TFA students get hands-on experience with short film

Sophomore television and film arts major Cassie Crimmen didn't always dream of seeing her name in film credits. She giggled loudly recalling her first dream job, slightly embarrassed to admit it.

 "I originally wanted to be a pharmacist," she said. "I don't know why."

However, that dream died, and when she found herself years later being offered the chance to use her talent as a TFA student and artist, she immediately accepted.

"I knew I wanted to do it right away," said Crimmen, who helped with the storyboarding for Maxed Out, a short film written and directed by Jeffrey Hirschberg, associate professor and director of the TFA department. "I was kind of new to campus when he asked me to help, so it was great knowing he had a lot of faith in me."
 

Maxed Out is a story about two slackers who decide to re-create their identity using a lot of pre-approved credit cards. Along the way, they either find happiness, bankruptcy or a bit of both.

Hirschberg, a member of the Writers Guild of America, wrote a feature-length script for the film five years ago.
 

"It got a great response," he said. "Eventually it got to the point where people want to see some of it on-screen."
 

Thus, he and associate TFA professor Lou Rera, who was line producer for the eventual film, got together and tried to decide between a short film or a trailer.
 

"Jeff and I originally discussed ways we could produce a movie trailer for Maxed Out, but it was decided early in the planning process to produce a short film instead," Rera said. "This allowed Jeff to present more of his story and we could bring more out in the main characters."
 

It was one thing to decide to make a film - it's another to bring together the resources necessary. Hirschberg joined Kickstarter.com, a website dedicated to raising funds for artistic ventures, and raised $17,000, plus another $25,000 outside of the site. He then hired a New York-based casting director and auditioned about 60 men to play the two male leads, James and Stan (Sean Meehan and Jim Santangeli, respectively), and the female lead, Vivian, played by Karen Shallo.
 

The production made its way to Rochester for more casting calls, this time for the smaller female roles.

Rochester was also the filming location. The production team shot 50 hours there over a four-day span in December of 2011.
 

"The logistics of moving actors, PAs, crew and equipment across town was challenging. We were on a tight budget and there was not a day when we did not get what we needed on film," Rera said. "One day we spent six hours getting the special effects shot we needed that was crucial to the story, but the final shot itself is over in less than 30 seconds.
 

"We planned everything in advance. Knowing where, how and when were going to produce a certain aspect of the film was critical. We try to teach our students this: Planning is everything."

Crimmen, also an extra in the film, was one of a dozen TFA majors to help with pre-production and production. Sophomore Jack Petrillo, a production assistant, was another.
 

"We did simple, dirty grunt work," Petrillo said of his job, which involved cleaning up and rearranging sets after takes. "I was there for days one and three of the shoot. It was cool seeing how everyone worked together."

Hirschberg appreciated his students' hard work.
 

"They were critical in making this happen," he said. "Cassie especially - I had a vision of how I wanted it to work and I needed to communicate that to (the cast and crew), through storyboarding. Seeing her work, I knew she'd be able to help."

For her part, Crimmen said she knew just what to do.
 

"I focused on the smallest detail possible to show what the setting is," she said. "I took care to read the script and match the characters' expressions. It was an excellent experience - I'd never done storyboards before."
The film was accepted and screened at the Friars' Club Comedy Film Festival in New York in October of 2012, which Hirschberg said was the goal all along.
 

"We had decided to put together the short film and feature-length screenplay into a package, with the intention of getting into either a New York- or Los Angeles-based festival," he said.
 

Since the festival, Hirschberg said he's been working on edits with Steven de Souza, a screenwriter known for the movies Die Hard, Die Hard 2 and Judge Dredd.
 

"I've been speaking with him over the last six months about the script, going through multiple drafts," he said, adding that the intent is to make it into a feature-length film.

Petrillo and Crimmen are both grateful for the opportunity to take part in something so hands-on.

"I want to do storyboards for animation, so this really helps me with experience," Crimmen said. "I'm already planning on using it for internships."

Petrillo, meanwhile, has even bigger goals.
 

"My major ambition is to direct, but I know you have to spend many years working your way up, earning your stripes," he said. "Working (on Maxed Out) taught me that and I'm ready for it."
 

You can check out the film's Facebook page at facebook.com/MaxedOutFilm.

Angelica Rodriguez can be reached at rodriguez.record@live.com.