His award-winning film “Ruby in Paradise” would likely be a different shade of “red” if it were shot today, Director Victor Nunez told me Monday.
Nunez won the 1993 Grand Jury Prize for Drama at the Sundance Film Festival for his entry “Ruby in Paradise,” which starred a then-unknown Ashley Judd.
But the professor of film at Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts said if he were to do it now, new technology and an ever-changing industry climate might prompt him to use the RED camera to shoot his films.
“The university is committed to the REDs,” Nunez said. “A lot of people are using the REDs.”
The dedicated Florida resident, whose films have captured many an audience for their photography and character portrayals of everyday people, said he did bring “Ruby” up to date.
“I did a digital restoration on ‘Ruby,'” he said. “And of course, I would like to get distribution on the film. The market is changing.”
I hadn’t spoken to the professor since he left Sundance that day in 1993 with the top prize in his arms. He was an anticipated entry to the festival then, and since “Ruby,” he has made several films, notably “Ulee’s Gold,” which earned Peter Fonda a Best Actor Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination.
“There are so many options today, but I shot ‘Ruby in Paradise’ on Super 16,” he said. “There are so many options and all are amazing. There’s still something wonderful about film though.”
Nunez who has been teaching at Florida State for the last few years humbly calls himself a filmmaker, who “teaches nine months out of the year.”
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