The power of David Ray’s philosophy of ‘rewilding filmmaking’ through micro-budget independent filmmaking in the Summer 2025 semester
Kate Henderson (she/they) // Crew Writer
Whether it be traveling, relaxing or getting in some extra elective credits, the end of the Spring semester only brings excitement for the summer. For some, this includes excitement for a brand new course, FILM 333, that is open to students in all faculties. Taking place in the month of June in the summer semester, FILM 333 is a three credit crash course on developing a story and creating a full-length film on minimal budget.
The inspiration for FILM 333 starts with the work of David Ray, an instructor in the School of Motion Picture Arts (MOPA). Outside of teaching Screenwriting in the MOPA program, Ray extolls the power of micro-budget filmmaking. He recently completed his own entirely improvised project, Love and Money, with a budget of $11,000. Love and Money was shot over the course of a year, a couple of days each month, entirely on an iPhone.
Ray explains that through working at, “every single budget level, writing, directing and producing the whole way through” that he has, “never had so much fun making a movie,” before Love and Money. One major aspect of Ray’s process emphasized in FILM 333 is the power of using, “your own backyard.” In a literal sense, Ray refers to the importance of understanding what physical assets are available to you to use in your own project. “Does your mother own a flower shop?” he asks as an example. That’s where one can find a story. “That’s where it becomes personal, where it becomes authentic and that’s a super powerful tool,” he says.
When Michael Thoma, Chair of the School of Motion Picture Arts at CapU, observed the process of Ray’s creation, he understood FILM 333. It doesn’t teach methods to make a cheap movie, but rather, “strip[s] filmmaking down to its absolute most fundamental components, right down to how to tell a story. “That’s what’s appealing to me about this course,” Thoma says. Students taking FILM 333 will learn the basis of character and story in film.
As the chair of the MOPA program, Thoma is trying to build a catalog of summer film courses; FILM 333 can exist as the fundamentals of story in film alongside the technician-based courses related to cinematography, Lighting for Digital Imaging and Film and Grip Work for Digital Imaging and Film. Ray elaborates on Thoma’s fundamentals, sharing that his course will mean, “everyone is a creative stakeholder […] coming in as partners with agency and respect.” Through doing this, Ray proclaims students will reach the most important part of filmmaking, “performance and story.”
On top of resourcefulness and equal contribution to creation, Ray shares his hopes that this course will, “empower people who might not think they could typically make a movie.” Ray shares further that he understands the “real history of privilege.” He says that, “with every dollar comes insecurity and power dynamics,” sharing he’s worked with, “some pretty powerful insecure people that are focussed on seeing a return on their dollar more than anything else.” Ray wants to draw focus to the stories of those who, “weren’t given a camera at eight years old.” Thoma and Ray emphasize the relevance of powerful story over dollar of independent filmmaking, referring in inspiration to the 2025 Best Picture win at the Academy Awards, Anora.
Ray’s structure of creation and the structure of Anora fall under independent filmmaking, defined as “a movie that is produced outside the major film studio system,” according to StudioBinder. ON top of that Anora consistent of a considerably low budget among Oscar nominated films, approximately three per cent of its best picture competitors Dune: Part Two and Wicked. Furthermore, Baker’s first film Tangerine was entirely shot on an iPhone, just like Ray’s Love and Money. Overall, Baker idoling the workflow of Film 333, a workflow that was just honoured at the Oscars.
Ray and Thoma want to hone the power of what’s in our backyard at Capilano University, with a focus of controlling the joy of the process “With our technology today, the skies the limit,” Ray shares. Thoma follows Ray, sharing his excitement to see how this course can open “creative avenues” for storytelling students across faculties. Interested students can email film@capilanou.ca to register for an information session. “There is no pressure [on] you to be a ‘technical master,’ it’s about showing up and doing it together,” Ray explains. Most of all, Ray says he’s excited to work with students, to be, “delighted by our own processes,” and excited to see what lightning they’ll bottle together over the summer.