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I attended the Bob Dylan movie at YES Cinema in Columbus with Avery Tallent and Ben Cleland, and the “Midwestern” video was played before the movie that caught the attention of all and received positive reactions. It was not the first time for me viewing; however, I was admittedly surprised to see it considering the video was created several years ago by Devon House Creative, which a former student and Hauser graduate, Daniel Anderson, produced. 

I asked Daniel to respond to some “HSJ Online” questions knowing others would be interested in viewing the video and knowing more about it as well as more about Daniel's company, Devon House Creative.

Q: How long has this video been at the YES Cinema, and what kind of agreement do you have with them?
A: Diane Doup and Randy Allman with Yes Cinema and LCNFC have always been very kind to show the videos I have made. Diane reached out in December of 2024 saying manager Ron Adams was looking for program fillers and wanted to use both “Midwestern” and “Indiana - More Than Corn” regularly. As far as I am concerned, they are welcome to use the videos as long as people are enjoying them!

Q: When did you make the video, and how did you come up with the concept?
A: The video was shot in fall of 2018 and completed in early 2019. Cofounder at Devon House and friend of mine, Nick Rieth, wrote and directed the piece; I produced it. He was inspired by a plastic grocery bag drifting across the road and thought: “That looks like the tumbleweed of the Midwest.” And believe it or not, that’s how the idea of a western set in the Midwest came about.

Q: Who are the main characters?
A: Byron Wolter and Alex Westrick, two friends and fellow filmmakers, were kind enough to lend their time to this creative project.

Q: When watching it, I just think of a fun video. Did you have fun producing it?
A: Absolutely! It was all shot in one (long) weekend. Despite the cold, everybody had a great time being goofy and tossing beanbags around. Creative projects like this are done for the love of storytelling and the craft of filmmaking.

Q: Why did you choose Hope for the location?
A: As a Hope native, when we began talking about locations, I insisted on using the Hope Square. Between the clock and building façades, it had just the right amount of midwestern charm while still alluding to an old western town.

Q: How costly was it to produce? Has it made any money for your company?
A: We paid for our cast and crew’s gas money and meals, which can add up. But in the case of a single weekend shoot, we only spent a couple hundred dollars. Cast and crew were all kind enough to donate their time to the project.

Q: How many views has it received on YouTube? 
A: It has only received 700 views on YouTube; it was never made with the intent of going viral. However, “Indiana - More Than Corn” has received 20,000 views at present.

Q: And, what do you want to share about the “Indians-More Than Corn” video which I also viewed several years ago? You portrayed Abraham Lincoln and did a fabulous job. Once again, it appeared to be a fun production. I was thinking every fourth grade class in Indiana should watch it since there is so much material about Indiana.
A: We have had several teachers reach out about using the video, and we are thrilled that it is being used for education. All are welcome to it! “Indiana - More Than Corn” was another passion project we created when Patrick Rieth, the third co-owner of Devon House Creative, had the idea for a music video about Indiana. It came about at a time where many friends were moving away, and we wanted to show pride for our home state. We thought the idea would have a wide appeal to our fellow Hoosiers. Judging by the many positive reactions over the years, we were right. This one was a much bigger undertaking than “Midwestern” as we drove all across northern to south-central Indiana to get footage. That summer took us from the Indiana Dunes to Fort Wayne to Indianapolis to Bloomington to Columbus and even a stop nearby Hope, just to name a few places.

Q: Your company also did a very short and wonderful video for “HSJ Online” several years ago due to a gracious grant from the Hawcreek-Flat Rock Area Endowment, and it received many views. How many short videos have you produced for nonprofit and for-profit companies? When in fifth grade, we had a science program with many visuals due to the importance of visuals when learning. Can you share how a video has helped a client reach another level?
A: Absolutely! Our client work with Devon House Creative specializes in Motion Graphic animation, and we have been in business for nearly 8 years now. A quick handful of our clients include a Quantum Computing company, a Medicare insurance company, construction and logistics companies, and postsecondary education. We are especially proud of the video we made for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology last year.

Q: Where can readers view the short creative projects other than YES Cienma? Is there anything else you wish to share about producing them?
A: "Midwestern” and “Indiana - More Than Corn” are our two most recent creative projects, though they are hardly recent anymore. They are both publicly available on YouTube. We were selected for the Indy Shorts at Heartland Film Festival the year we finished “Midwestern” which was a wonderful experience. I believe Indy Shorts and Yes Cinema are the only two places we submitted the video.

Q: If I or someone else is interested in creating a short movie, what kind of funding would be needed?
A: Filmmaking can be an investment, both of time and money. But fortunately, a good group of friends, a smartphone, and free editing software are all you really need to make videos these days. The story is ALWAYS more important than the medium used. I encourage anyone interested in film to start with and use your limitations instead of investing in expensive gear. Storytelling is hard, so practice a lot. Once learning story principals and pacing, I promise the video you shoot on a cell phone will do better than a great many festival shorts I’ve seen.

Q: I, as well as many others, went to YES Cinema to watch “The Shattered Vial” movie which you know much about, and it received special recognition. Have you ever made another long movie? I know you were hired to do a screenplay for “The Well House” book and play by Mark Van Voorhis which has much to do about Vietnam. Mark and I have tried to get others interested; however, we have not had any success. What percentage of screenplays do you think actually become movies?
A: I wrote, produced, and directed the feature film “The Shattered Vial” while I was in college at Ball State (despite it not being a class assignment), which also premiered at Yes Cinema in 2016 and won an Audience Choice Award at the YES Film Festival. That is the only feature I have made to date, but I have written a couple screenplays, including a first draft of one for “The Well House” after it had much success as a play at WILLow LeaVes. Unfortunately, it’s time period and overseas production are budgetary roadblocks that are nearly impossible to overcome on an independent budget. I wouldn’t venture to guess a ratio of scripts that get produced, but I know it is small. Scripts are far cheaper to produce than feature films.

Q: What is Devon House Creative focusing on presently?
A: We are an animation and video production studio serving the greater Indianapolis area as well as a few remote clients. With three owners and one full time employee, we hope to grow as a company and produce better and better videos.

Q: Your sister, Sarah, also a former student and Hauser graduate, was recently featured in “The Republic” for her artistic endeavors, in particular in ceramics. Do the two of you ever get together to discuss the ups and downs of owning a business?
A: Of course! We have always been very close and sharing in the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial world often comes up. In her early days of Instagram fame, I gave her advice on video production, though she always had an eye for it. Now, she gives me advice on navigating social media!