Dogs, as the universal symbol of loyalty, have long been a motif in family films. This summer, Kevin Cooper, an alumnus of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, makes his directional debut with “I Heart Shakey,” the first-ever live-action 3-D independent family film, which he based off of his own dog, Chaplin.
Cooper moved to Los Angeles after graduating from New York University in 1993. Upon his arrival in Hollywood, he jumped straight into the film industry, starting out at the Creative Artists Agency. From there, he moved to a job working for Michael Bay, in which Cooper helped develop the screenplay for “Armageddon.” Cooper went on to work at Fox 2000, as well as James Cameron’s visual effects company, Digital Domain.
While producing the film “Secondhand Lions” at Digital Domain, Cooper was admitted into the UCLA Theater, Film and Television graduate program. Cooper, who graduated from UCLA with a concentration in creative producing in 2005, said he wanted to use his degree to produce, direct and teach.
“There were 12 of us and we were like a club with me as the old man. … I always knew I wanted to produce … but I also represented the other side of why someone would get a graduate degree, and that was to teach,” Cooper said.
Today, Cooper pursues his goal of being an educator by running the producing program of Columbia College’s film school in Chicago.
Having fulfilled his dreams of producing and educating, Cooper decided to take a turn in the director’s chair with “I Heart Shakey” while his wife DeAnna Cooper stepped up as executive producer. Kevin said that his background in producing allowed him to not worry as much about the business side of filmmaking. That meant he could really focus on the creative aspects of directing.
“I Heart Shakey” is a wholesome kid’s movie that tells a comedic and touching story about widower JT (Steve Lemme) and his daughter Chandler (Rylie Behr), as they move to Chicago with their dog Shakey. In their new building, the family discovers that they can’t keep Shakey, forcing JT to choose between his dreams of being a big-time chef and keeping the whole family together.
Kevin said that the film was inspired by autobiographical events involving his old dog Chaplin during his move from New York to Hollywood. Originally he used the concept for a project while attending UCLA and called it “Mutt in Manhattan.” Kevin said that despite some of the plot changes, the story at its core has always been about loyalty.
“Being intoxicated with Hollywood, I haphazardly chose to try and get rid of that dog, but he kind of rebelled when I tried to put him in new homes,” said Kevin. “After a few months I realized maybe this dog is trying to tell me something about myself and the importance of sticking together, so I ended up keeping that dog.”
DeAnna said that budget was the greatest obstacle they faced, especially because the film was an independent project. Additionally, Kevin chose to shoot using expensive 3-D equipment which can be risky considering they were dealing with a live dog. Nonetheless, Kevin defended the stylistic component.
“In working for James Cameron, he always said that 3-D was a way to immerse the audience and make them feel connected to the drama and the characters,” said Kevin. “I think that given the nature of the film … it enhances the audience’s feeling of being there, a little like theater.”
Actor Steve Lemme, who has been friends with Kevin since his time at New York University, said that despite the hardships that go with doing an independent film, the artistic freedom it allowed was just what Kevin needed in the discouraging Hollywood industry.
DeAnna said that working with and being married to Kevin has taught her about the power of collaboration in tight situations. Ultimately, she said that this was what allowed Kevin to overcome the budget obstacles.
“If there’s one thing that I try to take away from Kevin and that I admire, it’s that he’s so collaborative,” said DeAnna. “Even on the set with the talent and with the crew, he was so complimentary and considerate, and I think it really helped bring out the best in the actors.”