May 13, 2008

California State University, Fresno alumnus Robert J. Thissen will go to New York soon to pitch his idea for a film to cable-TV’s Sci-Fi Channel after winning its Exposure Film Contest with an eight-minute movie, “Paradox Road.”

Thissen’s film was posted on the cable network’s Web site for several weeks after being selected as a finalist in the contest. Then it was broadcast May 20 to herald an online, “American Idol”-style popularity vote among the nine finalists.

Thissen’s production received the most votes, according to Sci-Fi Channel, which conducted the contest in collaboration with the Sundance Channel, whose focus is independent films.

“Paradox Road” is a psychological drama featuring Fresno-area actors that was filmed in Fresno and Madera counties on a $500 budget. It originally was intended as a pilot for TV suspense-action series, but Thissen cut it down to fit the contest specifications.

Thissen produced, directed, wrote, edited, scored, created special effects and operated the camera on “Paradox Road.”

“I will be pitching a sci-fi action film entirely different from ‘Paradox Road,’” said Thissen, who declined to disclose his idea.

He’s also hopeful that “Paradox” isn’t at the end of its development road. “I have a vision for ‘Paradox Road’ as a film, if the network decides to take it into a different format,” he said.

Thissen earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fresno State. As a graduate student, he produced and directed two short award-winning films – a horror ghost mystery and a sci-fi action movie – that helped him get jobs in the film industry. He hopes to become a movie director.

Thissen’s film has its own Web site at www.geocities.com/paradoxroad and also is at www.scifi.com/exposure.