With three Parents’ Choice and two Best Picture awards under their belt, the class of 2009 feels confident in their ability to dominate at the Night of the Stars (NOTS) awards ceremony with their newest offering, Mrs. Doubtfire.
The title role falls to ASB president and homecoming king Scott Orcutt, who will attempt to capture the struggle of a divorced dad who wants to remain in contact with his kids.
“The character I play is Daniel Hillard, also known as Mrs. Doubtfire,” Orcutt said. “My goal as an actor is to make people laugh and cry, but not at the same time. The best part of moviemaking is seeing myself on the big screen and all of us just making a fool of ourselves.”
Some students choose to take part in the movies in order to create memories and bond with classmates. However, others also use the experience to help them along in their future careers.
“Acting is something that I really enjoy,” senior Natalie McCallum, who plays Hillard’s ex-wife, said. “I want to be an actress and hope to pursue that career at some point. I?m able to gain experience from being a part of the movies each year and hopefully that will benefit me in the long run.”
After finishing the casting and filming, senior Andrew Rurik took on the task of putting the finishing touches on the project.
“One of the most difficult parts about being the editor is the late nights of editing required,” Rurik said. “Last year I only got two hours of sleep for four nights in a row.”
In addition to late nights for the editor, the movie’s production relied on full-time commitments from the actors.
“The worst part about being an actor is how much time it takes,” Nick Andersen, supporting actor, said. “Mitchell (Callisch, the movie’s director) will call me and say that he needs me right then when I’m in the middle of doing something else. Even though it’s a big commitment, we have a lot of fun with each other and it’s rewarding to see the movie on the big screen. The bloopers are the best part, though.”
Throughout the intense filming weeks, the students not only have fun, but also learn how to work together and bond as a class.
“There are so many things that we can learn from participating in the NOTS movies,” Brittany Stobbe, who portrays the oldest daughter Lydia, said. “Acting helps to build confidence. It takes a lot of courage to be on camera and have the whole school watching. We also learn how to be patient, work together in difficult situations and sacrifice our time for the benefit of the movie. The cast and crew is similar to a sports team.”
For more information about NOTS, read the Dec. 11 article, NOTS deadline presses date-seekers or e-mail Video Productions advisor Scott Callisch.
