Erica Lewis Kennedy
Daily Press Writer
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Following in the footsteps of the now infamous starter documentary “My Date with Drew” by director Brian Herzlinger, Anderson wants to be a documentary filmmaker and has set out on his own 30-day quest to get a date with Duff.
The actress is most commonly known for her first big role as Disney’s Lizzie McGuire.
“For the longest time I thought I would go into the Air Force and then become an astronaut,” Anderson said. “But then I outgrew that dream. I used to work at Waterworld in Denver and they filmed an independent movie called ‘The Surfer King.’ I got to know the director and I was an extra in a couple of scenes. I enjoyed the experience so much that I talked to the director some more and he made me a production assistant. It was awesome.
“The movie was released in some theaters in the Denver metro area and comes to DVD nationally Aug. 21.
Anderson, a 17-year-old junior at Montrose High School, moved to Montrose this summer with his parents Steve and Shelly. He will graduate in December of 2007 and will fast track his last semester to get a jump-start on college.
“My parents are really supportive of me. They pretty much encourage me in every aspect, well as long as the idea isn’t dumb or would get me into trouble,” he says. “My dad thinks this movie idea is great and offers me the best.”
Herzlinger made his film on a budget of $1,100, which he won on a game show. ‘My Date with Drew’ has won five awards at national festivals, including the Aspen Film Festival. Herzlinger made the movie in 30 days — the time allotted by the Circuit City return policy, where he obtained the video camera.
Today marks Anderson’s sixth day into his project and has 24 to go. He has contacted publicists from television shows ranging from Jay Leno, David Letterman, Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres and more. So far, his efforts have not been as fruitful as he hoped.
Anderson plans to attend Mesa State College to obtain his general education credits and then wants to transfer to film school at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
“It’s a lot cheaper than NYU and they have an excellent film program,” Anderson says. “Plus Montreal has a lot film action going on.”
Anderson says he always has a camera with him and is constantly getting footage. During spring break, he is traveling around Colorado to play at various high schools with his band Underground of Heaven with classmates David “Heath” Jensen and Dillon Kogle.
Anderson plays the acoustic guitar and hopes to hit several schools. He describes the band’s music as acoustic rock with a “jazzy upbeat.”
“I got into the music thing when I lived in Denver. I played at various coffee shops,” he says. “Then I moved here and I instantly clicked with Heath. He has been playing a year longer than I have and he has taken lessons. We write our own stuff.”
While traveling throughout the state with his band, Anderson plans to spread word of his documentary project. He hopes to go talk to some major radio stations and get the word of mouth going.
“I want to get as much exposure as possible,” Anderson says. “I am hoping the theory of six degrees of separation works. Somebody will talk to someone else who knows someone and the link to Hilary will be made in some weird way.”
Although he plans to go to the MHS Prom on April 21, he says his goal was not to get Duff to be by his side. He just wants to get in contact with her.
“That would be great if she came,” he says. “But in all honesty, that wasn’t my plan.”
Anderson says although he likes documentary film, many of his favorite movies are more mainstream like Nicolas Cage’s “National Treasure” and Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Anderson edits his own film on his home computer. He is saving money to get a new Macintosh computer, renowned in the movie industry for its technology and editing capabilities. During his summer months he often makes movies which he then burns to DVD and shares with his neighbors.
“They have seemed to like them in the past,” he says.
As for his current film project, Anderson does not have a budget; he is “playing it by ear.” But his celluloid dream of capturing Duff is quite big.
“I have met Hilary twice. Once when I was working at Waterworld, and I was able to go to one of her concerts and I got to meet her in one of those meet and greets. I have had a crush on her ever since I can remember.”
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