HINDSIGHT - WRITE SOMETHING WORTH READING ABOUT OR DO SOMETHING WORTH WRITING ABOUT
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Two Flashpoint Academy Students Selected among Winners in Illinois Technology Foundation's 50 for the Future Competition
50 For The Future 2009 Winners
Graduate Students
Sunni Barbera, DePaul University
Carrie Brubaker, Northwestern University
Christopher Bun, Loyola University Chicago
Michael Cieri, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Blanche Hannah Faur, Loyola University Chicago
Davide Fossati, University of Illinois at Chicago
Franciso Iacobelli, Northwestern University
Anastasia Johnson, Loyola University Chicago
Benny Joseph, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Abhishek Mohite, University of Illinois at Chicago
Nathan Nichols, Northwestern University
UnderGraduate Students
Jeff Aigner, Illinois Institute of Technology
Kenneth Armstrong, DeVry University
Bryan Beurskens, Robert Morris College Illinois
Jeff Bzdawka. DePaul University
Andy Camp, University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign
Steve DiDuca, University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael Dooley, Knox College
Rocky Eljubeh, DeVry University
Rickita Ellis, DeVry University
Lisa Furby, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Airon Giron, Harry S. Truman College
Samuel Izquierdo, Harry S. Truman College
Max Kleiboeker, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
James Lee, University of Illinois at Chicago
Kourtni Marshall, Loyola University Chicago
Robert O’Brien, Robert Morris College Illinois
Marianela Perales, Chicago State University
Cathryn L. Pierson, Loyola University Chicago
Daniel A. Rosenberger, DePaul University
Alyxandria Schubert, Loyola University Chicago
Allessandro Segre, Illinois Institute of Technology
Suni Smith, Illinois Institute of Technology
Charles Sticha, Illinois Institute of Technology
Christopher Scott Williams, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Laurel Yohe, Loyola University Chicago
Aleem Zafar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Technical Students
Tiffany M. Baggett, i.c.stars|*
Joseph Harvey, i.c.stars|*
Heath Marks, Flashpoint Academy
Justin C. Moore, Flashpoint Academy
High School - Chicago Public Schools
Nayaka English, Lincoln Park High School
Yetta Hussein, Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
Lukasz Krzesaj, DeVry University-Advantage Academy
Oriana Kwok, Jones College Prep
Klaudia Leja, Northside College Preparatory High School
Thu Hien Thi Pham, Lincoln Park High School
Ciara Proctor, Northside College Preparatory High School
Allen A. Silva, Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
Kent Toy, Lincoln Park High School
FLASHPOINT ACADEMY 1ST YEAR STUDENTS FILM IN INDIANA
Student filmmakers, actors film in assistant director's backyard, dream big with 'Storymaker'
BY ROB EARNSHAW
Times Correspondent | Sunday, March 29, 2009
Valparaiso is well-represented in a movie produced by students from a new film school in Chicago. "Storymaker" is a short film written by Susan Sinkiewicz, assistant-directed by Phil Cagen, produced by Sam Carmichael and starring Maddie Blaney. All of whom live in Valparaiso.
The film also was shot at Cagen's Manchester Meadows house and the surrounding woods.
"It was an interesting experience, because a lot of the time you're on a movie set in a closed location," Cagen said. "But with this one, I had my whole family as well as nine other crew members living in my house a couple days."
Cagen, Carmichael and Sinkiewicz are all first-year students at Chicago's Flashpoint Academy of Media Arts and Sciences. They received their assignment a month ago -- here's your crew and your screenplay -- you have three weeks to figure something out."
"It takes place in a house in the woods, so I said 'OK, that's my house,' " Cagen said.
Maddie, an 11-year-old Emmanuel Lutheran School student, auditioned for the film and won the leading role of Emma, a girl who doesn't get much attention from her father.
"Her cousin Charlie and she go into the woods, because she wants to hide from her dad so she can get more attention," Maddie said.
Then things get scary when a "monster" attacks.
"It's not really clear if it's Emma's imagination or if it's real," Maddie said.
Maddie, who's a big fan of the Harry Potter movies and actor Will Ferrell, said starring in her first film was fun, even if she spent part of it covered with fake scratch marks and blood.
"It was really scary, and I looked scary," she said. "It was really fun and I'd love to do it again. It was a good experience for me."
Maddie said it was sad when filming ended, but she can't wait to get back on the stage or screen. The character of Emma grows up to be an author because of her "big imagination." Maddie may grow up to be an actress.
"I'm not shy at all," she said. "My favorite thing I guess is you get to be a different character. I'd like to try something different every time."
When Cagen was a little older than Maddie is now, he got the directing bug by shooting videos of skateboarding. The Wheeler High School graduate hopes to become a full-fledged director someday.
"Everybody loves watching movies," he said. "This is what I want to do."
Copyright © 2009 nwi.com
