FalconCast: Silver Lining

On today’s final episode of season 1 of FalconCast, our host Nikki interviews three Fitchburg State University film production students to gain a better understanding of the Communications Media  film/video production concentration and their capstone Advanced Cinema Production class.   

Director / Writer Sean-Michael Hibbert, Director of Photography Joey DiTavi, and actor Dave Appolon talk about the dedication that is necessary to create their film Silver Lining.

Thanks for listening to FalconCast!

This episode was produced by Nikki McToggart, Nate McKenna, and Keyloni Jackson as a part of the Spring 2023 Podcasting class at Fitchburg State University.

Episode transcript available here.

Click here to learn more about Perseverantia. Join us for programming updates on Instagram. Or reach out with ideas or suggestions at podcasts@fitchburgstate.edu.

Transcript

(Electronic music starts)

NIKKI: In this episode of FalconCast , Dave, Joey and Sean, the team that is creating the student film Silver Lining, offers an insight into the student filmmaking process. How do these dedicated students start their filmmaking process? What inspires them? What are some of the challenges that they face? 

It's time to go behind the scenes of the film department and see what it takes to make a film. I'm your host Nikki, and this is FalconCast.

(Electronic music fades)

DAVE: Alright I’ll start. My name is Dave Appolon. I'm a junior at Fitchburg State University. I'm a film major and a theater minor. I portray Brian Burstyn in the upcoming film Silver Lining, and I'm very excited for that.

SEAN: Yo, yo, yo. My name is Sean Michael Hibbert. I am the director slash writer of this film Silver Lining. I'm in my third year and, yeah, excited to be here.

JOEY: Hey, everyone. I'm Joey DiTavi, and I am the director of photography and camera operator for Silver Lining, and I'm in my junior year as well. And film major and musical performance minor.

NIKKI: Nice, nice, Nice. Nice to meet ya. So why did you – for the director – why did you choose this particular script or project to pitch to your advanced class?

SEAN: Well, this film is just different than the ones I usually write, because usually I try to make it much more comedic, tongue in cheek and like, more science fictiony. 

But with this group, the script was more personal because it kind of delves into my fears and into, like, my insecurities a bit. So I was like, Hey, that would probably be a good story and people would probably like it to the point that it would be chosen for advanced film.

So that's why I wanted to pitch it, just because it's much more grounded and different and hopefully impactful.

NIKKI: So how did you guys, whether Joey or Dave, how did you guys choose to get involved in this project? Like why? Like, what was, what sparked your interest in this project?

DAVE: My main thing is, as Sean said, I've known Sean for a couple of years and he's always made like comedic films or comedic content, and that's more his thing. And for once he made something that's not so comedic, more like emotional. 

And then the character Brian Burst, and is the comedic relief within that emotional piece. So I thought it was a really good challenge to portray him, to really bring to light in a very dark film. I guess we can say.

JOEY: Yeah, I pretty much trust in Sean to be really just be the person to kind of bring this forward. He's a very big people's person and I've known him since my freshman year, so I just trusted him that he would be able to direct a film that is very good.

NIKKI: I don't know much about the advanced class, so can you guys explain a little bit more of like the process and like whether it's like picking a script or a pick in, like a group to work with? Like, how does that go? Like, what's the process like?

SEAN: So usually at the end of the previous semester, right before you end up, I'm going to advance, but you already signed up for it. Pretty much like the professor of the advanced class will send an email saying, Hey, I am hoping to do a pitch on this day for everyone who's interested in pitching their scripts. Just just send it to me and then me take a look at stuff.

And also, yeah, just be ready to pitch on this day. And when that day comes, it's usually you like individuals or if you so choose to, you can have group of you go up in front of the class room and be like, Hey, this is what my script is about. And the story, the characters and budget. And this is kind of the rough estimate of the budget, pretty much.

It's like, um, yeah, it's really like honestly a pitch session. But I've done a couple of advices that I've gotten when I was talking about pitching and Silver Lining. Was that a talk to people that, you know, that is going to be in the class? So kind of like building an army around you or people that will back you up because in a way, the more people you have, the more likely your script will be chosen.

Because if they support your idea, then you're basically you're already on your way to make a film crew because not everyone in the class is going to be a singular crew. It's going to be divided into two, so it's going to be two projects. But the more people that's backing up your project, the higher chance your script of getting chosen.

NIKKI: So Joey, how was your process like with choosing Sean's project to work on? Because you mentioned that there is two projects. Is it just because, like you knew him or like you read the script before? Like how was that? Yeah, I.

JOEY: Pretty much because I knew Sean going for it. And I remember I was on a trip to Boston and you called me and you said, Hey, do you want to be DP? And I said, Sure, because again, I trust you. And also I would love to be DP on an advanced project. And I remember like this whole process going into it, like with Presentation Day, we were the only I think we were the only group to actually have like a slideshow for it, right?

Everyone else was kind of like pitch it to the class with nothing else to it. And then we kind of had like that, probably some sort of an edge on that front.

SEAN: Yeah, I think so. Just because like, hey, this is our budget, characters, and locations.

JOEY: Yeah, we didn't have the same type or we call it like was a bleak present or something.

SEAN: Yeah, it honestly started off as the best day ever to the worst day ever to bleak present to back to the best day ever. Now, Silver Lining.

NIKKI: I love that title. Can I. Can I just say like that title just it seals it. 

I kind of know a little bit of the story and I think it's perfect. So, Dave, I just want to know more about, like the audition process and like, acting and all that.

DAVE: Funny enough, when I was told when I was pitched the idea, I think it was Sean or Lip because Lip was casting director, I was actually in Florida.  I didn't even know if I was going to come back to Fitchburg State. So let's just say that this project is the big reason why, because I was about to move there and like literally, let's just say that this project was a big factor as to why I decided to come back, because I just had to be a part of it, you know?

So pretty much they reached out to me to ask me to submit a self tape because I couldn't do it in person because, again, I was, you know, across the U.S. 

Yeah, that's the audition process. I submitted it and I think like the day after they got back to me and said, I got it.

NIKKI: So how was the audition process from, like, you guys’ side of things. Like, what was that like?

SEAN: So the original plan was we were going to have to sections, we're going to have the video submission section where we get to see like the vibes of the actors and be like, “Oh, okay, like this person would be great at playing this person and etc.”  

And then we were going to do a chemistry read in person, but while we were sitting down watching the auditions, we were all honestly, all like looking at each other and we were like, we have three weeks to practice.  And then to film, we don't have time to do a chemistry read. 

It was more like it was like a two out of three decision because I was like, Oh, great, But I promised. But like, you know, it's like, the thing is, it's like, yeah, we don't really have enough time and we want to give enough time to the actors to rehearse and practice and block.

So pretty much it was very difficult because we had a lot of submissions. But personally I'm happy with the cast that we end up casting.

NIKKI: So obviously that was a very challenging decision to make with like cast and stuff. So what's some more challenges that you guys have experienced throughout the project? I know you guys have filmed a couple days or so, so what are some challenges that in your respective like part of this project you guys have faced?

JOEY: I mean, there was a lot of stuff we had to cut out because I'm like – the beginning cuts that we had for it. Tons more locations, tons more characters. We have to sort of cut it down because the professors had some ways of being like, Oh, you going to cut this down? You got to make sure it's always in this limit and this page amount.

And then we just had the cut down, down, down. But we still have a story that's very good. 

And it was also things like locations. That was probably one of our biggest things. We had a plan to go to this one house, but then something happened last second and we had to completely reschedule. 

And then it was like not even like a week until the shoot.  And then I was able to get my grandmother to host for the shoot. So then that that worked out. And then, you know, still things happen.

SEAN: By the way, your grandparents have a beautiful house.

JOEY: They really do. It's a very nice house.

SEAN: And so like this version of the script that we're using is actually like the sixth version.  The first version was honestly 27 pages long. And it had a whole new character, had a whole bunch of different elements that didn't even make it to the final, final cut of the script. 

Honestly, it was just like a wild ride because the original idea in the script was so much more like out there and like, much more ambitious.

But as Joey was saying, the professor was like, “Yeah, you should probably like, keep it to 15 or under for a festival reason and also for your own sanity.” And I'm like [laughs] –

NIKKI: Yeah, I respect that so much because I know scripts. They change all the time, even on set. Like how does that happen? Like you have to like change something on set yet when.

SEAN: You mean the filming?  Because we only filmed the first two seasons, but for the most part, no, surprisingly, everything actually kind of like went brick by brick on the script. The only thing that is different, like the blocking. 

But we're still going to be filming the rest – the big chunk of it in March.  So I'm pretty sure that things are going to change because.

NIKKI: Yeah, it happens.

SEAN: Yeah. And like, I'm pretty sure that certain actors are going to have better ideas for dialog.

DAVE: I guess it's a little inside, inside jokes. 

So like pretty much when whatever project we were a part of for Time Wars, for example, sometimes certain lines will be a certain way in and I get so in character, so like into it in the moment and I just naturally see something that I guess they're like, You know what?

Let's keep that one instead.

NIKKI: So what's, what's time, Cause you just mentioned I like, I don't know, we're we're in a whole different dimension right now.

DAVE: It is another project that me and the director Sean and joey are working on.

NIKKI: Okay. Okay. So we have a little, a little gang right here. So I want to kind of like, know what inspires you guys and why you guys chose film and going forward, like what you want to do.

DAVE: I well, for me, I've, I've loved movies ever since I was younger especially, I guess, what inspired my love and passion for movies as well Scarface, my favorite movie of all time, and also Marvel movies like superhero movies, I guess I thought like living in Worcester, Massachusetts. It's not L.A. You know. I mean, it's not like I'm living in downtown London.  [laughs]   You know.

NIKKI: Massachusetts is not, is not L.A.

DAVE: Nah i understand exactly like it's not like this mad film opportunities where, like, you can really make a living out of it. Until I stumbled upon Fitchburg State University offered a film program. So that's when I was like, you know what?  

Did my research book to kill you on the phone, spoke to a lot of people, asked around about it, and I was like, “Good, this is my dream.”  You know, I've always loved this.

NIKKI: When did you when did you realize that this was your dream and this is what you want to do?

DAVE: So, okay, so fun fact before I transferred into Fitchburg State, I initially went to Quinsigamond Community College, and I was in bio pre-med, and I took this one class called Organic Chemistry This. And I was like, Yeah, I'm about to just become an actor. It's not for me. It's like, You know what? I might as well chase my dream and do something I love.

SEAN: I always wanted to be like something in the film industry ever since I was a little kid. I always, like, watched like I'm more of a television person than a movie person, even though I do love Marvel, I do love superhero movies. That's like my movie genre and like, frankly, not that much into sci fi, maybe more into sci fi TV shows, but that's another tangent. 

Pretty much, Yeah. Like I used to like to watch love watching TV. I was like, “Whoa, that's so cool. I want to be a superhero. Or I'm like, Yo, it's action packed.” 

Like, because like when I was younger, I always wanted to be an actor. But like, the more that I went, then I grew that, the more I grew up, the more I'm like, thinking about what I want to do in life.  It's like it just became more like, you know, I actually want to, like, create these things to like, just like, make it and be like, “Yo, I made that. That's so cool. I can't believe they actually did that.” 

And yeah, so it's like now I'm just kind of like, kind of like dabbling in behind and in front of the camera. So it's pretty cool. I'm enjoying it here.

JOEY: I mean, my inspiration mostly comes from like YouTube because like growing up, I – there was a point when I just stopped watching TV and I just started watching like YouTubers. 

It's something that's uniquely like our generation. I feel mostly because, like we just have that transitional state where like, even like now people probably they completely grow up on YouTube or some of that we have that countries or something.

And I always saw these people and I was like, “Dang, they're so creative.”  These like individual people have so much power to just make something incredible. 

And then I was always thinking like I started like doing like small YouTube views and then like I learned how to edit by using like iMovie and then like I moved on to like Cyberlink Powerdirector and then I've been learning to edit for eight years.

NIKKI: I know being on set it gets hectic. You have those moments. How do you guys handle those moments when you guys are on set and it gets stressful or hectic?

DAVE: I don't really spend much time on set and I said once I kind of become the character, so like I don't, you know, I kind of get into that mind for Actors, not you. This is not you Dave – this is Dylan or this is Brian. You know.

NIKKI: Method acting?

JOEY: Yeah make it fun, make jokes, scream if you need to do whatever you got to do to just survive.

SEAN: If you're going to freak out, you make a show out of it and make sure that everyone lives because, you know, we're all in the same boat.

JOEY:  I was like I say, it's a film set. It's never not stressful if that's what it is. It's just the atmosphere, the palpable atmosphere of just pure stress.

SEAN: And honestly, just by the just by the action of just checking up on one another, that honestly could mean a world to everyone. Just be like, “Hey, how are you doing? You're doing good.”   “Yeah, I'm doing good. I'm just a little stressed.”  “Yeah, No, same.” 

And then it's just like, evens the playing field. We all know that we're stressed.

NIKKI: What is your takeaway so far from this project?

DAVE: One to go. I've learned to be more patient, you know, like work around people's schedules because, you know, I'm not going to say too much, but, you know, a lot of things happened or were some things had to be worked around, something that to be pushed back. So I think as an artist especially, I think it gets you the respect from other artists when it's like, you know, things happening like, no, I'm still here brol, you know?

I mean, like, I got you, we're going to make this happen and we're going to work around it. And yes, all to collaboration skills.

SEAN: Oh, I need to do better with time management. [laughs]

NIKKI: So is there anything you would like to tell Future Peers that would be working on an advanced project?

SEAN: Honestly, just like before actually taking advantage, it was like this big thing. It's like, “Whoa, they're the cool kids. They're doing advance look at their movie cinematic style.” 

But honestly, it's like you. Yeah, it's really like intermediate again, but just you just have more knowledge. So it's like, I would say, feel a little bit intimidated because it is a thing.

It is a thing, but also at the same time, don't be scared of it. It's like it's honestly, it's you and your peers just making a film. So it's the same thing that I'm going to assume that most people or most of you guys are doing anyways. So it's really just that just with a bigger crew and class resources, honestly, but it's like the same thing and it shouldn't be anything to be scared of.

JOEY: Right? I'd say the biggest thing you would probably want to do is do what Sean did and like gather a team beforehand, find people that you want to take advance with. Professors are going to tell you to do that anyways, but it's it is really important because I hear horror stories about people who are stuck in groups of people that they do not work well with.

SEAN: And I'm so thankful that, like it happened with Intermediate and it's happened with Advanced, I have a crew of people that I love working with and they're very fun. And if there was any sort of like people who were super like they had lots of disagreements and stuff and they were just very like not a good person, then they would all just fall apart. 

But we have a good group. So honestly, the whole entire class, like even not just our group, but like even seemingly the other group as well, it's just the whole class is just a good group.

NIKKI: So from an actors point of view, what would you, how would you encourage actors? Are going to be in an advanced project or just like any project in general.

DAVE: I would say this is a very cutthroat industry, even though we're not really in the industry yet. But for people who plan to audition for advanced projects, wouldn't it be great as a whole? But it's not like, you know, you're not to knock on the working projects, you know, because they're agreed. We've seen some great ones like yours, for example, right?

But like the Advanced Project, there's a whole crew, right? There's a budget, there's, you know, there's money involved, there's people who donated their money to make this movie happen. So casting directors are going to try to pick the best actor fit for the role. So if you audition for an advanced project, you don't get picked outside, don't get discouraged, or like, don't take it personally. Maybe that will just worth it for you. 

You there's a lot of things that go into my physical physicality in casting how you deliver the lines. You know, it's it's all about the director's vision. Don't feel like you don't take it because was my first advance project audition for it. Its a project called Humbug. I didn't get the role, you know, like someone else got it over me, you know what I mean?

And not kind of that kind of did something to me. But after a while you're like, It's going to happen. You're going to hear a million no's before you hear yes. So that would really be my my advice, I guess, to people who are auditioning for advance. You know, just don't take it personally. Just do your best and that's all that matters.

NIKKI: Is there one like, what would you change so far is like anything at all?

(Electronic music starts)

SEAN: Um… not really. I'm really grateful for the crew I have. I'm really grateful for the cast. I have I'm really grateful for, like, the people that been helping out with the project, their films.

NIKKI: Silver Lining is meant to come out this summer 2023. Hopefully this episode allowed you to gain a better understanding of the film department. And with that all being said, that is it for this episode of FalconCast.

(Electronic music fades out)

NIKKI:  Hi my name is Nikki. I’m a junior from Newton majoring in Communications, film concentration.  

(Perseverantia theme swells)

And you are listening to Perseverantia [laughs], the Fitchburg State Podcast Network.

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