dream seems to be coming true.

On March 6, Brad won prizes totaling $2,500 at the annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival. For his movie titled “Collecting Chloe,” he won the 2010 Clyde Sappo Black Sweet Home Alabama Award, which honors a film shot at least partially in Alabama. He also won $500 for the same film in the Shoals Spotlight category.

Corey Lawson and Sam Lott, also AHS graduates, were part of the crew.

“I was extremely honored to win the Spotlight award, so the second one — the Sappo award — threw me for a loop,” Brad said.

As he rose to accept the best-in-state Sappo, he saw in the audience three cast members from the “Back to the Future” movie series, who were at UNA for the “Back to the Future” reunion.

“Ironically, my favorite movies are the ‘Back to the Future’ series,” Brad said. “It was great getting to get these awards and see (writer/producer) Bob Gale and (actors) James Tolkan and Claudia Wells.”

He dedicated the awards to his 15-member crew.

“This couldn’t have been possible without the crew,” he said. “The awards are theirs as much as mine.”

He also credits his parents for his success.

“They always encouraged me to do what I wanted to do,” Brad said.

Lori and Dean have watched, with some amazement, at how a small, plastic camera has changed their son.

“He was shy as a child,” Lori said. “Then, as he got into this field, it really helped him become more outgoing. He had to stand up in front of people when he won the Athens Film Festival (earlier this year), and I was amazed at how at ease he was in front of an audience.”

With his prize money, Brad plans to buy a gift to place under the 2010 Christmas tree for him and his crew.

“We’re going to use it to enter more film competitions,” he said.

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