Storyline is the key for award-winning LS film-makers
The theme is Area 52, and you’ve got six days to write, shoot and edit a film on it — ready, set, go.
That’s the brief 17-year-old Alyssa Eyre and 18-year-old Hope Kelsey answered in this year’s national Student Television Network competition. The Lee’s Summit High School students’ entry garnered them a third-place finish.
Besides that broad theme, the only requirement they had was to include a shot of a “keep out” sign somewhere in the film.
Although they’re experienced in film-making — they’ve been taking classes for four years now — it wasn’t all simple for the two friends.
“The main actors that were a part of the actual storyline — we had some trouble finding them,” Kelsey said. “The original actors for the FBI scene; they actually bailed on us about 10 minutes before (we started shooting the film). Thankfully, we did find some awesome people to fit in.”
Besides casting woes, coming up with the plot was the biggest challenge for them. The nearly 3-minute film featured a student hacking the computers of Area 52.
“I think that the most difficult part is just coming up with a storyline that makes sense,” Eyre said. “For most people, it might be the dialogue or camera angles. That’s something we can make up while filming,”
The six-day deadline didn’t faze the two.
“It’s also something we love,” Eyre said. “It’s very stressful, but we make the best out of it. We make jokes. … (and you’re) proud of what you produce at the end because you only have a short time to do it.”
Working together was one of the highlights for them.
“Being a senior and being able to do (the film) with my best friend is placing the cherry on top,” Kelsey said.
The girls entered the contest last year but did not make the top three.
Even though they’re experienced in making short films now, there’s still a learning curve.
“There’s so many ways you can edit a film. I think we went back and re-edited this a couple of times,” Eyre said. “You have this image in your head of what you want your film to look like, but putting it together on the computer is difficult. You have to do again and again to keep consistency, and when you’re on a deadline, that’s very difficult.”
For Kelsey, the challenge was more in the pre-production phase.
“We were stuck a couple of times when we didn’t have everything planned ahead. It took us longer than it should to get certain shots because of that,” Kelsey said.
The films have to meet certain criteria to get to the top.
“We’re looking for things like: Do the visuals tell the story? Are the shots steady? Do the audio and music match the video? Does the editing add or distract from the story?” said Nancy Held Loucas, CEO of Student Television Network.
Loucas said that it’s not the equipment the students use that matters — it’s the skill behind the camera.
“We have schools shooting on iPhones that have compelling stories, because they’re well-written and thought out and visually beautiful,” she said. The judges especially noted the camera composition of Eyre and Kelsey, as well as framing, audio mix and sound design as particular strengths.
When Eyre and Kelsey got word of their third-place finish, they were thrilled.
“I was so surprised. I was actually in the grocery store when I got the notification STN had posted results… and I’m like jumping up and down, crying in the grocery store. We were freaking out,” Kelsey said.
Teacher Elaine McDonald said both girls are strong leaders in her film production classes.
“There’s nothing better as a teacher to your kids be acknowledged for the hard work they do,” McDonald said. “They’re so patient, and they work really well together. They’re really patient with other kids and helping them try to be who they are.”
The two weren’t the only Lee’s Summit students to make their mark on the contest. At Bernard Campbell Middle School, Milo Johnson, Brendan LeMaster, Ethan Pack and Leila Potocnik merited an honorable mention in the music video category.
This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 12:00 AM.