Jenkins Double Feature
Hannah Owens Managing Editor
At 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 local cinephiles gathered at the Vaska Theater for a free double-feature screening of two films by Cameron University professor and independent filmmaker Dr. Matt Jenkins.
His latest works, "Ambiguous Indifference" and "Static in the Ether", offered audiences a glimpse into Jenkins’ unique storytelling style, with both films reflecting his signature mix of quirky characters, lifealtering dilemmas and witty dialogue. The screening drew an audience of 70 people.
"Ambiguous Indifference) tells the story of Cheryl Long (Pamela Bell), a big-city book editor whose car breaks down in small-town Oklahoma. There, she encounters mechanic Dooley Jax (Dan Perrin), who, through her encouragement, begins writing a novel. The film blends humor and heartfelt moments, leaving viewers to wonder whether Cheryl’s instruction to “contact her when it’s done” refers to the novel or the car repair.
Jenkins’ blend of small-town charm and personal growth resonates deeply, with Dooley’s journey to Houston offering both literal and figurative exploration.
In "Static in the Ether", prominent actress Ava Grant (Heather Gilbert) is at the lowest point in her career, reeling from a series of personal and professional blows. Meanwhile, former heartthrob Benson Powell (Perrin), a man similarly plagued by failure, botches a bank robbery and sets out to rob a convenience store. The film interweaves their stories, building tension as these two
the fragility of fame and the search for redemption, portraying characters grappling with significant life changes in a raw and realistic way.
These films reflect Jenkins’ dedication to his craft and his methodical approach to filmmaking. He spends anywhere from six months to a year writing his scripts, producing seven to eight versions before finalizing one.
“. . . don’t let anybody else’s negativity or rejection of your work stop you.”
eggs his longtime viewers have come to expect. A $15 mug purchased for an earlier film appears in both "Ambiguous Indifference" and "Static in the Ether", now a trademark of Jenkins’ work.
— Dr. Matt Jenkins Professor and Student Media Advisor
The production process is intensive, yet incredibly efficient, with filming typically completed in less than a week and editing done over the span of two to six months. Despite his low-budget filmmaking — Jenkins usually works with a modest $1,000 to $2,000 per film — his work resonates with audiences due to its character-driven narratives and clever storytelling.
Jenkins has made approximately 8-14 feature films, along with several shorts and documentaries, under his production company, Misfits of Film.
“We’re rough around the edges, but we love making movies, and we strive to make entertaining movies,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins encourages aspiring filmmakers to push forward with their creative projects, regardless of outside opinions.
“If you’re passionate about making movies or any art — painting, dance, sculpture, printing t-shirts — don’t let anybody else’s negativity or rejection of your work stop you,” Jenkins said.
Also present was a painting made specifically for his film "Rage Fear Love", and even off-screen characters in "Ambiguous Indifference" were represented by photos of recent Cameron graduates. Jenkins’ ability to weave in these subtle touches, along with familiar props, enriches the viewing experience for fans who’ve followed his career.
Professor David Bublitz, a Cameron University colleague of Jenkins, has worked with him for 13 years and contributed significantly to both of the latest films. Bublitz designed the posters for "Ambiguous Indifference" and "Static in the Ether", and he wrote two monologues for "Static in the Ether".
Bublitz credits Jenkins for providing him opportunities in the film industry.
“I have an IMDB credit entirely because of my interaction with Dr. J and the work that I’ve done with him," Bublitz said. "I like working on the film production with him."
Jenkins’ films have become a collaborative effort, with former students like Erica Traxler contributing regularly to his productions.
“He’s grateful for all the work everyone does when working on the films and takes great care of all of us," Traxler said. "He’s absolutely an amazing human being."
Jenkins is already hinting at his next project, which is currently in the scripting phase.
At 8 p.m. on Nov. 15 at the Vaska Theater Jenkins will host the next studentmade movie night.
Courtesy photo
Graphic by
Hannah Owens
Courtesy photo
Courtesy Graphic
Dr. Matt Jenkins
Amanda Purser Copy Editor
An educator, a film maker, a doting new grandfather and a professional, Dr. Matt Jenkins has dedicated his life to spreading knowledge and experience through his passion for media production.
Jenkins started out in a successful advertising career, but when it ended abruptly, he was at a turning point and made a choice to follow his heart
educator, filmmaker, grandfather
go and shoot, seeing if my estimates were right or not.”
Jenkins creates all of his movies under his production company, “Misfits of Film” and often alongside his unofficial partner, Charles Stanley of “3 A.M. Films.”
Stanley is a likeminded indie-film maker who Jenkins has worked with for nearly 25 years.
“It’s pure joy to work with him,” Jenkins said.
“And I would recommend anybody who works in this industry, to find a kindred spirit like that to work with. It makes the process so fulfilling and so much fun.”
Jenkins has a devoted group of actors and crew members who return year after year to assist on any project his imagination conjures up, which is a testament to his character and professionalism.
Cameron alumna and News 9 anchor Sylvia Corkill has reprised the character Daisy Chronicle in nine of Jenkin’s films.
Festival, for Pamela Bell’s role as book editor Cheryl Long. Bell, Perrin, Corkill and many others who have been long-time fans, colleagues, family and students of Jenkins’ were at the film’s debut showing on Oct. 28, at the Vaska Theater in Lawton. Jenkins was excited about it being featured at Movie Night, an ongoing event many Cameron students look forward to each semester.
Recent Cameron Journalism and Media Production graduate Alec Santos is no stranger to the event, and he attended to support Jenkins. Santos has several Movie Night submissions and awards, including first place for his spring 2024 short, “Signals of Space.” Santos studied under Jenkins while obtaining his degree and appreciated the continued opportunities to create throughout his journey.
and interests. With a desire to teach television and media production at a collegiate level, Jenkins knew he needed the credentials.
Working as the Delta State University Videographer, Jenkins took advantage of the free courses offered to him. There, he completed his Doctor of Education, with an emphasis on curriculum and supervision. After a brief teaching stent at Delta State, Jenkins took a position at Cameron
University where he has remained for over thirty years.
Although three decades of imparting knowledge and guiding students into fulfilling careers has been a great experience, Jenkins’ true passion is film making.
“I’ve made documentaries, I’ve made horror movies, but my favorite kind to make are light-heated comedies,” Jenkins said.
He thoroughly enjoys shooting on location in rural and southwest
Oklahoma, highlighting the unique landscapes and features, as the towns can often become characters of their own.
Jenkins also likes to shoot in Houston, Texas, which offers great aesthetics, a wider variety of actors and a caterer that his cast and crew love returning to.
Jenkins has experience in every aspect of film making, but he prefers pre-production the most.
“(I enjoy) seeing the script that I’ve written, breaking it down and deciding how much time I need at each location,” Jenkins said. “Then when we actually
Another recurring cast member, Dan Perrin, was the inspiration behind the main character of Jenkins’ most recent film, “Ambiguous Indifference.” The film’s protagonist, “Dooley” represents the traits Perrin naturally brings to each role.
Much like a quintessential Okie, Dooley is hard working, often misunderstood, undervalued, and holds a surprising talent as a gifted writer which is a major dynamic in the film.
“Ambiguous Indifference” currently has a fifty percent acceptance rate in various indie-film festivals and won the Best Actress award in the Canadianbased Couch Film
“I took a lot of classes with Jenkins, from introduction courses to more advanced ones,” Santos said. “Out of all of them, corporate video was my absolute favorite and making a short film for that class was a core memory.”
Jenkins gave plenty of advice over the years, but one message truly resonated with Santos.
“He told us to, ‘do what you love and never let anyone bully you into thinking you’re not capable,’ and that will stick with me for the rest of my life,” Santos said.
Jenkins has no plans to retire from teaching and intends to continue balancing his passions and imparting knowledge onto young creatives, for as long as possible. His next movie idea is already in the works, so, stayed tuned.
Posters courtesy of David Bublitz
Courtesy Photo
I have recently rekindled my childhood fondness toward the X-Men which returned after the release of “Deadpool and Wolverine.”
As a longtime lover of all things superheroes and comic book movies, I remember watching most of the Marvel movies in theaters and growing up with a slightly above-average knowledge of the characters.
Thanks to my sudden obsession with the X-Men, I’ve done a bit of a deep dive into the franchise. I rewatched all of the Fox films and – in my craving for more spandex-wearing characters – I started to watch the 1992 animated series, “X-Men.” I noticed plenty of differences, as expected of any comic book adaptation.
The series, for one thing, leans more towards portraying the racism metaphor of the X-Men.
Both show and movie portray mutants as an oppressed people, though the allusions to race are more prominent in the similarities between the anti-mutant group Friends of Humanity.
In comparison, the films play into the homophobia metaphor of mutantkind. This is seen most clearly in a scene in “X2” of Bobby Drake (Iceman) coming home to greet his family, in which his mother says the famous line: “Have you tried not being a mutant?”
The show also features more of my personal favorite characters, Rogue and Jubilee.
While the characterization of said women is at times questionable – How many times are we going to see Rogue crying over a guy? Why is Jubilee still relegated
to the annoying teen girl stereotype? – there is at least some comfort in knowing these beloved women get to shine.
There’s also Gambit (Remy LeBeau), the carddealing Cajun who has an onand-off romance with Rogue. I have come to appreciate him even more after his brief and questionable portrayals in “Wolverine: Origins” and “Deadpool and Wolverine.”
The film does feature Rogue in the first X-Men movie, but much of her storyline is actually derived from the familial/mentormentee relationship between Jubilee and Wolverine in the show and comics.
Jubilee is featured as a background character in the original X-Men film trilogy, though she has a slightly larger role in “X-Men: Apocalypse,” where she is played by Lana Condor. Unfortunately, many of her scenes were cut for time.
One of the most confusing aspects of the X-Men films is the timeline.
Unlike the show, which stays on one (generally)
stable track, the conflict of buying character rights and the chaos of movie production makes the X-Men films difficult to watch in order.
Scott Summers (Cyclops) is a character who grew up in the foster care system in the 1992 animated series; but in the film franchise, his background isn’t really explored, though we can surmise from scenes in “X-Men: Apocalypse” that he still lives with his biological brother and his mother throughout his teenage years.
At the same time, Cyclops also appears as a teenager in “Wolverine: Origins” as a kidnapped mutant, which is years before the events of “Apocalypse” where he is also a teenager, so… There’s a big question mark over his background.
Just in general, the movies don’t care much about Scott – he gets sidelined since the very first movie and killed off in the third with little fanfare – which is unfortunate given that he is usually portrayed as the leader of the X-Men.
Since the 1992 show runs on the typical “weekly villain” cycle of an action series, there is little focus on character development in favor of the action. Many of the characters remain stagnant throughout the series, and the complex nature behind mutant rights is left unexplored.
This is particularly relevant with Erik Lehnsherr, better known as Magneto, who is often considered a villain of the X-Men; but the films (mainly “X-Men: First Class”) explore his complex background as a Holocaust survivor and his radical stance on uplifting mutants.
The show does acknowledge that Magneto is a Holocaust survivor — though perhaps not with any tact, given that Professor X telepathically beams traumatic memories into Magneto’s mind early in the series out of self defense. Not too sure what to make of that.
Speaking of Magneto: there is, again, some questionable timeline nonsense going on with him and Charles Xavier (Professor X) in the rebooted films, which show the characters in their youth. Young Professor Xavier is played by James
McAvoy while Michael Fassbender plays young Magneto.
In “X-Men: First Class,” the characters are in their mid-20s; then, a decade passes between “First Class” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past”; another decade passes, bringing us into “Apocalypse” and yet another decade goes by into the final Fox film, “Dark Phoenix.”
This would leave Charles and Erik at about fifty- to sixtyyears-old, but James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were only in their early forties at the time of filming.
So basically, these characters need to drop their skincare routine expeditiously because they hardly aged over the course of thirty odd years.
I cannot definitively say whether either of these adaptations are better than the other.
They both have their merits – the show has a better rendition of Jean Gray’s “Dark Phoenix” character arc, and the movies have the coolest fight scenes you will experience in your life, mainly thanks to Magneto.
If you want fast paced, silly, comic book-y fun, the 1992 series is for you.
If you can spare a couple hours (read: days) to watch through the entire film franchise, you will undoubtedly enjoy the performances and action sequences. There’s a very good reason why Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine on-screen for over twenty years.
I’ve had more than my fair share of superheroes in my lifetime, but the X-Men remain a staple in my childhood. Excuse me while I look ahead to watching whatever new scraps of them I can get.
Amelia Lozano Voices Editor
Graphic by Amelia Lozano
A DECADE OF
“WHIPLASH”
Julian Ebacher Staff Writer
“Whiplash”, directed by Damien Chazelle is a fantastic movie, one that I would happily declare my favorite of 2014, one of the greatest years for film of all time, and it received its due success among the critical, commercial, and, critically, the commercially critical audiences.
Oct. 10 marks its tenth anniversary, and that success really allowed it to maintain a classic status to this day.
Throughout its development, I don’t think it was ever expected to reach audiences in the way it did, and if I’m being frank, I don’t think it ever meant to.
Yet it did nonetheless.
There was something compelling to audiences about a psychological horror slash sports drama wrapped in a jazz film, a “something” perhaps more elusive than it may seem.
It is a beautiful story about obsession, about the lengths one will go to become truly great, and if that greatness is worth it at all. It is the tale of a messiah who really thought that he could accomplish something that would outlive him, never understanding that such a legacy was perhaps not worthy of the cost.
Initially, I wanted to write about that very thing — the film’s legacy: its impact on indie dramas as a whole, telling artists that they could turn a profit in avant-garde, low budget, creatively rich films, which I would argue eventually culminated in “CODA” winning the 2022 Oscars, and, more recently, the breakout success of “Anatomy of a Fall;” its propulsion of Damien Chazelle’s career into modern classics like “La La Land” and “Babylon;” and perhaps even the film’s hand in arguably assisting the rise of the new wave of jazz music.
However, after a moment, a thought struck me.
The eclectic subjects that take inspiration from a piece of art are not that art’s legacy — art is enduring, its legacy is built entirely on its own merit and the impact that it continues to have on its own right, not just as the ancestor of other works.
It would be unjustifiable and (dare I say) rude to discuss the legacy of “Whiplash” without entirely devoting it to “Whiplash.”
The film follows a young man named Andrew Nieman, someone completely devoted to jazz drumming, one who idolizes the greatest in the field, someone prodigiously talented in his trade and willing to take the steps necessary to become someone who could follow through with his dream.
He works hard, he has a natural affinity for it and he refuses to be dissuaded from his divine calling. In any other story, he would be the bright-eyed hero who is vindicated through his struggle, someone who finally manages to become one of the greats.
And he does.
By the end of the film, as one of the greatest musical performances in the history of cinema, a nine-minute drum composition, plays, the world takes on an almost magical quality, one that could bring forth Lazarus and keep the audience enraptured enough to ignore his resurrection both.
He has accomplished his goal, he has become numbered among the greatest jazz drummers of history.
There is a success, one that he absolutely rejoices in.
His dream is finished, and he is happy. In this story, he is the bright-eyed hero who is vindicated through his struggle, someone who finally managed to become one of the greats.
But there was a cost far too great.
The second character we meet is Terrence Fletcher, played impeccably by J.K. Simmons in an Oscar-winning performance, and he instantly shows that he will exact his pound of flesh.
The head of the jazz orchestra at the most prestigious music school in the nation, to call Fletcher a sadistic perfectionist would be putting it quite lightly.
If anything is short of legendary, it is insufficient, and if the piece is indeed legendary, then it’s borderline.
He gets to know Nieman, cracking the shell of the prospective drummer until he opens up to him, and humiliates him with that information in what is probably the most iconic scene of the movie.
Asking Nieman to play a piece, he insists that the tempo is wrong. Nieman adjusts.
It is still wrong.
It goes on for a while.
Nieman is always wrong.
Fletcher slaps Nieman.
Nieman is wrong.
Fletcher throws a chair at Nieman’s head.
Nieman is wrong.
In the first scene we have with Fletcher, it is shown exactly how much of an abusive monster he is.
As the film progresses, he does not get any better.
The same cannot be said for Nieman.
He gets monstrously good, constantly trying to live up to Fletcher’s impossibly high standards and constantly failing. Eventually, the pressure mounts; there is only so much a person can take in a fundamentally toxic environment.
Fletcher has insulted him one too many times, and there is a decision made to give up on his dream.
There is a decision made to end the beration, end the constant anger, to free him from the pallor
hanging over his life, one with a name.
It’s revealed that Fletcher drove a previous student, a marvelously successful one, to suicide.
One of Nieman’s idols within jazz drumming, one he listened to religiously, one he formed his life around, suffered the same fate.
With the help of Nieman, Fletcher is fired.
But Nieman finds that he cannot simply give up on his life, on his soul.
He returns to Fletcher, and sits in an awkward, bittersweet, human moment, one in which Fletcher laments that he has never been able to raise a truly great student, that they had all failed.
He could never understand that such an empty repose was his own fault.
And, in the end, Nieman ascends to the level of his idol.
He has chosen greatness over whatever life he might have wished to have some other time in years past.
He has made himself into someone who shall be immortal.
He will be lauded and praised and die an early death, never knowing what it would have been like to live as a human instead of as a prodigy.
And throughout that, you can see some of Chazelle’s own story stitched into that. He has made no bones of the fact that the story was semiautobiographical.
Yet that is not perhaps the most interesting parallel here.
Because “Whiplash” follows Chazelle’s path with his own movie.
He has achieved greatness in filmmaking, working on something that was far greater than he could ever have imagined, born out of a short film made for a festival.
Yet it has grown, it has consumed his legacy in a way that a lot of us simply cannot comprehend.
There is no way to close the Box of Pandora again.
He will always be an idol.
He will always be the one striving to be that idol, putting everything else aside. “Whiplash” is the story of “Whiplash,” in its own right.
It insists upon itself, not necessarily in a bad way, but in that it is endlessly recursive, something that folds in on itself like some reverse fractal, leaving everyone involved elated and broken all at once.
Perhaps there are better fates to be trapped in than to have your entire legacy overwritten by one creation.
Yet with a film as good as “Whiplash” as a legacy, what is there to complain about?
Graphics by Kaley Muse
Trunk-or-TreaT
students and community too ghoul for school
Hannah Owens Managing Editor
From 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 29 in the Howell Hall parking lot, Cameron University’s campus transformed into a festive hub as the Association of Computing and Technology Students (ACTS) hosted a Trunk or Treat event.
The event featured approximately 15 participating organizations, including the university’s newspaper, and attracted hundreds of costumed children from the Lawton community.
ACTS President and computer science senior Belinda Foley coordinated the event with the Office of Student Life.
Foley was excited to be involved on campus.
“The very first thing I said was I wanna be in everything,” Foley said. “I wanna do everything.”
The Trunk or Treat featured a variety of themed setups, including “Jaws” and “Harry Potter,” along with engaging activities such as cornhole and a roping station with a practice cow.
Despite the challenges posed by Oklahoma’s characteristic winds, the event proceeded smoothly, much to the delight of young attendees.
Event organizers promoted Trunk or Treat through local community listings, contributing to the event’s popularity.
Graphics by Steven Utter
In conjunction with the Trunk or Treat, Kappa Theta Pi (KTP), a co-ed professional fraternity specializing in information technology, organized a Zombie Walk fundraiser.
Participants registered to walk the Aggie Mile, with proceeds supporting KTP’s initiatives.
Kappa Theta Pi is dedicated to fostering a community of students passionate about technology.
Notably, KTP is open to all students, regardless of major or minor, provided they have an interest in technology.
Computer Science major Angelica Martinez said she enjoys reaching out to the Cameron community.
“... and I think the Cameron community likes helping out with others,” Martinez said.
The Trunk or Treat and Zombie Walk events exemplified the strong collaboration between Cameron University and the Lawton community, successfully bringing together participants for an evening of fun and engagement.
Photos by Hannah Owens
Setting the Standard Athlete Spotlight: Rachael White
Matthew Hasley Sports Editor
For junior volleyball player Rachael White, success is about more than just winning games; it’s about finding balance and staying grounded through the highs and lows of collegiate demands.
From her small-town roots in Colorado to the fast-paced life of a college athlete, White’s journey to Cameron University exhibits dedication and resilience.
In her first season at the Division II level, White is learning to juggle all of her responsibilities and remain focused on what matters to her.
“Not even just balancing out the schoolwork and being an athlete and having to go from, you know, weights
to a class, to practice, or anything like that,” White said. “But also trying to really find time for yourself and the needs outside of school and volleyball.”
Compared to her experiences at junior college, White found the pressure of traveling and competing in the Lone Star Conference to be quite an adjustment.
Her decision to transfer to Cameron came after creating highlight reels and reaching out to several coaches, which reminded her of high school.
White advises anyone considering other school options, to make academics a priority.
“They call it a studentathlete for a reason,” she said.
White’s hard work on the court has secured
key accomplishments, including a season at Western Texas College with over 500 assists.
This year at Cameron, White continued the momentum and achieved 1,000 career assists.
“When we have good passes from our serve receive and I’m able to put up a good, hittable ball for my hitters — they do the work and get the kill,” White said. “I give a lot of credit to my teammates just helping make my job easier. (They) help me achieve my goals.”
As the youngest of three sisters, White attributes her family with shaping her athletic journey. Both of her older sisters played collegiate volleyball, with Jenna White currently competing at the University of Texas at Tyler.
“My oldest sister Lauren has just always been an amazing role model,” White said. “I mean, I’ve always wanted to be exactly like her.”
A communication and marketing major, White aims to use her skills in the family’s horse business and beyond.
“Agriculture has been a big part of my life,” she said. “With my family business … we definitely have marketing needs and communication needs.”
White’s long-term goal is to work in marketing or event management, combining her education with her love for agriculture. As a student-athlete far from
her Colorado home, White understands the importance of finding encouragement and positivity from those who know her best.
““Talent doesn’t always beat hard work. You can be as good as you want, or better than anyone else on your team or in the college athletic world, but if you don’t actually work for what you’re trying to achieve, then it kind of gets dismissed.” - Rachael White Junior Volleyball Setter
“I have a great supporting group and family that have always been behind me,” she said.
“And there for (me) when I fall, I guess you could say.” At Cameron, White has found a second family in her Aggie teammates, who help her stay motivated both on and off the court.
As she looks to her future, White’s focus remains on staying driven, exceeding standards and helping those around her.
“Talent doesn’t always beat hard work,” White said. “You can be as good as you want, or better than anyone else on your team or in the college athletic world. But if you don’t actually work for what you’re trying to achieve, then it kind of gets dismissed.”
Photos by: Matthew Hasley