Lights, Camera, Action: MSU Seniors produce their Thesis Film Projects

Every semester at MSU’s School of Film and Photography (SFP), four to six groups of seniors and upperclassmen majoring in film produce their senior theses. This semester is no different, with six diverse projects in production. Genres range from Lynchian surrealism to live television, production methods range from 16mm film, in the case of Ben Lunn’s “Red Compulsion,” to a fusion of live action footage and animated characters, in “Re-Animated” written and directed by Liam Kenshishian.

“It’s proving to be one of the most unique lineups I’ve seen ever since coming to MSU,” senior Chandler Pippin said. Pippin’s project “Service With A Smile” is an eight hour long experimental film exploring the intense expectations put on service industry employees. “I’ve been an essential worker throughout the course of the pandemic, and the conditions I worked in inspired the project,” he explained. “Service With a Smile” will largely be a solo project, only using a couple classmates to help set up, and to help with production design.

Noah Hense, writer and director of “This Be the Verse,” said he is “very proud to be among a group of seniors that I can be very honest about production issues… people who know how nerve-wracking all this is and are always willing to help out.” The film degree requires a level of collaboration and trust in classmates you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere on campus. Each position, from director to production assistant, needs to know their job and know how to best facilitate an easy day on set. Students in the Senior Production class work for months on their scripts, their shot lists, their look books, their production design, their production plans, all culminating in a weekend or two of shooting. “It takes a lot of talent, muscle and willpower to create. These students make it look easy,” says Senior Production professor Cat Dale. All of this is made possible by the support of underclassmen looking to gain hands-on set experience, the film faculty, the SFP’s Equipment Checkout and, last but not least, the support of the community. Jake Martson, co-writer and director of horror short “Dead Girl” says one of the biggest problems for every independent filmmaker is funding. Student films are funded by IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaigns through the support of the filmmakers’ friends and family, as well as University and community grants. Ben Lunn’s “Red Compulsion” recently won a production grant at the inaugural BZN Film Fund pitch session during the 2021 BZN Film Festival.

Hense says one of their biggest struggles so far has been the special effects their script requires. “This Be the Verse'' is a Lynchian story about the horrors of family inheritance, and in typical David Lynch fashion includes some pretty wild and symbolic imagery. Lynch, the director of Twin Peaks, Dune and other popular titles is known for his disturbing imagery and macabre themes. “We’ve got the vomit and the deformed face pretty downpat, but we’re still experimenting with the boils,” Hense says. In a similar vein, Marston’s “Dead Girl” is planning on pulling off some pretty great practical special effects, like a decapitation and some levitation, akin to the 1970’s horror films that inspired the script. Marston described “Dead Girl” as “‘Evil Dead’ meets ‘Little Women.’” A story of friendship and sisterhood with a supernatural twist.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum, senior Audrey Scheid’s project, called “Rising Voices,” is a three episode live TV series featuring three different Montana musicians: Ash Nataanii, Mario Miner Jr, and Joyce from the Future. Each episode will focus on one of the artists, and will include performances and interviews. With such a diverse selection of film and tv projects coming out of the senior class this semester, the future of Montana filmmakers is bright.

This semester’s senior films, as well as next semester’s, will be featured in the spring at the Paul Monaco Awards, details to come.