~STA MAzzEo: INDEPENDENTFILM PRODUCER ON THE RISE

by Cheryl Wagstaff staff writer

Krista Mazzeo. communications center supervisor and general manager of WYBF FM. has an independent film premiering on Dec. 14. titled "Bitters and Blue Ruin:·

An independent film is a movie that 1smade b) people \\-ho do not work for any kind of cmema com pany and do not have many contacts in Hollywood or Ne\1,York. It is <;trictlylow budget. It can cost anywhere from $300 to $50,000. Independent filmmakers are allowed to make theu- own decisions. However, these filmmakers must fund the entire film by themselves.

When Mazzeo graduated from Cabrini in Dec. 1998, she received a degree in English/communications. Although most people here associate her with Cabrini's radio station, she does have other interests. " I have fulfilled my goals with radio. Film just happened to be something that came along. and I figured let me try it out and c;ee how it works".~1.izzto said.

Her friend'> \\-rote the ,creen play five year,; ago They funded the entire mo\ 1e out of their own paychecks Tli.! actual filming took about two years.

Since f,.fazzeo had a background in sound and engineering, she decided to help them out.

The film is set in 1947. It is a type of dark comedy/mystery. It is about a college professor who is trying to \Hite a book, but he has writer's block. He winds up getting into an absinth ring, a type of alcohol that was banned because it had psychedelic effects on its users. lt is basically about all of the people that he encounters while he is trying to get this abc;inth and the other people in his life

Mazzeo always had fi1'1l m the back of her mmd. When s'le was httlt: she ahvays had dream" of packing her belongingi, and mo-.mg to Hollywood. She gave up those dreams because both she and her family knew th t it was not a stable lifestyle.

When asked where she gets her motivation from Mazzeo says, '·l.Jltimately motivation is to be able to live comfortably and to have money." She wants to have the financial freedom to be able to do other projects in her field of study. "It is getting to do what a lot of people only dream of doing" Mazzeo said.

The premiere will be held on Friday Dec. 14. The theater has a seating capacity of 500 and it is almost sold out.

Mazzeo's friends have already started to work on a few more scripts. She is hoping that this opportunity opens the door for them to work on upcoming films.