By Victor Fink, Staff Writer

Senior films are something that happen the fall of every academic school year. Students pitch ideas for their films to Professor Matt Webb and Dr. Lance Clark. If the senior’s films get greenlit, then they begin revisions, workshops, and the process of drafting their crews.

During the draft, every director and producer from each greenlit film–usually two to three, or even four on a rare year–“fight” for the crew members they want from the underclassmen. They also approach other upperclassmen to fulfill the department head positions. Once the draft is finished and approved by Dr. Clark and Professor Webb, the films can start shooting.

This year there were four senior films: Alien Child, Bison Hunting, The Knight in the Fog, and 4 Stages of Love. Each of these films had a producer and director who pitched their ideas and each one made it through. Every film had a different story, message, and genre. Alien Child is sci-fi, The Knight in the Fog is fantastical, and 4 Stages of Love is a rom-com. All four of these films is vastly different and takes completely different minds to execute, yet the last two films Bison Hunting and 4 Stages of Love wrapped this weekend and they will all begin post-production. 

Co-Writers Connor Gates and Mary Devore had some things to say about their film, Alien Child. Mary Devore quipped, “I wanted to tell a story that would touch someone’s heart but also make them laugh.”

Connor Gates stated that “writing a story about loss and connecting what happened in the past to what is important for your future life was the most important thing because so many kids and teenagers. . . even adults go through the ordeals of losing someone who is close to them and living in fear of what comes next for them.”

Both Connor and Mary had different reasons to write this screenplay, but they both realized that they could touch the hearts of those around them and make an impact. They will continue to work together throughout the post-production process and oversee their editor and sound designer as things come together, but both enjoy the story they have created together. 

Mary said this about Alien Child: “Alien Child is about Scott Middle, a teenager mourning the loss of his little brother, Devin. One night, a shapeshifting alien who is researching Earth assumes the form of a little boy and follows Scott home. What ensues is a crazy weekend of fun and learning about family that impacts them both.”

Zack Snyder, the writer and director of The Knight in the Fog, came from a slightly different background and perspective than Mary and Connor. Zack stated, “my passion for the film comes from my love of storytelling and my dream to tell fantastic, mysterious, thought-provoking, and all kinds of stories.”

 It is clear that, while Zack loves to provoke people’s emotions and interests, he also has a deep love for the fantastical. This deep-rooted love for fantasy helped give birth to The Knight in the Fog. 

Zack clarified that “The Knight In The Fog is about a knight and an amnesiac trying to find their way out of a forest, shrouded in a poisonous fog. Things take a turn as paranoia sets in and the fog begins to quickly catch up to the two. The two must stick together in order to survive the fog in this epic fantasy tale of fear and mystery”. 

While Zack, Connor, and Mary may all come from different backgrounds, one thing remains the same: they all love film and telling stories that will have an impact. Senior films are a way for each and every senior to have a chance to do this, and these lucky three were able to do that in a wonderful way. They all are looking forward to seeing what the final product turns out to be.