Proving great film talent isn’t exclusive to Hollywood
Submitted
Carmel native Emmanuel Carter and Fishers resident Tré Bennett have joined their creative talents to form The 116 Collective LLC. The 116 Collective was formed as a place for creatives to come together to showcase the incredible talent that Indiana has to offer the entertainment industry.
Carter is an actor, writer, producer, and director who may be best known as the host of Noggin Knows, which airs on Nickelodeon’s preschool network, Noggin. Bennett is a director, cinematographer, and editor who has an incredible way of transforming video into artwork.
Their first project, a remix of “This is Halloween,” was inspired by Nightmare Before Christmas and reimagined by Carter and Bennett. (Click here to watch on YouTube.) Bringing together local dancers, including students from 31SVN Street Dance Academy in Fishers, they assembled a production dream team to bring their vision into existence. Filmed entirely at The Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction, they captured the spirit of Halloween in a family-friendly magical masterpiece that was released on Oct. 26.
An interesting side note is the fact that the video was shot with hand-held equipment totaling around $3,500 for camera and lens, which is a fraction of the cost of Hollywood film equipment, but with the same high-quality results. This is a testament to Bennett’s skills behind the camera and in editing, but it is also a lesson to anyone who wants to get into filmmaking but thinks that they can’t because they can’t afford expensive equipment. One of Bennett’s mottos is that you can get high quality with less, and this project proves it.
Also interesting is how the two came up with the name The 116 Collective.
Both artists live off 116th Street in Hamilton County. Coincidentally, or maybe more aptly described as serendipitously, they first met on a commercial project that just so happened to be shooting on 116th Street. This same street has been the connective tissue to link Carter and Bennett with so many other like-minded artists that are also part of the collective, including the dance studio which, as you guessed it, is also off 116th Street.
Indiana’s Film and Media Tax Credit established by Indiana Code §6-3.1-36 provides tax credits that can be applied to offset certain production expenses. Carter and Bennett plan to utilize The 116 Collective to bring attention to Indiana filmmaking and encourage other companies to bring their productions here, boosting the local economies in the areas where they film. Longtime proponents of bringing film to their home state, Carter and Bennett will be creating opportunities for actors, musicians, dancers, set designers, costumers, make-up artists, film crew positions, and other Hoosiers while putting a spotlight on Indiana film because, as Carter says, “Great film and great people aren’t exclusive to Hollywood or other major production hubs.”
There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to their first project. As soon as “This is Halloween” was posted, Carter and Bennett were already discussing their next project, so there is more to come. As The 116 Collective’s website says, “All you need is a camera and a group of passionate creatives.”
Learn more at the116collective.com.