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By SCARLET SIMS
LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER
Ten-year-old Aidan Billy’s face lights up when he talks about writing stories and making films. Give him a computer and he’ll show you a stop-motion animation film he’s put together to classical music. He’s writing a trilogy, too. And, one of the films he’s acted in just won an award that will allow him to go to Hollywood.
“Aidan likes acting, but he really wants to make his own movies someday,” his mother, Rebecca Billy, wrote in email. “His tastes run toward the epic. Last fall, he wrote and illustrated an international mystery story in three parts. He likes trilogies. He’s a remarkable kid.”
Aidan and his mother may get to go to Hollywood, thanks to “Fire Engine Red,” a film in which Aidan starred that won awards at the Little Rock 48-Hour Film Festival last year. The film won a popular-vote contest earlier this month. That contest put the film, created by co-directors Michael Armstrong of Little Rock and Jim Patterson of El Dorado, in the Filmapalooza event in Hollywood this March.
Billy said she is asking for donations so she can take her son to see the screening of the film at the event.
“Aidan would like to go because he’s interested in meeting people who make movies,” she said.
Aidan is a Woodrow Cummins Elementary student who is an up-and-coming Conway filmmaker and storyteller.
Log Cabin Democrat: Why do you want to act?
Aidan: I just think it’s fun. I don’t really know. I’ve been saying (I wanted to act) since I was 7 years old.
LCD: What was the fun part?
A: Just being in it.
LCD: Do you want to go to Hollywood?
A: I think it would be fun to be there. I just want to meet someone from there.
LCD: Were you surprised when ‘Fire Engine Red’ won awards? (In the Little Rock 48-Hour Film Festival, the film won Audience Favorite, Best Story and First Runner-Up.)
A: Not really, honestly. But what I really liked was getting to take home the Han Solo action figure that was the award. I would have preferred first place, one of the reasons, was because (the award) was Darth Vader. I had a fun, good time.
LCD: Are you going to be in some other movies?
A: Maybe. I was just an extra in (“III”) but I really liked acting in it. I haven’t even seen it yet. I’m going to need to see a copy of that.
LCD: What do you tell your friends about acting and filmmaking?
A: I don’t really talk about it much with them. I just play games with them.
LCD: Why are films and stories important? Why should people care?
A: I’d just like people to read or watch the stories, and I just hope they like it. I try to put my best effort into it, and I really just hope they like it. I really think I do a good job on it.
Anyone interested in donating to help Aidan go to Hollywood can contact Rebecca Billy and use a PayPal account at send_me_to_hollywood@yahoo.com or visit the FaceBook page for “Fire Engine Red.”
Aidan’s movies include:
youtube.com/watch?v=4NH6dji-jDQ