As darkness engulfs the hallways, the motley group of strangers dash around the house searching for the lights. With the power restored, the group discovers a ghastly scene as a corpse lies on the floor. Accusations and denials spew forth as they try to figure out which one of them is the killer.

In their final semester of high school and with college acceptance and scholarship deadlines approaching, the seniors filmed their adaptation of the board game and movie, Clue, during spring break.

?I was definitely pushing for Clue because it has certain themes that I thought we could pull off,? Ryan Martens, director, said. ?It has lots of humor with a bit of cynical cover-up.”

The movie follows six strangers who arrive to a mysterious dinner party when a string of murders begin. Distrustful of one another and trapped inside a mansion, the group must work together in order to discover the identity of the killer and survive.

?This is my first time being part of my class? movie,? Joshua Palmer said. ?Even though it once took 11 minutes to get my lines right for a scene, I enjoyed hanging out with everyone.?

One of the initial challenges confronted by the seniors was finding a suitable location to film.

?Our first idea was to ask people if we could borrow their house for a week or so but then we decided those houses weren?t suitable,? Martens said. ?My dad originally gave me the idea for the Wards because it is an amazing location and they allowed us to borrow their house.?

With multiple retakes and camera batteries dying, the seniors also had to contend with filming at night due to the setting of the movie.

?I thought filming would have gone faster but it was difficult trying to get everyone quiet and memorize their lines,? Lindsey Whipple said. ?It also didn?t help that I had strep throat and a fever during one of the days for filming but it was great getting to know other people in my class.?

The inclusion of a script has given the seniors addtional room to work with and a direction to follow. While expectations are high for the class of 2008, the seniors strive to make their last movie memorable.

?I’m not really worried about winning anything this year because I just wanted our class to have a ton of fun making a film,? Martens said. ?Even though it has been hard to get everyone involved and committed, the point is to have fun making a good movie. We want to make memories, not awards.?

The seniors will present their movie at Night of the Stars, March 29 at the Cornerstone Church and Wilson Theater. Tickets cost $50 and are available until March 27. Parents are also invited to view and vote for the People’s Choice Award at a private screening of the movies in Ground Zero, March 29 at 9 A.M. The viewing costs $5 and refreshments will be provided.

For more information about class movies and NOTS, check out Brittany Shaffer’s Junior film travels time, Austin Ward’s Click remake defines freshman film, Suzanna Quiring’s Sophomore filmmakers overcomes stress, obstacles, the March 14 editorial, NOTS produces red carpet evening or Jennifer Sherfield’s March 26 article, NOTS captures underwater enchantment.

For another behind-the-scenes look at the movie’s creation, visit Seniors got a clue?.