CINEMA LAB SCREENING
by Megan Donahue
Last month, ASC hosted a screening of the work that’s come out of Cinema Lab. A “crash course in independent film making”, the class takes students from improvisation to filming in just eight weeks.
Filmmaker Stephen Cone directs the A.S.C. Cinema Lab
The screening featured a total of 12 short films, from four classes. Instructor Stephen Cone, a Chicago film maker, opened the evening by introducing the films. Though the films are on Vimeo, he noted that watching them on a big screen sitting in the dark was a special opportunity.
The films span genres from whimsically comedic to disturbing drama, and showcase the work of actors Carlo Aparo, Brittany Bookbinder, Ashley Bush, Clare Cooney, Kyle Gibson, Jerod Haynes, Amy Jean Johnson, Bob Kruse, Bill McGough, Maggie Suma, Jeff Bouthiette, Paige Collins, Jennifer Dymit, Jessica Hudson, Kasia Januszewski, Eric Lindahl, Ashley Lobo, Mary Mikva, Linsey Page Morton, Maria Stephens, Matt Babbs, Brianna Baker, Kevin Branick, Baize Buzan, Josh Bywater, Daniela Colucci, Will Kinnear, Christine Martini, Kelly Parker and Madelaine Schmitt.
Actors who take Cinema Lab focus on on-camera acting, but they also get to be part of the script creation. “We spend five weeks in an actual classroom/lab setting,” said Cone, “The first two weeks are just improvisational jam sessions; just finding raw material. The third week I come in with the three short film ideas, which may or may not have come out of the previous class’ improvisations. Then, for the next three weeks we spend time on each character in each short film, building histories and making discoveries. Out of that, I create the final scripts for shooting, and then the last three ‘classes’ are actually on-location short film shoots.”
Cone was drawn to film making by what he calls “just pure movie love.” Opening the screening, he said, “I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to get to do this,” he said. “ I spend a big chunk of the year making films with actors. I love these movies.”
Check out the movies on Vimeo, and learn more about Cinema Lab here.