FLICKZ
APRIL 2018
MAGAZINE
OSCAR Word Search
A Young Woman’s Journey to Pursuing Film
Inside the Film Industry Throwback Flick Movie Hacks to Use for Upcoming Films
Contents 1. Letter From the Editor 2. Quick Flickz 3. Inside the Film Industry 4. Throw Back Flick 5. Driscoll Dreams of Horror 6. 2018 Oscar Winners
7. Film Search 8. Hidden Treasures in Hollywood 9. Top 10 Best Film Schools 10. Surviving Sun Dance
Letter From The Editor To a lot of people, films are seen as a way to pass time or throw on some entertainment. They’re an easy go to for a first date, a simple idea for a night in with a large pizza, and even a way to keep the children occupied when you just need a minute to breathe. Up until recently, I was one of those people. It wasn’t until my final years of high school that I realized film was much more than that. After finding my passion for film, I viewed it from the perspective of a creator, instead your everyday person who needs to relax. In my eyes, films are stories that capture our attention, make us feel different waves of emotions, reach us on a personal level, and also inspire us. From film reviews, movie hacks, to hidden talent profiles, it is our mission to make film seem much more than just a way to pass time. Within this magazine, you will find an article that answers the question: What is it like to work in the film industry? Moving forward you’ll come across a Throw Back Review that will spark some nostalgia, and in case you need to take a break, you can direct your attention to a word search. So, sit back, relax, grab some popcorn and prepare to get your fix of film.
Irish Noel
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Quick Flickz Written by: Irish Noel Quick and easy Movie Hacks to use the next time you hit the theaters: 1. Use a straw to butter your popcorn more evenly 2. Remember to pack a sweatshirt
Picture retrieved from Google Images
3. Stash some snacks in your bag for later rather than paying $5 for a box of candy
Poppin’ Review: Get Out
After the release of “Get Out”, directed by Jordan Peele, audiences began applauding the movie for its creativity and unique twists. It received an incredible amount of attention and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. better Because of all of this, I figured it was definitely worth checking out. It had to be great, right? Wrong.
4. If you’re a serious movie goer, sign up for your local theaters rewards program 5. Sit towards the back of the theatre for sound quality
Picture retrieved from Google Images Looking forward to this year’s films? Here’s a list of 2018 Flicks to keep a lookout for: Reel News: Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War Solo: A Star Wars Story Ant-Man and the Wasp Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom The Incredibles 2 Deadpool 2 Red Sparrow Ocean’s 8 Mama Mia! Here We Go Again
After watching this film I was terribly disappointed. Maybe it’s just me, but the movie received too much hype. The plot twist was predictable and somewhat generic. I was expecting a turn of events that was completely unheard of, but of course the girlfriend turned out to be crazy and hopped on the bandwagon with her crazy family by kidnapping men of color. Then comes to find out this crazy family has a history of transferring the brains of caucasians into people of color so that the caucasians can gain the person of color’s strengths and talents. I don’t know... I guess I was just expecting a bit more of a realistic plot twist. Another aspect I can’t get over is how hard they tried to make stereotypes prevalent. I understand what they were going for. They were trying to emphasis the stereotypes of people of color in films,however, the sidekick character overemphasised these traits and it missed the mark. Don’t get me wrong, the frontman, Daniel Kaluuya, played a phenomenal role. I really wanted to be blown away by this film, but overall, Get Out, made me want to Get Out of the theater.
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Lasell’s Perspective: Inside the Film Industry Written by: Irish Noel
Dr. Brain Wardyga, Professor of Radio & Video Production at Lasell College. Photo by: Irish Noel Picture this. You come home from working a long and straining day. You throw off your shoes and inch yourself into your couch ready to unwind. With the click of a button you have hundreds of TV series, movies, documentaries, and short films at the tip of your hands. You decide to watch a movie that you’ve waited for months to see. Finally, you snuggle up with a blanket and for the next hour and a half you’re consumed with everything that’s projected on the screen. According to the New York Daily, “the average American watches 5 hours of TV a day.” To the public, the purpose of television and film is to entertain and pass time. They become engulfed in the graphics, the plot lines, the character development and more. By the end of it all, they tell their friends and family about what they’ve just watched. To a director, producer, and a cast, this is a success. However, do audiences at home ever think about the amount of time and hard work it takes to produce a movie or short film? One person who knows this process all too well is Dr. Brian Wardyga, a Radio & Video Production professor at Lasell College. “One thing I don’t think people assume about the film industry is how much time and dedication it takes to produce a piece of work. The most important aspect of producing a film is the pre-production. During this time, you have to write a script, create floor plans, seek out locations, and storyboard,” said Wardyga. According to Cinemaholic, pre-production can take about 6 months to a year of preparation. Although Wardyga spends much of his time teaching nowadays, the beginning of his career focused on Television. “I started off at WB56 in 1998 as a production assistant, within a year of that I moved to the associate director chair, I then moved on to nonlinear work which consisted of cutting promos for Star Trek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” said Wardyga. In addition to this, Wardyga took on his own short film projects.
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“I’d have to say the one short film I am most proud of was the one based off of my comic book, “said Wardyga. Originally, Wardyga had planned to become a comic book illustrator. He later changed his mind when he had to work on a project that consisted of shooting, editing, and directing. “I much more enjoyed working with people rather than just a pencil and myself,” he said. As time went on, he began to create short films that revolved around ninjas, vampires, and short pieces of literature. Another Lasell professor who has produced work in the film industry is Cheryl Eagan-Donovan, the professor of Screenwriting and Public Relations. “Writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed. I took my ability to write and mixed it with film,” said Eagan-Donovan. Over the course of the years, Eagan-Donovan has directed and produced two documentaries. As a side job, she gives manuscript consults to prospective screenwriters. “A day in my life is extremely busy. I come to Lasell to teach my courses. Then when I’m not doing that, I’m answering phone calls, setting up meetings, and working out the details for my current projects,” she said. Professor Cheryl Eagan-Donovan discusses the Boston Film Festival during class. Photo by: Irish Noel
As of recently, Eagan-Donovan has had the honor of featuring her latest documentary at the Boston Film Festival.
“It takes a lot of hard work to get a film or documentary recognized. If you’re going into a field like this, you have to be prepared to push and push. You have to be your biggest supporter,” said Eagan-Donovan. According to her, rejection becomes well known within the industry. “One of the toughest parts of this industry is the rejection. When I first started writing, I submitted poetry to all kinds of magazines. With this, I received multiple rejection letters. In a way, I found this to prepare me for what I’m doing now. There are going to be plenty of times when someone tells you ‘no’. But you have to keep moving forward because someday that ‘no’ will turn into a ‘yes’,” she said. In addition to pushing past rejection, Eagan-Donovan stressed the importance of networking and building relationships. “It’s important to work with all of the resources you have access to. For all you know, the person who’s helping you with your small production will soon be famous and well known,” said Eagan-Donovan. Due to their experience within the field, both Wardyga and Eagan-Donovan are sought after by students for advice. While Wardyga focuses on film production and editing, Eagan-Donovan teaches students the elements it takes to write a screenplay. “I’ve worked under both Dr. Wardyga and Professor Eagan-Donovan and have found them to be extremely helpful when it comes to working towards the film industry,” said Lauren Ahern, a Radio and Video Production major at Lasell. For years, Ahern has taken on several projects while working with Professor Wardyga. “Since my first years at Lasell, I have viewed Dr. Wardyga as a mentor. I always turn to him when I need advice about creating a film or editing a video,” said Ahern.
During her Junior year of college, Ahern made the decision to record a short film for her internship. This project tested her skills and prepared her for what’s to come of the future. “This project definitely tested my limits. For once I was in charge of the content I was producing rather than going based off of an assignment in one of my classes,” she said. For this project, Ahern made the decision to film a parody of Ghost Hunters. “I gathered my team and we got straight to work. We discussed how we wanted the scenes to come out, what we wanted the concept to be, as well as how to capture it all in a hilarious way,” said Ahern. One aspect of the filming process that Ahern struggled with was the script writing. It wasn’t until recently that she took Professor Eagan-Donovan’s course. “I remember when we were filming the parody it was a struggle to script it all out and that was because I had no idea what I was doing at first. This semester I had the pleasure of taking Professor Eagan-Donovan’s screenwriting course. Now I know how to write dialogue, write action, as well as plan out my screenplay as a whole,” said Ahern. Since taking the course, Ahern has gained a new found love for screenwriting. “I’m currently working on a screenplay that focuses on the life of a girl with OCD. Throughout the screenplay, we learn of her struggles and how she gets through everyday life,” she said. This May, Ahern will be graduating with a degree in Radio & Video Production along with many other students. “I’m really glad I had the chance to work with Dr. Wardyga and Professor Eagan-Donovan. Similar to them, I look forward to creating short films, documentaries, and writing award winning screenplays,” said Ahern.
Lauren Ahern scrolls through LaserVision, LCTV’s very own YouTube Channel. Photo by Irish Noel
TBF : Throw Back Flick The Perks of Being a Wallflower Written by: Irish Noel
Image retrieved from Google. In 2012, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, directed by Stephen Chbosky, took viewers on an emotional ride of nostalgia, tears, laughter and happiness. The movie begins with a freshman named Charlie, played by Logan Lerman, who is writing a letter to a friend and explaining how his life is going. It is within this scene that we learn Charlie is a bit of loner and is trying to avoid “getting bad” again. As the movie progresses, he comes across Patrick, played by Ezra Miller, who makes fun of their woodshop teacher and gives Charlie a sense of hope. Eventually, Charlie approaches Patrick at their high school football game where he meets Sam, Patrick’s step sister who is played by Emma Watson. From there on out, Charlie becomes a part of their group, his spirit is lifted, and he begins to fall in love with Sam. Unfortunately, towards the middle of the movie, there is an incident that leads to Charlie being exiled from the group. During this period of time, he falls back into his old behaviors and mentions in his letters to his friend that he is “starting to get bad again.” Still at this point in the movie, we are not exactly sure what “getting bad” means. Another big aspect to this movie, is that Charlie has this odd infatuation with his aunt. At one point he even refers to her as “his favorite person in the world.” Throughout the movie he consistently mentions his aunt and we see little flashbacks of their memories together. We learn from these flashbacks that Charlie’s aunt was killed the night of his birthday, therefore, we can somewhat connect their relationship to his mental illness.
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Finally, as the movie comes close to an end, Charlie is reunited with his group of friends, but is faced with the tough decision of saying goodbye as they go off to college. Once they leave, Charlie is stuck in the same lonely position as when the movie started. Although he was in a good state with his friends, he couldn’t turn off the bad thoughts that were swarming his head. The bad thoughts over take his mind so much that he calls his sister and begins telling her that it’s his fault their aunt died. The sister orders for her friends to send the police to find Charlie and he is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. From here we learn that the relationship Charlie had with his aunt was very unhealthy. During these scenes, it is discovered that Charlie was sexually abused by his aunt and was put under a great amount of pressure to keep their secret. This climax to the movie allows for viewers to truly understand the mental obstacles that Charlie is constantly battling. When this movie was first released, I was only about 13 or 14 years old. At the time, I hadn’t really grasped the underlying messages that Chbosky was emphasizing. In my mind, the movie was appealing because it seemed “hipster” and “cool”. Now that I have re-watched it at the age of 20, I am able to acknowledge the fact that Chbosky does an exceptional job of teaching the importance of friends while also brining awareness to the struggles of mental illness.
Image retrieved from Google.
Driscoll Dreams of Horror Written by: Irish Noel
“When I was a kid, I always thought I was going to grow up to be something generic like a doctor, or a vet, maybe even an astronaut. For a while, I didn’t think film was an option, but now it’s the only option for me,” said Riley Driscoll, a Video Production major at Lasell. When deciding what occupation, she wanted to pursue, Driscoll didn’t have the easiest time choosing a career path. “I remember sitting in class one day and the teacher asking us to share our dreams and goals for the future. Immediately, everyone around me raised their hands and starting listing off their dream jobs. I, on the other hand, couldn’t even decide what I wanted for dinner that night, let alone my dream job,” she said. For the next couple of weeks, Driscoll’s class focused on preparing for the future by looking into colleges that had their desired majors. While her peers handed in essay length pages with all of their aspirations, Driscoll spent her time researching her possibilities.
Driscoll uses FX Make up to create a shocking burned flesh look. Screenshot by Irish Noel.
“One day during study hall I spent the whole hour taking personality quizzes that would align with what career best fit my skills. Some of the options were a cosmetologist, hair stylist, artist, and even a children’s book author. I knew from these tests that a creative field was more my style, but none of the options listed really stuck out to me,” said Driscoll. Soon enough, Driscoll and her classmates were given the opportunity to visit a career and internship fair that was being hosted in Quincy. The field trip was a day long adventure and by the end of it, everyone had left with dozens of pamphlets and flyers while Driscoll only left with a handful.
“That day I felt completely defeated. I could see everyone around me beaming with excitement will all of the potential opportunities that were entail for them. But I still had no idea what I wanted to do and that was so scary for me,” said Driscoll. That night, after an emotionally exhausting day, Driscoll went home and unleashed her concerns to her parents and sister over dinner. Like many parents, they encouraged her to not give up and that this was only a small bump for her to overcome. They assured her that soon enough she would know exactly what she wanted to do. She just had to be patient. “I remember how worried she was about the whole situation. When I was her age I felt a lot of pressure too. But we kept trying to assure her that everything would work out,” said Nichole Driscoll, Riley Driscoll’s older sister. Right after dinner, Driscoll and her sister decided to throw all of the stress behind them and watch a movie to unwind. They settled on watching the “Nightmare on Elm Street” directed by Wes Craven. Little did Driscoll know, that this
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“I don’t know what is was about that movie, but I had paid attention to it more than any other movie I had watched prior. I was focused on the characters, the camera angles, the effects, and the special FX make up,” said Driscoll. “My sister made a comment like ‘yeah, this is a really good movie’ and I responded with ‘I want to do something like this’,” A couple of months had passed and Driscoll was preparing her schedule for her Senior year. For the first time in her junior year, she was the one planning out her future faster than any of her peers and this gave her a great satisfaction. “My school was set up in a way that allowed up to choose what direction we wanted to go in for our Senior year. I selected all film courses like video production, screenwriting, costume design, and more. I was so excited to start my new courses,” said Driscoll. Over the course of the summer, Driscoll took a great interest in Special Effects Makeup. Every time she received a pay check from work she would spend her money on buying supplies then would follow YouTube tutorials on how to apply the products. “I learned how to make it look like I had slit my throat, I learned how to make it look like I burned half my body, I even learned how to make it look like I broke off my finger and it was dangling by the bone. I love the whole illusion behind the makeup,” said Driscoll. After months of waiting, Driscoll finally began her senior courses in film. During these courses she learned how to write a script, direct a cast, edit her videos, and the process it took to produce a large movie. “I could definitely see a change in Riley once she started these courses. She seemed so much happier and her creativity was amazing. She’s ran so many movie ideas past me that I would love to see,” said Brielle O’Brien, Driscoll’s best friend from high school. Throughout her senior year, Driscoll used her special effects skills to turn her friends into creatures for certain productions. She even casted and directed a handful of short horror videos for some of her class projects. This new found passion made it easy for her to select what major she wanted to pursue in college. “When looking for colleges, I knew that film wasn’t even a question. I searched the internet up and down for places that I could attend and receive the best education to make my dream come true,” said Driscoll. Since attending Lasell College, Driscoll has partaken in very similar courses to those she took in high school. She feels as though these courses have continued to build her knowledge on the film industry. “Riley is such a talented and creative person. I’ve seen her create some awesome videos. I also really enjoy reading her screenplays. They’re full of great ideas. You can tell she’s in her element whenever she’s doing something with film,” said Mark Blowers, Driscoll’s long term boyfriend. Driscoll is currently in her second year at Lasell and continues to strive towards her dream of working in the film industry in the near future. “Although it was a tough start, I’m so glad that I was patient and allowed the idea to come to me naturally. I’ll never forget that night I watched that movie with my sister. I’ll never forget the excitement and hunger that I found for film. One day soon, I will be horror movie director and I am so glad I am able to say that,” said Driscoll.
2018 Oscar Winners Best Picture: “The Shape of Water” Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water,” Original Song: “Remember Me” from “Coco,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez Original Score: “The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat Cinematography: “Blade Runner 2049,” Roger Deakins Original Screenplay: “Get Out,” Jordan Peele Adapted Screenplay: “Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory Live Action Short Film: “The Silent Child,” Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” Foreign Language Film: “A Fantastic Woman” (Chile)
Jordan Peele accepts Oscar for Original Screenplay. Image retrieved from Google.
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Film Search
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