Beyond “The Price of Water:” My Experience with Tony DeVenuta

Hunter Arnold | Writer

Making movies isn’t easy, especially on a college budget. Anthony DeVenuta’s “The Price of Water,” proved to be one such challenge. So how did we do it? 

My YouTube channel, “DougWildeTV,” provided experience with basic filmmaking techniques. So I was looking forward to collaborating with other students in the fall field production class last semester. One such student was DeVenuta, who seeked to direct a follow-up to a previous project, which quickly evolved into “The Price of Water.” The film is a mockumentary about an obsessed film director and his battle with caffeine addiction. I agreed to help DeVenuta early in pre-production, but the remaining cast and crew still needed to be filled. Fortunately, I had a solution, for my experience has introduced me to several like-minded individuals with a mutual passion for film. 

By the end of November, the DougWildeTV crew met DeVenuta, and production began shortly after. It was a weird feeling to see someone else lead a project, especially with a crew I had grown comfortable leading. But I saw it as an opportunity to learn how someone else manages the elements required to create a scene. Admittedly, my attention span isn’t the best. DeVenuta maintained a consistent focus I could only envy. This thought was shared by Christopher Jenson, an actor I have worked with in the past. 

I hope to have the chance to work with DeVenuta in the future, because his work ethic and sense of focus demonstrates the potential of a tried-and-true filmmaker.