Making movies a ‘serious career choice’ for Kaua‘i students

LIHU‘E — They have made their own clips of the vampire flick “Twilight,” produced chase scenes and short films about zombies, orange-eating weirdos and of a young woman determined to kill her unfaithful boyfriend.

By creating a movie per week, members of the Kaua‘i High School Film Club believe they may have put themselves on track to feature a production within two years at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, as well as other competitions. So far, the students have made more than 100 movies since the club formed in April 2009 (officially in January 2010).

“The reason we’re doing good now is because we did it over and over and over,” said club adviser Edwin Sawyer. “I have one goal: to go to New York City and be lucky enough to show one of our works to that audience.”

If the students manage to do so, Sawyer said they will be exposed to industry professionals and see where film production can possibly take them. He added that if a club film was not accepted, they would go to the festival anyway.

“It’s a serious career choice for the kids,” Sawyer said in his classroom at Kaua‘i High as his young film crew set up a shot for their 20-minute movie “What’s Not Said.”

Partially filmed using a crane at the pier in Nawiliwili — with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard, Kaua‘i Police and Fire departments — “What’s Not Said” may be the vehicle that takes the teens and Sawyer to the East Coast. It represents the approximately 20-member club’s first large-scale production.

Based on a screenplay written by the students, primarily 15-year-old Kari Noe, the piece deals with the story of three teens and how miscommunication and cyber-bullying lead to a tragic end.

As president of the club, Kari said she and fellow students have learned film techniques and production lingo, while building much of their own gear, including a dolly and a green screen. A grant helped purchase the club’s camera.

They’ve also put a lot of time into the production on and off the set. Much of “What’s Not Said” was filmed during spring break.

“Not only when I’m here, but when I’m at home I’ll be working on the script or storyboard or scheduling,” Kari said. “This is probably the most serious pre-planned production we’ve ever tried to achieve.”

Having made so many movies, Kari said she could never badmouth another film in good conscious again.

“It teaches you how hard it is to make a movie,” she said. “They did a good job because they actually completed that shot.”

One of the club’s original members, Cara Kruse, plays the lead role of “Ellie,” a teen who decides to commit suicide after a falling out with her best friend over an older tragedy. She shares film time with eighth-graders Paris Tennberg and Juliet Monnier.

Cara joined the club after taking Sawyer’s world history course last year.

“When I was 10, I had this huge idea of directing a show like you’d see on the Disney Channel,” Cara said.

“I realize directing is a lot harder than it seems it would be.”

Through the club, her interest in film has turned more toward acting and screenwriting.

“I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do after high school and film is an option,” the sophomore said.

Cara described “What’s Not Said” as a deep movie, where she can relate to her character. Ellie, she explained, has a difficult time expressing emotion.

“That’s how I am,” she said.

The tone of the movie and the work seems to have made an impact on the film crew, she added; they’ve become more serious about filmmaking.

Sawyer and some students created the club after the history instructor toyed with his own idea of making a film.

He’d been writing a screenplay with a fellow teacher when he realized producing a film could be a learning experience for his students. The idea for the screenplay long ago died.

“It’s about these guys,” Sawyer said.

• Jessica Musicar, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or by e-mailing jmusicar@thegarden

island.com.