After two semesters of immersive learning in film production, editing, and marketing, the 2023-2024 Fiction Filmmaking Capstone Class at Michigan State University will premiere its film, Feast Your Eyes, about the life of an amateur TV show producer who becomes captivated by his subject’s repressed hunger for human flesh.

A team of 25 Fiction Filmmaking students brought their Film Studies education to life under the guidance of Executive Producers Jeff Wray, Professor in the Department of English and Timnick Chair in the Humanities, and Pete Johnston, Academic Specialist in the Department of English and the Film Studies Program Production Manager.

“The class is an incredible opportunity for the students to work on a large-scale project in a single large group, which gives them a much better understanding of a real indie film experience,” Johnston said. “These students can go into their careers with a very solid film in their portfolio and a network of peers with whom they will likely keep working together again and again. To get a chance to oversee and guide them is a treasure. I love teaching this class.”

The Fiction Filmmaking Capstone Class begins by choosing a 30-minute student-written script and delegating the roles each student will perform over the following two semesters.

“I’ve gotten to be hands-on throughout the entire film. It has helped my passion for the arts grow into a position I’ve never tried out before. It opened new doors into future projects.”

Summer Groenke

“Taking on the position as the Production Designer on Feast Your Eyes has been very beneficial to my future,” said Summer Groenke, senior Film Studies major who worked on the film as the Production Designer and Location Manager. “I’ve gotten to be hands-on throughout the entire film. It has helped my passion for the arts grow into a position I’ve never tried out before. It opened new doors into future projects.”

The students choose between multiple roles, such as editing, directing, casting, and technical crews. They also had the opportunity to work on multiple teams.

“I chose to pitch for editor because editing is the one thing I am very comfortable and confident in. I love being able to put all the puzzle pieces together and make something amazing,” said Autumn English, a senior Film Studies major who worked on the film as its Lead Editor and as Assistant Camera. “This class taught me a lot about how much work it takes to edit a film. We had almost six hours of footage and had to cut that down into only 20 minutes, so there was a lot of trial and error that we had to go through with the edits.”

Students receive a modest budget of $5,000 to complete the film and are responsible for casting actors, scouting locations, elements of production design, and scheduling before they begin shooting the film. A marketing team also works with them throughout the process on a behind-the-scenes documentary and social media campaign to help them plan the premiere.

“This experience has garnered me a new network of connections and knowledge that I would have never learned if I had not attended MSU.”

Autumn English

“This experience has garnered me a new network of connections and knowledge that I would have never learned if I had not attended MSU,” English said. “It taught me a lot about myself as a person and a team member that I think will help me with easing into more professional roles.”

Feast Your Eyes will premiere to a sold-out audience on Wednesday, April 24, at 7 p.m. in Studio C! at the Meridian Mall in Okemos, Michigan, with on-campus screenings scheduled for Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in Wells Hall B122. The 8 p.m. on-campus screening has already sold out, but tickets are still available for the 9:30 screening on the film’s website. Each screening of the film also will include a behind-the-scenes documentary and a Q&A with the student filmmakers.

The following are the students in the 2023-2024 Fiction Filmmaking Capstone Class filmmakers who worked on Feast Your Eyes.

Producers:

• Catherine Anger  
• Jay Isoniemi

Directors:

• Danielle Pollak

Assistant Directos:

• Jewell Redman
• Courtney Ubaike

Writers:

• Omalara Clay
• Chelsea Hunter
• Ben Strelzoff

Crew:

• Mike Boza
• Megan Lear
• Kahari Mitchell
• Naomi Perkins
• Ethan Seelig (Director of Photography)
• Brenda Sewavi

Marketing Team:

• Mason Allen
• Jamir Bowers
• Jennifer Laudkonis
• Malachi Neaton

Art Team:

• Ian Granzow
• Summer Groenke
• Will Kuhns

Editing Team:

• Kaya Chamberlain
• Autumn English