One alumnus of The University of Memphis is reaping the benefits of hard work and perseverance.
Rod Pitts graduated in 2002 with a degree in Communications and recently used his talents to win the grand prize at the American Artist Film Festival.
Pitts was the co-producer and director of photography for the film "Just the Two of Us," which won him the award.
"I can remember sitting in class taking notes wondering what the payoff would be," he said. "And with several films behind me, the payoff is looking better and better every day."
"Just the two of Us" is being shown at the Memphis Indie Film Festival, along with two other films that Pitts worked on, "What Goes Around" and "Imagine."
Pitts is from Chicago, but moved to Memphis with his mother when he was a teenager to help take care of sick grandparents. He ended up staying around long enough to graduate from The University and consider Memphis his home.
"Being from Memphis has really influenced my career," he said. "The U of M was especially influential because I was able to build my network up - almost everyone I work with is from The U of M."
The following for Memphis filmmaking has grown considerably since Craig Brewer's "Hustle and Flow" brought the spotlight here.
"I think a lot more eyes are on Memphis right now because of Craig Brewer," Pitts said. "So a lot of filmmakers have been forced to step up their game.
"I think one of the biggest payoffs we've had is the new tax incentives that Memphis passed in order to get more filmmakers to come here."
Pitts said the best advice that he could give students who are trying to make it in filmmaking is to just do it.
"Film school is great, but the best way to get started is to just grab a camera, no matter how cheap it is, and just start filming," he said. "Robert Rodrigues (director of "Sin City") said that every filmmaker has at least 30 or 40 films in him or her, and the sooner you get them out of your system the better."
Pitts said that 10 years from now, he hopes to be helping up-and-coming filmmakers to make it. And Brian Hayes, senior film production major, can attest to that. He has been working on a new project with Pitts called "Don't vote for Arthur Henry" as a co-director.
"He has really taught me the ins-and-outs of making a movie," Hayes said. " He gives us the freedom to do what we want to do to help us become better directors and has given us the confidence we need to be better leaders."
"Just the Two of Us" is one hour and 46 minutes and took about two years to make. It is the autobiography of another alumnus from The University of Memphis, Keenon Nikita. It is the true story of Nikita's life as a father.
Nikita said the film is his baby and he was really surprised when their film won the grand prize.
"I was in such shock that I thought it was a friend playing a prank on me when I got the call that we had won," he said. "I had to call the number back just to confirm, and it still took a few days for it to sink in.
"I'm still waiting to get the call that this was all a mistake."
Nikita said Memphis was a huge part about the film, and Pitts was the driving force behind all the work that went into it.
"I learned a lot from Rod (Pitts)," he said. " What we both bring to the table provides a yin and yang that just makes our work worthwhile.
"It is scary getting to the next level only because I may not be able to work on more projects with him."
Another director that has been influenced by Pitts is the co-director and writer of "What Goes Around" Nazeeh Majeed, alumnus of the Communications department.
"Working with Rod (Pitts) is great because it always felt like friends getting together to work so you can imagine how fun it was," Majeed said.
Majeed agreed with Pitts about being a filmmaker.
"If you want to do this for the rest of your life, just get out there and do it - no class can tell you how to be an artist, you have to learn that on your own."
Pitts said to be looking for more movies from him including an untitled horror film project that they will be casting in the next couple of months.
The Indie Memphis Film Festival is at Muvico. Tickets are $6.50. "Just the Two of Us" and "What Goes Around" are showing Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.
For more information about the films visit pittstopproductions.com
