09 Aug 2011 Ron Howard selects Conway man’s photo

Posted at 7:47 PMh in News by

A picture is worth a thousand words and for Kelly Shipp of Conway, it also can mean a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

CANON U.S.A. and Hollywood director Ron Howard recently selected Shipp’s image from 96,362 photo entries to represent the “The Unknown” film theme in “Project Imagin8ion,” the first Hollywood film inspired by a user-generated photo contest.

Shipp was among eight grand prize winners.

At 40-years-old, Shipp is a software engineer and a professional photographer who realized his love of photography in high school. He entered the contest at the urging of his sister.  

“I am thrilled to be one of 8 winners in the contest,” Shipp said. His photo is titled “Where One Day Ends, One Day Begins.”

(To see a video commentary by Ron Howard on Shipps’s image and why he chose it, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3qMLqPnAOs&feature=player_embedded)

Launched on May 22, photographers of all levels were invited to submit their most imaginative photographs based on a series of eight separate movie themes, each one a core tenet of storytelling, to ultimately inspire Ron Howard’s short film.  

Ron Howard, director Bryce Dallas Howard and Freestyle Productions are currently working with the eight winning photos to craft the story, develop the script and produce a short film using Canon DSLR products. The film goes into production in September and will premiere later this year in New York City, where the winners will be invited to a red carpet event and have the opportunity to meet Ron Howard.

The winners chosen span in age from 20 to 44 years old and are from across the country.  They include:

  • Walter Arnold of Hendersonville, N.C., winner in the SETTING category for “The Final View.”
  • Jen Berry of Los Angeles, winner in the CHARACTER category for “Dreams.”
  • Mikey L’Heureux of Tarzana, Calif., winner in the MOOD category for “City Lights.”
  • Brooke Shaden of Canoga Park, Calif., winner in the TIME category for “Running From Wind.”
  • Alan Michael Martelly of Peachtree City, Ga., winner in the GOAL category for “My Word.”
  • Lexia Frank of Wesley Chapel, Fla., winner in the RELATIONSHIP category for “Too Much.”
  • Chris Wehner of Broken Arrow, Okla., winner in the OBSTACLE category for “Yea, Though I Walk.”

“This project has opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities of tapping into a larger community for creative inspiration,” said Ron Howard. “As I selected the photographs, the story started to take shape using these building blocks to drive the tone and narrative possibilities. I was handed this challenge by Canon and I’m very interested to see how this exercise plays out with Bryce now taking charge to direct a film that is very much influenced by these eight photos.”   

Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. said the company’s goal was to launch a long-term campaign to demonstrate how Canon’s technology enables artistry among photographers of all levels. “The number of entries has by far surpassed our expectations and we know the finished product, ‘A Ron Howard Production,’ will be a truly beautiful film, one that would never have been made without the enthusiastic online community.”