With a crew in place and equipment in tow, SMU’s Student Filmmakers Association will begin production of its 16mm film project that will be showcased at the club’s annual film festival at the Magnolia Theatre in April.
This year’s film is titled “The Social Disgrace of Paulus,” written by sophomore Gary Suderman.
The script survived a lengthy screening process by SFA officers and was elected over other submitted scripts.
“The script is more of an avant-garde style of film . . . which is a little less linear and more experimental than it is narrative,” said SFA Vice President Chris Cantu. “It is a series of social faux pas done by this character named Paulus.”
Although production has been delayed from the anticipated start date, SFA has voted on officers for its film crew and rented studio cameras from Panavision.
First-time director Steven Kittinger says script revisions are holding back the production process.
“It’s kind of a crazy script that doesn’t have much of a plot,” said Kittinger.
“So we’ve been changing a lot of it around.”
Crewmembers expect to begin filming this weekend once the script is adjusted, and casting is underway.
Filming typically takes about one weekend, according to Kittinger.
The majority of shots are filmed on location, not just on a set stage.
In the past, the SFA production crew has shot scenes on campus, in students’ apartments, and even at some business offices.
“As far as where we film, it’s basically as far as our cars can take us,” Cantu said.
For “Paulus,” production officers have won approval to film at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel.
The hotel was selected because it includes a much-needed and hard-to-find glass elevator, pivotal for certain scenes in the script. The Hyatt staff has also agreed to allow its elevator operator to help the film crew.
When the production process wraps up, “The Social Disgrace of Paulus” will be featured in SFA’s annual film festival in April.
The festival will take place at the Magnolia Theatre and will include various student-submitted films.
SFA officer Nick McCarthy encourages students to attend the festival this year and support Meadows art students.
SFA typically produces two video projects and one film project a year.
Members film a number of digital video projects of varying lengths at their own discretion, including some that are submitted and available for viewing at the film festival.
Post-production will finalize no later than late March so the film will be ready for the festival.
SFA also has the option of submitting the film to other local festivals and contests, as it has done in years past.
Students of all majors are welcome to attend SFA meetings on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in Room 117 of Umphrey Lee.
