Campus MovieFest

In just over two weeks, on April 8, Fordham will begin its seventh round of Campus MovieFest (or CMF), a national student film competition that takes place at colleges around the country. The challenge? Create a short film under five minutes long in just one week.

CMF provides students with all the basic equipment, including a Panasonic HD camera, microphone, tripod, and a Macbook Pro equipped with tools like Adobe Creative Cloud. After a week, CMF collects all of the movies for judging. The top sixteen films will screen on April 22nd--the same week as Spring Weekend--at a red carpet showcase in Keating Auditorium. There will be prizes given away the Fordham showcase, and the top four films go on to the CMF Hollywood Festival to compete for even bigger prizes.

Last April, I entered Campus MovieFest for the first time. My friends and I had little-to-no experience making films, but we decided it'd be a fun project. Our film, Mine, centers around a spoken word artist who performs a poem as a way to gain closure and strength after ending an unhealthy relationship. Even though we knew the production quality wouldn't be perfect, we tried our hardest to portray a realistic, nuanced portrait of domestic violence.

Production stills from Mine (cinematography by Fenizia Maffucci)

My friends Joe Gallagher (who I'd previously acted with in a play on campus produced by the Mimes and Mummers) and Sarah Davis also joined me onscreen. Sarah and I co-wrote the poem that my character recites in the film while Shannon Morrall produced, Fenizia Maffucci filmed, and Amanda Pell composed the score.

CMF doesn't notify you if your film has been selected for the showcase, so naturally the premieres get a good turnout from both filmmakers and friends. Our team was excited to see Mine show up about halfway through the showcase. I was definitely embarrassed about seeing my face on such a big screen, but I was equally proud of how it turned out, considering our general lack of experience. We also just had a really fun time at the showcase; the final sixteen films were really entertaining and diverse. Some were funny and romantic, others were scary, and some films, like ours, tackled sensitive subject matter. I would've enjoyed the CMF Premiere even if I hadn't competed.




Unfortunately we didn't win Best Drama at Fordham, but that didn't slow us down. All the finalists at each school have the opportunity to submit their film into the CMF National Wildcard round. After facing off with other Fordham films, and subsequently three different films from across the country, Mine officially became a national wildcard winner and got screened at the Hollywood festival!

In an even crazier twist, Upworthy.com found our film sometime during our wildcard campaign and featured it on their website and Facebook. (Here's our Upworthy page!)

A screenshot from the day after Upworthy posted Mine on their Facebook page.
(PS. That is a stock photo, NOT a still from our film... I think even partial nudity is prohibited by CMF haha)

We received messages from allies and survivors around the world, on Facebook and on Tumblr.  We were beyond happy to hear that so many people identified with the film and felt more hopeful as a result. Our experience with Campus MovieFest definitely reminded us of the power and importance of storytelling.

Finally, on a sillier note, here's a few bloopers and deleted scenes from the making of Mine:




If you're an actor, a writer, or a filmmaker--no matter what your experience level--you should definitely enter Campus MovieFest at Fordham! 

Summer in the City

I am originally from outside of Cleveland, Ohio, but I enjoy being at Fordham so much that I spend at least part of every month on campus, which adds up to about 10 months out of the year!  Attending Fordham has provided me with so many opportunities to further my education beyond the traditional classroom setting.  My first semester as a freshman I began attending meetings for the Wireless Sensor Data Mining (WISDM) Lab, a part of the computer science department, and now I am a paid research assistant for WISDM.  Dr. Weiss, the professor in charge of the lab, has mentored me and guided me through the process of conducting my own research and applying for research grants.  Fordham College at Rose Hill offers undergraduate research grants for the academic year as well for the summer.  I have spent my past two summers working in the WISDM lab and living at the Rose Hill campus due to the generous financial support from Fordham and the Clare Boothe Luce Foundation, which is a program that promotes the involvement of women in science.

Undergraduate as well as graduate students contribute to the endeavors of the WISDM lab.  This summer we focused on improving our activity recognition application, Actitracker, that is a free fitness app for Android (we are in the process of creating an iOS version) smartphones that monitors your level of activity throughout the day.  We also began integrating smartwatches into the Actitracker system.  My work focused on building and testing models for the computer algorithms to identify the activities users perform based on readings from the devices’ accelerometers and gyroscopes.  I also began a separate project with my professor on cost ratios and their effect on data mining algorithms, but I don’t want to bore you with all of the technical details.  Here are links to our websites if you are interested in learning more about the WISDM lab and Actitracker.    

Although I was working full-time in the WISDM lab, I still found some time to take advantage of Fordham’s location in New York City.  Just to name a few of my adventures: I went to Coney Island, Central Park, SoHo, Shake Shack, Magnolia Bakery, and I even took a cruise on the Hudson and around lower Manhattan.

  

Central Park when my friend and I had a picnic with Shake Shack

The beach at Coney Island

         

Views from the cruise around Manhattan

I was not the only one taking advantage of Fordham's proximity to the city.  While I was working on campus two television series, Madam Secretary and Forever, were filming scenes on the beautiful Rose Hill campus.  I'm excited to watch these series to see how they incorporate my home into their plots.

    

Production crews setting up to film around Eddie's 

One of the many reason that I love attending Fordham is that I have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research, something that not all of my friends from home can boast about, and I can enjoy a break from my academics by exploring the great city that is New York.  

A Focal Point for Film

As a student of film, the decision to come to New York City was rather simple, as the cultural significance of the area is undeniable. Living in close proximity to the city provides untold outlets to examine the world of motion pictures, both studio produced and otherwise. Scattered throughout the metropolitan area are a great deal traditional theaters, as well as independent movie houses, which often showcase works individual’s may otherwise be unable to experience, as they are generally released to a limited market. Advantageous for any student fond of film considering Fordham is that this limited market often includes Manhattan, a reality which led me here. A handful of locations to scout out include the Sunshine Cinema, the Independent Film Channel Center, Anthology Film Archives, and the Film Forum. 

                                                                       Musuem of the Moving Image, Queens. 

In speaking to this fact, a short time ago I was provided the opportunity to attend a special screening of what was a yet to be released documentary, Blood Brother, a beautiful work detailing the life of Rocky Braat, an American citizen who has made volunteering in an India based orphanage his life’s work. As the showing ended, which was located at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, a special guest appeared, the director of the film, for a question and answer session. To hear a firsthand account of what was reported throughout the piece was a remarkable experience, and one I will not forget. Tickets were made available to students through React to Film’s Fordham branch, an organization which attempts to engage students in current world matters through the use of documentaries. 

Guest Blog: "Filmed at Fordham"

Check out this article about movies that have been filmed at Fordham written by Jake Kring-Schreifels, a Fordham senior majoring in communication and media studies with a concentration in journalism and film studies.

An Exploration of Rose Hill’s Impressive Movie Set Resume 

The fall season, cinematically speaking, is Oscar season, the time of year when studios push their best movies into the fore, jockeying for monetary position and favorable critical review. The fall season is also when Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus turns all shades of ember, turning its distinguished architecture and lush grounds into attractive selling points for prospective students. It only makes sense that the small Bronx campus was an attractive location for film directors, too. Fordham has offered its space to directors from Robert Redford to Ron Howard and been graced by actors such as Paul Newman and Michael Douglas, earning the University a spot on the top-10 list of schools with movie credits. Below is a list of the many movies throughout history that contain scenes inside Fordham’s gates, all of which received positive critical reception. Nearly every corner has Hollywood’s stamp…

The Iron Major (1943)

Frank Cavanaugh, played by Pat O’Brien, is the hero of this biopic. A World War I soldier, Cavanaugh went on to coach football at Dartmouth, Boston College, and Fordham, leading them all to victorious seasons. The film is based largely on the memoirs left by his wife Florence, played by Ruth Warrick, and clings to Cavanaugh’s inspirational message that he exclaims throughout wartime: “Love of God? Love of country? Love of family.”

Some seventy years later, the statue is still standing, but may have likely been moved and polished.

One of the few scenes in the film depicts the Jesus statue currently located between the University Church and Queen’s Court dormitory. The statue may have moved because the church is not present behind the statue in the movie’s shot.

Love Story (1970)

The grandstands have become a bit more colorful and the press box a bit larger

As the title implicates, this is a classic tale of star-crossed lovers. Harvard Law student Oliver and music student Jennifer are madly in love, despite their very different interests. Played by Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw, respectively, the young couple marries, but Oliver’s father threatens to disown his son, a declaration that forces Jennifer to plea for his best wishes. The couple quickly learns the harsh consequences of what their love means.

Fordham has added a baseball stadium in the corner now and the foliage blocks the view of O’Hare Hall.

Rose Hill steps in as Colgate University’s campus as O’Neal walks in between the Gymnasium -- substituting as an ice rink -- and the football bleachers and later looks out towards O’Hare Hall. The grandstand looks a little stronger these days.

The Exorcist (1973)

Directed by William Friedkin, the film centers on a young actress’s daughter who becomes possessed after playing with a Ouija board. The frightened mother enlists the help of two Catholic priests to save her daughter and rid her of the evil that has taken over her body. Most of the film was shot at Georgetown, but the basement of Keating Hall, before its renovation, is the place where Father Karras (Jason Miller) analyzes recordings of the possessed girl. Contrary to reports, the scene of the actual exorcism was not performed on the campus.

The Gambler (1974)

The apartments have noticeably been given a fresh coat of pain and Fordham Road has more business than it did back then.

A cyclical tale revolves around Alex Freed, played by James Caan, an addicted gambler. He drives around in his blue car, betting and spending money, borrowing from his sister, his mother, and eventually the wrong kind of people who come after him.

Finlay Hall looks relatively the same here sans tollbooth, to the detriment of its residents.

The movie mostly takes place in New York, and Fordham serves but a small, five-second role. Caan drives his car off of Fordham Road into the Finlay Gate, past where a makeshift tollbooth is constructed. There was no Best Deli in the 1970s.

The Verdict (1982)

Paul Newman plays Frank Galvin, an alcoholic lawyer down on his luck. However, he lands a medical malpractice case that gives him the opportunity to revitalize his career as an attorney. Instead of settling, he aims to find his opponents guilty and earn a substantial settlement for his clients. Newman does case study work with fellow actor Jack Warden in the cozy confines of Duane Library. The spiral staircase is still there, but most of the books are now nestled into the Walsh Library.

Quiz Show (1994)

Still a driveway for security vans, the administration building looks similar to its1994 depiction.

The Robert Redford directed drama stars Ralph Fiennes, John Turturro, and Rob Morrow and covers the controversy surrounding the 1950 TV Quiz Show scandal. Morrow plays a young lawyer commissioned by a governmental subcommittee to investigate two contestants on the TV show “Twenty-One” to find if the game was being fixed.

The classroom looks about the same, with some updated seats.

In one scene, Fiennes emerges from his car into Fordham’s administration building to greet Morrow. Later he lingers in a professor’s classroom, utilizing the Keating Third auditorium. Yes, the future Voldemort was once in Keating Hall.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Fordham can lay claim to an Oscar Best Picture winner. Ron Howard directed this fascinating tale based on the real man John Forbes Nash, a math prodigy that solved number problems that no one else could. Russell Crowe stars with Jennifer Connelly who plays his wife, burdened with the responsibilities of caring for his sometimes schizophrenic, Pulitzer Prize winning husband.

The windows in the upper right are similar in their nature. The flourescent lighting ruins the effect of a Pentagon bunker.

At one point, the Pentagon needs John’s advice with a cryptic code and so he attempts to solve a puzzle in their bunker. Keating’s pre-renovated basement stands in as the secret fortress. The new Language Lab appears to be where the scene was shot, not exactly the place for a mathematician.

Kinsey (2004)

A sharp, insightful biopic about the life of Alfred Kinsey, played by Liam Neeson, the first man to look scientifically at human sexuality. Teaching biology, Kinsey became a pioneer for his studies of sexual behavior and the film mostly addresses his research in the late 1940s at Indiana University. Laura Linney also co-stars and earned an Oscar nomination for her role as Kinsey’s former student and wife.

You can just see the tip of Roosevelt High School in the top right!

There is a brief shot of Freeman Hall and an establishing shot of Walsh Library’s sun-drenched lawn. Later, Neeson and Linney share a moment together, presumably on the same grassy area as Fordham masquerades (as Indiana University here). Don’t they know no one hangs out on the library lawn?

Solitary Man (2009)

Just about five years since they filmed this scene, a frequent sidewalk to use on the way to class!

Michael Douglas plays Ben Kallman, a man going through an odd existential crisis in his old age. He is divorced from his wife, has a part time girlfriend, sleeps around with younger women, and has lost a lot of money after cutting corners at his car agency. He shares screen time with a strong cast including Susan Sarandon, Jesse Eisenberg, Danny DeVito, Jenna Fischer, and Mary Louise-Parker.

This wins the prize as the ultimate Fordham movie. Iconic scenes take place on Eddie’s parade, by Dealy Hall, over Martyr’s Lawn, and on the bench in front of Thebaud Hall. They should’ve named this movie “Fordham Man.”

 Fair Game (2010)

Starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, the movie tells the frustrating story of Valerie Plame, a CIA agent who was outed by government officials in response to a criminalizing op-ed article written by her husband that criticized the Bush administration. This was based on another true story.

A brighter depiction than is showed in the movie. This auditorium is a multi-purpose venue for movie screenings, lectures, and meetings.

Fordham’s role is small as it substitutes its Keating first floor auditorium as a darkened space for a short lecture in front of a handful of students. This is one of the more depressing images of Keating Hall. Luckily, the film pretends it’s taking place at Boston University.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

The sequel to Oliver Stone’s smash hit this time stars Shia LeBeouf as a hot shot proprietary trader who happens to be marrying the daughter (Carrie Mulligan) of the infamous Gordon Gekko, fresh out of prison. The movie, also starring Josh Brolin, uses the 2008 economic meltdown as its plotline backdrop.

Many Fordham students became extras during the film’s only scene on campus in which Gekko makes a speech to students pacing back and forth on Keating’s first floor auditorium. Michael Douglas likes it in the Bronx. Watch it here.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Based on a Phillip K. Dick short story, the movie pits Matt Damon as a rising New York congressman who falls in love with a ballet dancer played by Emily Blunt. Larger forces -- mostly men in fedoras -- disrupt their relationship and an epic game of free will and fate ensues all over New York City.

An iconic view at Fordham, the steps have been tread upon by presidents and numerous commencement speakers over the years.

The movie opens at the height of Damon’s political career making a speech on the front steps of Keating. The director George Nolfi was inspired by this location after seeing U2 played there and decided to make his lead a Fordham grad. Yes, Matt Damon has worn a Fordham baseball cap.

True Story (2014)

Soon to come, a drama about journalist Michael Finkel and an FBI Most Wanted List Murderer Christian Longo, who for many years lived under Finkel’s name outside the United States. The movie was shot on campus during the summer 2013 and stars James Franco and Jonah Hill.

Now, the next time you visit campus, you can impress your friends and family with your extensive list of Fordham movie knowledge!

Photos and Information Courtesy Anchor Bay Films, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers Pictures, RKO Pictures, Thomas P. Farley, IMDB.com