While many students spent their summers watching blockbusters in the theaters or new indies on iTunes, several UA students spent their summer actually making movies.
This summer, a group of UA students decided to make use of their break by filming two separate films, “$7.32” and “Relapse.” Although student films are made on campus all the time, these two were produced with almost no UA support.
Alex Cherry, a junior majoring in the telecommunication and film, was the director for “$7.32” and the first assistant director for “Relapse.” Working two different roles for the two films, she said she increased her skills in different capacities.
“When you are first assistant director, you are in charge of keeping things on schedule and going smoothly,” Cherry said. “On ‘$7.32’ I struggled with not worrying about those things. I had to be reminded not to worry about everything and stayed focused on the directing aspect.”
By foregoing UA support, these student filmmakers flexed their muscles by working independently. Caleb Butler, a junior telecommunication and film major, wrote “$7.32” in a screenwriting class. “Relapse” was first pitched in a directing class in the fall of 2016 and changed over time until it was finally filmed this summer.
Although there was no true UA support, professor Maya Champion stood behind both projects as a distinct source of confidence and support. Butler described her as one of the first to suggest turning his screenwriting class project into a real film, and the rest is history.
Bringing together a group of students during a summer to write, produce and direct a film is a task few undertake. Tasks changed daily, and students improvised as they went along. As the writer and producer for “$7.32” and the casting director for “Relapse,” Butler said the crews for both films complemented each other.
“From pre-production to the final shot, everything ran so smoothly,” Butler said. “We were able to work together nicely to get the job done.”
The film crews also looked for acting talent outside of Tuscaloosa. Many student projects in town look for aspiring UA actors and actresses, but for these films, every actor or actress was from out of state. While it was difficult to schedule the shoots around the out-of-state actors, the crew said the diversity paid off in the end.
“It was intimidating because one of the actresses had been in feature films in actual studios,” Cherry said. “We were trying to do our best to be professional, and I think we pulled it off! We obviously don’t have the Hollywood experience, but we all want to end up there. I was passionate about the stories and so was everyone else, so that is why everything worked out so well.”
These films are just two of the films created by UA students among many other productions that have already been produced or will be produced in the coming years. The support system between the students in the telecommunication department is always active. Just this upcoming fall, there are already over 15 potential projects by UA students.
“Not enough students are involved in projects, and they need to be,” said Reagan Wells, a junior majoring in telecommunication and film. “This is the time to get involved and to start having the experience of being on set and making something like this.”
Wells worked on the crews of both films, working as the Director of Photography for “Relapse” and working as 1st Assistant Camera for “$7.32.” He has been involved with productions since coming to the University and said his ability to join different student crews has allowed him to be a part of something special at almost all times. He is always working with his fellow students to find the next project to work on and how that crew can make something special.
The students involved in these projects explained that working on sets is difficult work. Working on a student set is a different kind of animal, learning how to organize shoots and get things done professionally without all the experience.
“As the nights get later the energy subsides, but everyone is committed,” Wells said. “Everyone is there for the same reason. Just being there, working together is something special that can’t be replicated. It is always so exciting.”
