JANUARY 17, 2022 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS
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Storytelling: Hillsdale’s Tyler Toledo directs ‘Wars’ T O R CH DO W N • C O L D P R OC E S S • E P DM • B - D E C K I N G R E P AI R S
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his permission. Watch the pair as they get involved in unordinary situations — all while struggling to get along. What could go wrong?” Senior Assassin is a weeklong spring competition — neither school- nor district-sponsored — in which kids team up in groups of three as hunters and the hunted, with water guns at the ready. Thereʼs a cash prize for the sole team surviving: approximately $350 in 2021. Unwinding after a “crazy” day of battle, Toledo and friend Anakin Rybacki realized they had a solid television show — no, a whole miniseries — worth of material to draw on. Toledo set to work fleshing it out, then pitched his idea to Michael Sherman, who teaches video production at the school, end has a reputation for encouraging the creative impulse. He pledged support. The cast and crew include PV alumni Kyle Towey, Sean Fei, Anakin Rybacki, Anna Schneider, Matt Kim, Matthew McCambridge, and Jack Misha. Current PV students in on the
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act are Kelly Donlan, Abigail Lange, and Aidan Rybacki. The team bring experience from the schoolʼs advanced video production and theatre programs. Scenes were shot at parks, houses, the school, and a dock on the Hudson River. Production launched in summer; final photography just wrapped. Episodes run 10–20 minutes. The series will stream for free on PVTVʼs YouTube channel, the date to be announced on @WaterWarsSeries on Instagram (where, naturally, you can find plenty of sharp production art). Toledo told Pascack Press on Jan. 12 that Sherman supplied key equipment and a world of expertise. Photography was by creative use of three cameras — two DSLRs and a mirrorless fullframe camera — wrung for their full potential. Absent a big budget or green screen, practical effects had to be pulled together to tell stories in an anthology of styles that put viewers in the driverʼs seat. The show “didnʼt have a budget” but rather relied on Toledoʼs and borrowed equipment. “Everything put into this is from the talents of everyone
involved,” he said. He added, “With the new Covid variant and everything it became a big challenge, but itʼs done and it all has surprisingly worked out. Itʼs been difficult but fun. I hope people enjoy it.” Toledo — now a freshman at New Yorkʼs Syracuse University and assistant video editor on its student newspaper, The Daily Orange — is aiming for a double major in political science and television, radio, and film.
Asked which filmmakers he most admires, he named Taika Waititi, Jon Favreau, and “the obvious one, Steven Spielberg.” He said, “I reached into what I would love to see and how I work on my own because Iʼve been at this for a good amount of time. I realize what I work best at — I take all my prior experiences and put that into the work.” He said heʼs immensely grateful to Sherman, who has supported other PV miniseries, and all of his students, in ways large and small. “He makes all this possible, and makes it easy for students to come in and express themselves, and make anything they want to because heʼs always there to lend out advice and equipment — and if you just give him a good reason why, then heʼll always be there for you,” Toledo said. Moreover, he said, Sherman “encourages students to dive into the creative parts of their mind, and itʼs great. I have not seen any video production teacher in any school — or heard of any in any neighboring schools — that have been so encouraging and supportive and helpful, really.”
He added, “I feel he has helped many students realize not only their potential but also that they would want a career of this sort — because he very much does encourage everybody.”
Keeping the community connected The praise flows both ways. Sherman told Pascack Press on Jan. 12, “Tyler is a very hardworking and talented individual. He was the face of our school news show, PVTV, last year during our first full pandemic year back.” He said, “Trying to keep the kids engaged and connected with school during these weird times is always a challenge. Tyler last year led a small group of students who were able to come up with shows every other week. Even kids who were fully remote were able to participate.” He added, “Tyler and the other students did a great job keeping the school community connected. He was so creative coming up with funny skits, short films, and obviously lead the
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elders, is overly generous.” Kalman is a high school S.T.E.M. teacher “who quickly saw the disconnect and, all on her own, went in search of technologically handicapped seniors. She would walk them through the process over the phone, or depending on their comfort level, go to their homes with her laptop and sign them up,” Arroyo said. He added sheʼd also shuttle the seniors to their appointments if necessary. All told, “she became a welcome addition to Hodgesʼs
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volunteer group working with PVMC. The hospital had agreed to partner with these volunteers to prioritize Westwood seniors for the (then) scarce inoculations — in a local venue. No more seniors driving to faraway mega centers.” He said McKoy, who also was celebrated as a Rep. Josh Gottheimer Fifth District Hometown Hero, had recently been on hiatus from “a high powered administrative job as a business systems analyst in the private sector.” Sheʼs a trustee and vice chairwoman at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
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“I had tapped her to be my representative to Westwoodʼs Clergy Council. And so it was natural for her to work with Westwoodʼs pastors to identify vaccine-eligible senior congregants and get them signed up,” Arroyo said. He added, “Lisa often worked 12-hour days, getting our people registered. Sheʼd call the night before to make sure the seniors were still able to keep their appointments. If not, sheʼd find a replacement. She made sure the Westwood allocation of scarce vaccine found Westwood arms or wasnʼt wasted.” And, he said, “She, and the other volunteers, would greet the seniors at the hospital on ʻWestwood Dayʼ to check them in and send them off feeling happy, cared for and finally safe.” Kalman and McKoy, he said, “epitomize the best of Westwoodʼs selfless volunteer spirit. And together, with their peers, they preempted the plague — undoubtedly preserving the lives of many
