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It has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster, from an emotional tear-jerker involving a terminally ill cancer patient whose last wish on his bucket list is to father a son, to a whirlwind romance that could potentially ruin the lives of the woman he loves and their unborn child. But, "Mortal Man," set for its premiere at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Presser Performing Arts Center, was made entirely by Mexico High School students.
The film, which runs about 15 minutes, is the product of the Presser Performing Arts Center Film Camp, a two-week session that started this week, and runs through Aug. 13 on the PPAC campus and various locations throughout the city.
The students, ages 14 and older, are learning the ins and outs of acting and moviemaking from professional Hollywood actor, executive writer, producer, director and teacher Sam Dalton – who is experienced in all phases of film and television creation and production on both sides of a camera.
"This is a no-nonsense course that is tough, but fun. It's designed to give high school students hands-on experience in the art of filmmaking from concept to completion, compacted in a tight two-week schedule," said PPAC Executive Artistic Director Lois Brace. During the course, students are expected to conduct themselves as though the pre-college program/film track at PPAC is part of a full-time, college-level filmmaking course or industry-related summer job or internship.
"Students are expected to be on time, do the work, turn in the assignments, participate in class, and overall, have fun."
During the camp, students have the task of working as a team in creating and producing their own short-length (10- to 15-minute) digital film, handling everything from scripting and acting to directing, shooting and scouting filming locations. The course emphasizes the basic elements of the craft of acting for film using fundamental acting techniques and scene study as starting points. Every film, Dalton said, must have a story, structure, script, dialogue, character, cast, production value and marketability/commercial appeal.
Kaitlyn Brashear, 15, has helped establish the plot points, write the script and cast the production. The MHS sophomore said she was surprised to discover how long it takes to shoot a movie. She's excited for the premiere and having the chance to walk the red carpet. She plans to use her camp experience in her pursuit of a broadcast journalism career, as a news anchor.
"It's really fun, but way more than I thought it was going to be. There's a lot that goes into producing movies and short films," Brashear said. She is one of 11 students attending the camp. The premise of their film tells the story of a young man who finds out that he is going to die within months. He is an active young man who has a bucket list of things he has done in life. His last desire is to have a child to carry on his name after he is gone. The students brainstormed 33 ideas, before they narrowed it to one.
"This is a very talented group. This is likely one of the most intense and exhausting entities they probably have ever done in their life; but the most exhilarating," Dalton noted. "What they learn here will change their life, as well as point them in the right direction (in their career paths). When these young people finish this course, they will not only know what making a real movie is about, hopefully they will also take away that sense of dedication to the craft."
Dalton said he can usually tell the first day of camp, who will succeed. Pointing to the 11 camp attendees, he said, "I can say without doubt that one of them is going to be a producer, one of them is going to be a director, and one is going to be a choreographer.
"And hopefully, what they learn here will one day spark them to say ‘I did it once, I can do it again.’"
As for those who attend the premiere, Brace said, "I hope they appreciate the sheer magnitude of what it takes to make a film; most people have no idea.
"We hope they will enjoy it, and that the film will stir some interest in future camps."
The premiere is free and open to all.
The eleven students participating in the camp are Brent Arnold, Kaitlyn Brashear, Colin Cosby, Sadie Frazier, Abby Gooch, Dylan Kaufman, Jacob Lauer, Autumn Malcomson, Austin Patillo, Luke Shakelford and Haley Shipp.
It has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster, from an emotional tear-jerker involving a terminally ill cancer patient whose last wish on his bucket list is to father a son, to a whirlwind romance that could potentially ruin the lives of the woman he loves and their unborn child. But, "Mortal Man," set for its premiere at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Presser Performing Arts Center, was made entirely by Mexico High School students.
The film, which runs about 15 minutes, is the product of the Presser Performing Arts Center Film Camp, a two-week session that started this week, and runs through Aug. 13 on the PPAC campus and various locations throughout the city.
The students, ages 14 and older, are learning the ins and outs of acting and moviemaking from professional Hollywood actor, executive writer, producer, director and teacher Sam Dalton – who is experienced in all phases of film and television creation and production on both sides of a camera.
"This is a no-nonsense course that is tough, but fun. It's designed to give high school students hands-on experience in the art of filmmaking from concept to completion, compacted in a tight two-week schedule," said PPAC Executive Artistic Director Lois Brace. During the course, students are expected to conduct themselves as though the pre-college program/film track at PPAC is part of a full-time, college-level filmmaking course or industry-related summer job or internship.
"Students are expected to be on time, do the work, turn in the assignments, participate in class, and overall, have fun."
During the camp, students have the task of working as a team in creating and producing their own short-length (10- to 15-minute) digital film, handling everything from scripting and acting to directing, shooting and scouting filming locations. The course emphasizes the basic elements of the craft of acting for film using fundamental acting techniques and scene study as starting points. Every film, Dalton said, must have a story, structure, script, dialogue, character, cast, production value and marketability/commercial appeal.
Kaitlyn Brashear, 15, has helped establish the plot points, write the script and cast the production. The MHS sophomore said she was surprised to discover how long it takes to shoot a movie. She's excited for the premiere and having the chance to walk the red carpet. She plans to use her camp experience in her pursuit of a broadcast journalism career, as a news anchor.
"It's really fun, but way more than I thought it was going to be. There's a lot that goes into producing movies and short films," Brashear said. She is one of 11 students attending the camp. The premise of their film tells the story of a young man who finds out that he is going to die within months. He is an active young man who has a bucket list of things he has done in life. His last desire is to have a child to carry on his name after he is gone. The students brainstormed 33 ideas, before they narrowed it to one.
"This is a very talented group. This is likely one of the most intense and exhausting entities they probably have ever done in their life; but the most exhilarating," Dalton noted. "What they learn here will change their life, as well as point them in the right direction (in their career paths). When these young people finish this course, they will not only know what making a real movie is about, hopefully they will also take away that sense of dedication to the craft."
Dalton said he can usually tell the first day of camp, who will succeed. Pointing to the 11 camp attendees, he said, "I can say without doubt that one of them is going to be a producer, one of them is going to be a director, and one is going to be a choreographer.
"And hopefully, what they learn here will one day spark them to say ‘I did it once, I can do it again.’"
As for those who attend the premiere, Brace said, "I hope they appreciate the sheer magnitude of what it takes to make a film; most people have no idea.
"We hope they will enjoy it, and that the film will stir some interest in future camps."
The premiere is free and open to all.
The eleven students participating in the camp are Brent Arnold, Kaitlyn Brashear, Colin Cosby, Sadie Frazier, Abby Gooch, Dylan Kaufman, Jacob Lauer, Autumn Malcomson, Austin Patillo, Luke Shakelford and Haley Shipp.
