I already know that someone is going to yell at me for the lack of innovation when it comes to the title, but the fact is I’m just awful at that stuff so why embarrass myself by trying. Anyway as the fall semester comes to a close I thought it would be only appropriate to update my final project from my advanced photojournalism class.

The road to this project was bumpy, filled with failed attempts and frustration, but when it came to crunch time an amazing friend came through for me and set me up with a great project. This friend of mine is a film major at Emerson College in Boston, MA and is part of  the large community of students there who work together on film sets during their weekends. He put me in contact with the Executive Producer of a short film called “The Last Laugh,” a project being done by the school’s club, Frames Per Second, and as cliche as it sounds, the rest is history.

I will begin my story with this simple statement…I’VE BEEN ADOPTED BY EMERSON FILM STUDENTS!!!

I showed up the first day thinking that this was going to be a simple film shoot and I would get some interesting pictures of everyone doing there jobs, but little did I know what I was in for. According to the rest of the crew (yes crew, I am now well versed in film set lingo, I can also tell you the proper names for each of the ways an apple box is placed, useless? I think not) it was one of the craziest, strangest, weirdest, shoots they had ever been on. Clearly I am going to have to defer to them on this one, considering I have nothing else to compare it to, this being my first and only film shoot. For me I thought it was completely normal to be in a creepy, run down house in Dorchester, MA where the owner walks around with a belt around her neck, and that standing all day in the freezing rain was a right of passage. Either way their misery made for great pictures, I guess that means I’m a real live journalist yayay.

I started day one as an annoying BU student who kept getting in everyone’s way, and ended the weekend with an official call time, credit as on set photography (pretty spiffy), and I’m proud to announce, my hollywood debut. Yes everyone I am officially an actress…and by actress I mean hand model…and by hand model I mean last second fill in for an actress who had to leave, but these are just details because I’M GOING TO BE FAMOUS (Lilian who does my nails would be proud).

It was by far one of the best weekends of my semester and single handedly helped to remind me of why I want to be a photojournalist. It showed me that I can have fun doing what I love and that it is possible for me to do this and I have every single person on that set to thank. So, my fellow crew members, thank you so much for letting me into your lives for the weekend, it meant the world to me. Even though I am missing the, what I’m sure will be kick ass wrap party, I will be there in spirit so think of me any time a flash goes off.

I’ll end it here for now, but since I’m all famous now I get to do a dedication so here it goes, in no specific order, the crew:

Marucs Demmon, Sharif El Neklawy, Alex Sanchez, Claude Zeins, Andrew Christenson, Zach Kornfeld, Eric Sun, Edgar Rosa, Tam Nguyen, Michael Bonner, Michael Rivera, Jane Kang, Jacob Wen, Adam Bertulli, Kristina Carucci, Elliot Higger, Evan Stulc, Chelsea Stark, Kyle Daly, Alexander Jaramillo, Garrett Williams, Rob Eckel, Masakazu Iwabu, Scott Ray, Steven San Miguel, Samuel Chaimson, Adrian Kort, Peter Horgan, Max Gosselin-Ildari, Eric Colasante, Nicolette Le Riche, Evan Mrva, Alexia Molinari-Giorgi, Peter Masoero and Phillip Binder.

December 5,2009- Director of Photography, senior Kristina Carucci, Director, junior Michael Bonner (center left), Production Manager, junior Tam Nguyen (center right) and First Assistant Director, junior Michael Rivera (right), consult a map while trying to find the location of the set for “The Last Laugh” at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA. The crew made up of all students from Emerson College in Boston, MA, is part of the club “Frames Per Second,” which helps to produce two student films a semester.  Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 5, 2009- Sound Operator, freshman Phillip Binder (back left), art team member, junior Peter Masoero, Head of Lighting, junior Garrett Williams, Casting Producer, senior Alex Sanchez, art team member, junior Alexia Mollinari-Giorgi and Art Director, junior Nicolette Le Riche, watch as Production Manager, junior Tam Nguyen attempts to kick out the side of a makeshift coffin, while on the set of “The Last Laugh” at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 5, 2009- Second Assistant Camera, junior Evan Stulc, measures the distance between the actors Scott Winters and Jojo Marino and the camera, so that he is able to determine the proper focus before shooting a scene on the set of “The Last Laugh” at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 5, 2009- Director, senior Michael Bonner (left), rehearses lines with the actors, including Paige Stark, while lighting assistant Max Gosselin-Ildari watches on, before recording any takes on the set of “The Last Laugh” at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 5, 2009- Art team member, junior Alexia Molinari-Giorgi, assists Art Director, junior Nicolette Le Riche, while she works on covering the inside of the makeshift coffin with black garbage bags while on the set of the “The Last Laugh” at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 4, 2009- Director of Photography, senior Kristina Carucci, describes to Assistant Lighting Director, junior Masakazu Iwabu, what type of lights she wants set up for a scene in the second story bedroom on the set of “The Last Laugh” in Dorchester, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 4, 2009- While hanging out a second story window, Director of Photography, senior Kristina Carucci, talks with lighting assistant, sophomore James Burg (left), Assistant Lighting Director, junior Masakazu Iwabu, Directing Personal Assistant, junior Adam Bertulli and lighting assistant, junior Max Gosselin-Ildari about the position of lights while setting up a scene on the set of “The Last Laugh” at a home in Dorchester, MA. The crew used long sheets of muslin cloth, attached to the siding of the house, to bounce light into the second story bedroom. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 4, 2009- Having worked 13 hours straight, lighting assistants, juniors Max Gosselin-Ildari (left) and Peter Horgan (center), also known as “grips,” along with homeowner Francine Smith, catch a few minutes of rest in-between shots on the set of “The Last Laugh” in Dorchester, MA.

December 6, 2009- Assistant Lighting Director, junior Masakazu Iwabu (center left), discusses options for lighting a scene with Lighting Director, junior Garrett Williams (center right), while the Director of Photography, senior Kristina Carucci sets up the camera’s position behind actress Jojo Marino on the set “The Last Laugh” in Dorchester, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

December 6, 2009- After over 45 hours on set, Director, junior Michael Bonner, and First Assistant Director, junior Michael Rivera, celebrate the official end of the shoot by bumping fists before breaking down the set of “The Last Laugh” in Dorchester, MA. Photo by Isabel Slepoy.

THANK YOU GUYS  SOO MUCH!!!!!!

For the uncut version check out my flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24306443@N08/sets/72157622963525334/