The course is one of the electives rounding out the rigorous curriculum featured in the Summer for Success program, the three-week summer college-immersion program at Beacon College, the first college or university accredited to award bachelor’s degrees primarily to students who learn differently.
Wednesday was the first day of production of Beacon Studios’ 30-second horror movie trailer. In it, a bullied kid discovers and touches a magical sword and, possessed by the weapon’s evil intentions exacts Hitchcockian revenge on his tormentors.
Not for the squeamish.
In preparing for filming, Cupach, an instructor of computer information systems, split his would-be Spielbergs in two teams.
Some produced the script. Some did shot-by-shot storyboards to plot out the shoot.
After Cupach outlined the tasks, students went about their tasks.
Joshua Bourbon, of Coral Springs, Fla. researched the Internet for ideas.
“I was doing some digging on horror movie trailers,” he explained to Ashwin Jawaharlal of Boca Raton, Fla. “A lot of it is not as accurate for what we’re about to make, but at the end, the big scare, will be good for the horror trailer.”
“Yeah, we could do that,” Ashwin agreed.
In the rear, Emily Marra of Winter Springs, Fla., the prop mistress, was eager to get going on the evil blade.
“Here’s the sword,” Cupach said.
Her task: wrap special green theatrical tape around the blade so that it could be used with a green screen for editing in special effects in post-production.
“You want some of it [the blade] showing?” she asked.
Sure, Cupach said.
Filming filled out the week. The crew begins editing next week.
Stay tuned for details.