team gives campus moviefest another shot

April 17, 2013

By Sarah Walker

Comment Staff

After their film did not get played in last year’s Campus Movie Fest, Communication majors senior Michael Ernst and junior Anthony Umbrianna decided to give it another try.

Campus Movie Fest is the world’s largest college short-film festival, giving students an opportunity to make their own five-minute film in just one week. On April 3, the teams at Bridgewater State University picked up their free equipment : a high-definition video camera, Apple MacBook, Tripod, and editing software. On Wednesday, April 17, the top 16 films will be played, along with crowning a winner for Best Comedy, Drama, and Picture.

Among the teams were Ernst and Umbrianna. Ernst took on the role of director and Umbrianna as the editor, and they used their friends to compile the rest of their team. Already Ernst and Umbrianna said this year’s film was better than lasts.

“First, we had more talent commitment which gave us more time to film and get the best shots,” Umbrianna said. “Also, this year Mike and I did double camera shooting which was cool. It gave us the ability to get multiple angles for only one shot.”

As for the film’s plot and the filmmakers’ ideas, Ernst came up with the story by thinking about his life as a student at Bridgewater State.

“I begun to think about how funny it would be to see teachers acting inappropriately at school, so I thought about putting it into a film,” Ernst said.

Ernst pitched the idea to Umbrianna and from there the team ran with it, said Umbrianna.

As for the cast, Ernst and Umbrianna wanted to use their own friends and place them in ridiculous, hilarious circumstances, similar to their own lives.

“Obviously none of my friends in the film are teachers,” said Ernst, “but the way they act in the film somewhat relate to our conversations.”

Umbrianna also thought having their friends star in the film was a good idea.

“It was cool because the way [Ernst] pitched the movie, he had certain friends of ours for each role, and each one of them were perfect for their part,” Umbrianna said.

Playing the character of the new professor is Ernst and Umbrianna’s close friend, senior Political Science major Emmanuel Perez.

“It was pretty interesting being the lead role in the film,” said Perez. “The character I was playing fit my own personality pretty well, so it was an easy and natural role to take, which just made it all the more fun.”

Putting together a film for Campus Movie Fest, however, was not always fun and easy. Ernst explained the most challenging part of the competition was to get everyone in the same place when it came time to shoot.

“Its a challenge to cast and crew to find a schedule to film, and edit in time,” said Umbrianna.

Although the task is trying at times, Umbrianna recognized that this only would help him, Ernst and anyone else who is serious about filmmaking.

Even though Campus Movie Fest meant staling school work and social life, Ernst and Umbriano think the competition is also rewarding at the same time that it is challenging.

For Ernst, being able to show the final product to his friends and family while making them laugh, is the most rewarding thing about the competition.

“I can also add this film to my portfolio when I look for a job,” said Ernst.

On the other hand, Umbrianna thinks the most rewarding thing about making a film for Campus Movie Fest is the practice and ability to compete amongst others at Bridgewater State.

“There is some solid competition at this school,” said Umbrianna, “and I think that even making the top 16 is a huge honor.”

Sarah Walker is on the Comment’s Design Team. Email her at swalker@student.bridgew.edu.