COLUMBUS, Ind. — A local student will see her short screenplay brought to life in Columbus, possibly as early as May.
On Monday, Pigasus Pictures co-founders John Armstrong and Zachary Spicer surprised CSA New Tech High School and senior Piper Parks with the news that her screenplay, “Blue,” is the winner of their fifth annual “Project Pigasus” screenwriting contest.
The Indiana-based film company had invited high school students in the state to write short screenplays — 12 pages or less — based on their own experiences in Indiana, with submissions due in February. According to their initial press release in December, Pigasus filmmakers select the winning screenplay and then bring a crew to the winner’s town to produce the film, with local students involved in the process.
Armstrong said that as the film is made, there will be a student crew working alongside the professional crew.
“We’re going to gather you and all of your friends together, and you’re going to learn, piece by piece, how we actually make a film,” said Spicer. “And you guys are all going to be working the actual positions under all of the professionals that we have on all of our feature film sets. So anything that you’re interested in in filmmaking — whether it’s directing, or it’s editing, or if you’re interested in lighting, or you’re interested in the casting process or acting or any of those things — you just let us know, and we’re going to walk you through all of the stuff.”
The finished short film, he said, is usually screened ahead of one of Pigasus’s feature films. Spicer estimated that the entire process — from the date of Monday’s announcement to the film being screened — will likely take about nine months to a year.
“Tentatively, the producers and I have set May 7, 8, 9 for the three day filming, which will take place in downtown Columbus,” CSA New Tech English teacher Joe Steele told The Republic.
In addition to having students work on the film set, the producers would also like next fall’s students to help with post-production elements such as editing, sound work and “finalizing” the film, he said.
For the complete story, and more photos, see Tuesday’s Republic.
