The Marblehead High School Film Club, which released the popular movie “Currently a Paperboy,” last year, is now in the early stages of developing a new project. Co-Presidents Matias Watts Cruz, Phineas Jakious and Quinn Scheib, are leading the effort.
“The film explores the themes of passion, purpose and meaning,” said Watts Cruz, a junior and co-president of the Film Club. ”It follows Josh, a high schooler, who is unsure about what he wants to do with his life. As the story goes on, he finds a passion and he tries to cling to it.”
The Film Club is developing their script and wants to start filming in the spring. It hopes to start editing in the late summer, and have a finished product done before this time next year so they can share it with the world.
“We want to show it at the Warwick and possibly some other local theaters as well,” said Watts Cruz. “We also want to get it into some film festivals.”
This is a hefty project that needs lots of time and equipment, so the Film Club is having a fundraiser on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at Chipotle in Swampscott to raise money. A percentage of the restaurant sales on Wednesday will go toward the movie production. Be sure to mention that you’re a part of the fundraiser and if you order online, use the code X4KG4ET.
“The fundraiser will help us buy filming equipment, which will help us get more practice in the Film Club with more equipment like lights, cameras and lenses, so we’ll be able to do more within the Film Club,” said Watts Cruz. “That equipment will also help us make a better movie and a better final product when we start filming in the springtime.”
Members of the Film Club are eager to work as a team to make this production happen.
“It’s been allowing everyone to be creative,” said Cole Barbeau, a junior and treasurer of the Film Club. “Everyone has been getting to share their ideas, and it really is a great group of people.”
Watts Cruz believes that the production process will provide students with opportunities to connect with each other that aren’t found anywhere else at MHS.
“When I was a freshman, I acted in “Currently a Paperboy,” and what still stands out to me now is that it connected me with a lot of people who I wouldn’t have known otherwise,” said Watts Cruz. “So in terms of the Marblehead High School community, it will do a great job of bringing people together. Freshmen and sophomores will meet juniors and seniors, and people who, under normal circumstances wouldn’t talk to each other, will form bonds.”
They also hope that their movie will be able to bring the Marblehead community together in a new way.
“The adults, the students and the elderly will all be able to come see it, and they will get to take a look at what our lives are like, so it can really connect the entire Marblehead community,” said Watts Cruz.
