by Tori Metzger
J.D. Ramage, Capital alum circa 2011, will be shooting a short film titled The Race in Bexley this summer. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Ramage is pursuing his dream job of working in the film and television industry, a dream that began at Capital.
His upcoming short film, The Race, is inspired by a personal experience had through a track meet his senior year of high school.
“In a nutshell, it is about two runners from two different schools and upbringings, and the film takes place the day before their ‘big race,’” Ramage said. “The overall story deals with high school sports, regional hatred, and what it means to be a high school athlete. It’s a story I feel very passionate about.”
Bexley is his setting of choice for a couple reasons, the main reason being that it’s his hometown, and where the inspiration for the film began. Ramage graduated from Bexley High School before he attended Capital, so what better place to film?
Another reason, he said, is because “permits for shooting on public/private property in LA are very expensive; high schools in particular can be extremely costly.” Bexley and BHS have been accommodating and on board with the project.
Due to certain circumstances, Capital students will not be able to try out for cast positions, but Ramage said he is looking forward to having Capital EMF students help out on set if they are interested. As he was once in their place, there is much to be gained from students working with fellow Capital alum.
“It really wasn’t until college that I became interested in film and TV. I randomly took a Video Production course my junior year and immediately became hooked,” Ramage said. In his free time, he began learning about film and writing screenplays. His senior year at Capital, he met Josh Radnor, the writer/director/star of Liberal Arts, at Cup O’ Joe and landed a production assistant position for the film.
“Once I started working on set and actually seeing what it took to make a movie, that’s when I really, really became interested,” Ramage said.
It sounds as if everything fell into place, but the path to Ramage’s current career wasn’t exactly clear-cut. When he moved to LA, he slept on a friend’s couch for months, helping pay rent while he searched for a position at any film set that would have him. For the first few months, Ramage worked on several shoots for free, gaining contacts and building networks, before he was able to earn a paid position.
Ramage currently works as a freelance grip/electrician or PA on most short films, TV pilot or commercial shoots he is hired on. On the rare occasion that he has free time, he reads, runs and roots for the Browns.
There is currently no set premiere date or place for the film, but Ramage hopes to have it finished by November.
“It would really be a dream for the film to screen at the Drexel, considering it’s one of my favorite theaters in the whole wide world,” Ramage said.
Ramage also has advice for Capital students who are wearing the shoes he once stood in: “If you’re passionate about it, you really just have to go for it. It’s really hard to make a big step in your life, whether that step is moving to a big city across the country, or writing the first few sentences of that novel you’ve always wanted to author. There is never a good reason to passively wait to start something. Go out, work your butt off and don’t look back.”
tmetzger@capital.edu
