Film alumni to screen their first feature at The Flicks

Behind-the-scenes on the production of "NALOX"

Boise State alumni Jacob Ronnow and Justin Buss believe in local cinema. After graduating from the Film and Television Arts program at Boise State, they wanted to tackle something new: a feature-length film shot in Idaho. The result is their new film, "NALOX," shot entirely in the Treasure Valley with locally sourced equipment and an all-Boise cast and crew.

"It was a huge collaborative effort from people across the local film scene," said Jacob Ronnow, who directed, co-wrote, produced and edited the film.

They will screen "NALOX" at The Flicks in Boise on September 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for students with student ID.

Passion for the story and the work

Behind the scenes on the production of "NALOX"

"NALOX" tells the story of a woman grieving her brother's death from overdose. When she takes the man she believes is responsible for his death captive, what began as a personal reckoning spirals into a tense collision of grief, denial and competing truths.

Ronnow explained that his experience growing up during fentanyl epidemic, and seeing how overdose deaths are often reduced to statistics, shaped the film. "I wanted to tell a story about the people left behind, and the lasting absence that remains long after public attention has moved on," Ronnow said.

With no outside funding, the filmmakers knew they needed to rely not only on their own resourcefulness, but also on their passion for telling a meaningful story. That attitude, they said, set the tone for the production.

That culture on set also stemmed from the close-knit nature of the cast and crew. Most of the crew members graduated from Boise State's film program, resulting in trust and familiarity.

The most important element of film production

Cast and crew shoot on location for "NALOX"

As film students at Boise State, both Ronnow and Buss completed numerous short film projects. These experiences, they said, helped prepare them for the ambitious endeavor of filming a feature.

"Without our time at Boise State, the process would have been much more difficult," said Justin Buss, the film's director of photography and Ronnow's close collaborator. "Our education gave us an advantage regarding the most important element of film production: collaboration."

Before shooting began, Ronnow and Buss visited the locations they wanted to use to work out the blocking, lighting and framing. Months before the shoot, Ronnow held extensive rehearsals with his actors, shaping and refining performances together. This collaboration pre-production also served a strategic purpose: working within a very tight budget, Ronnow and Buss knew they would have limited time during the actual shooting, so they worked diligently to make sure shooting days proceeded as efficiently as possible.

The collaborative nature of the project continued into post-production, with Ronnow seeking feedback on the edit from crew members.

Applying their education

The "NOLOX" crew sets up for a shot on location

Both Buss and Ronnow shared how Boise State professors helped shape them artistically and professionally.

For Buss, Ryan Canon "provided a monumental shift in my mindset towards film as a career." Ronnow also credits Professor Daehwan Cho with teaching him to consider lighting as a source of mood and tone, and Jim Wareck's class on producing as "pretty much the only reason I was able to produce a feature film." Ronnow said that Professor Rulon Wood's Auteur Series course provided the most profound impact on his first feature.

"I remember Ru pushing the notion that you shouldn't make a movie just to make a movie," Ronnow said. "You should be trying to say something with what you create, and that's exactly what I did with NALOX. The message of the film is deeply personal to me, and that was a huge motivator in getting past every roadblock on the journey from the first page of the script to the first screening of the film."

"Just start"

Ronnow and Buss shared their advice for current Film and Television Arts students.

Jacob Ronnow: "Just make the damn thing. I feel like I wasted so much time waiting for the right moment, the right script, the right opportunity, etc. Make use of your friends, make use of the local film community, make use of what you have available to you, and just start. No one is going to make it happen for you."

Justin Buss: "Focus on the fundamentals: learn to light scenes with the gear you have, not the gear you want. You don't need the newest, shiniest tools to create a great image. Practice practice practice, and continue making films so you can always apply your previous experiences to future projects."

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