For the past 12 years, the media department has put together an event at the end of the school year that features the works of students in MDIA 419, Advanced Video Project Design.
This year, on June 3 at 7 p.m. in Mitchell Auditorium in Seigfred Hall, MDIA 419 Productions will showcase their newest works to friends and others at Ohio University.
The event will feature three short films made for the class MDIA 419: Here Lies Luther, Kickstand, and If the River Was Whiskey.
The process begins in the fall, when everyone gets into teams, each with about 15 members. During Winter Quarter, teams write scripts, which leads into pre-production and then filming, editing and now showing the films.
“After putting countless hours of pre-production, production and post-production into the films, I really hope that people in the Scripps College of Communications, as well as those who aren’t in the school, can see the hard work we have put into our project,” said Kelly Matousek, executive producer of Kickstand. “I hope that the people who come to the event can recognize that we made this film while balancing other classes, jobs and even trying to maintain a social life at OU.”
Of the three short films, two are based on the short stories of Joan Connor, an English professor at OU. Her short story, “October,” a character-based story about a recovering alcoholic, was turned into the short film Kickstand.
Here Lies Luther, based on Connor’s short story of the same name, is about an old man who comes back to life after passing away and the efforts of his caretaker and other people in his town to make him dead again.
“I’m really happy with it,” said Rachel Hohenfeld, director of Kickstand. “I think everyone did a great job. You do not know everyone’s expertise until you work with them and find their talents.”
The third story, If the River Was Whiskey, following the dissolving relationship between a couple and their son, is based on the short story by T.C. Boyle, an acclaimed New York-based author and short story writer.
“I really enjoyed having different minds come together to make one film,” said Benjamin Volk, director of Here Lies Luther. “The best part is seeing how we felt about a scene and seeing a little bit of everyone put in the film together.”
For each student involved, this project is a big chance for them to get the most honest and hardworking effort they can before trying their luck in Hollywood and beyond.
“This is the closest we are going to get to the professional world here in Athens,” said Mark Adelsberger, producer and co-writer of Here Lies Luther. “This is our chance to get our hands wet and ready for the real world.”
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