Committing College Life to Film

Charles Poekel ’06 had to learn a lot on his own in order to produce a film. He developed a multi-field major, film and English narrative, and, working with Professor of English Sid Sondergard and Associate Professor of French and Coordinator of Film Studies Roy Caldwell, began, he says, “to write a script for a film I wanted to shoot partially based on the circumstances of students I knew.
“The mockumentary aspects of ‘Nouns’ were partially inspired by Spike Lee's ‘She's Gotta Have It,’ Poekel continues. “The goal was to make a light-hearted film about college students that works to expose both subtle ironies and satire.”

“This project definitely involved research, but not of the library-centered variety,” notes Sondergard.  Poekel had to learn how to refine his script, develop storyboards, set up shots (including sound and lighting), shoot scenes using various techniques, and edit. He accomplished this with a blend of coursework and independent study, film-viewing, and book and online research. “I read lots of message boards for digital film,” Poekel says.