The Film and Production Club premiered its first two short films of the semester in front of student audiences in the TV lounge March 1.
“The Act-Shun,” a game-show styled comedy about an acting competition, was written and directed by senior Kenton Baer, while “A Peculiar Set of Stairs,” a psychological thriller set in the Lane Hall stairwell, was written and directed by sophomore Joseph Johnson. More than 20 Hillsdale students were involved in the production of the films, according to junior Joshua Burnett, president of the Film and Production Club,
“A Peculiar Set of Stairs” also featured an original score from junior and student composer Ethan Graham. According to Graham, the score used a recurring musical motif each time a particular pipe appeared in the movie. Additionally, Graham wrote his score using Shepard tones, which are descending sounds overlapped and faded into one another in order to create dramatic tension and the impression of a never-ending spiral.
“A couple of the points they had noted were about trying to draw out the endless loop idea,” Graham said, referring to the plot of “A Peculiar Set of Stairs,” which revolves around a professor who becomes trapped in a perpetually descending stairwell.
Jonathan Schulz, a senior who attended the first showings of “The Act-Shun” and “A Peculiar Set of Stairs,” said that he appreciated Graham’s composition.
“It was really cool how the score had these recurring tunes when different elements came in and I really liked how they ended with the Central Hall chimes going in the background,” Schulz said.
According to Burnett, it took about 12 consecutive hours in the Lane stairwell to shoot “A Peculiar Set of Stairs.”
“I felt what Kellan’s character felt, just being trapped in there,” Burnett said, referring to the protagonist of the film who descends a seemingly endless set of stairs.
Sophomore Charlie Cheng, a member of the Film and Production Club who will be releasing a film of his own later this semester, served as a cameraman for “A Peculiar Set of Stairs.”
“In the set, the atmosphere was so on the spot that I was totally into it,” Cheng said. “I was feeling frustrated and wanted him to escape.”
Johnson said that this had been his first opportunity to film with a full film crew, but that the shoot had gone very well.
“Charlie Cheng just crushed it,” Johnson said.
Burnett said that there had been a good turnout for the films and that the Film and Production Club plans to continue improving.
“This wasn’t the end. This was a baseline,” Burnett said. “We want to keep getting better in terms of what we’re able to do in quality and scope.”
Burnett also said the Film and Production Club presented an opportunity for anyone with creative ambitions or a love for film.
“This is a place where you can learn how to do stuff and you can work on some really cool projects,” Burnett said.
