Lights, Camera, Action! Coo Cinema Club & the 54 Film Fest

By: Abigael Olson

“Thirty Years From Now”

The University of Sioux Falls Coo Cinema Club’s latest project was participating in the
54 Film Fest, a festival based out of Tennessee in which competitors across America are only
given fifty-four hours to create a film. The teams each get assigned a genre, an action, a
line, a prop, and a surprise element that they have to incorporate into their five minute film.
The Coo Cinema Club was assigned the genre options of vacation or holiday, the action of
ducking below something, the line, “it’s not about ____, it’s about ____,” the prop of a ring,
and the surprise element of an anniversary or birthday. The writing team chose to create
a story about a couple taking a trip for their anniversary, on which they are both secretly
making plans to propose to the other. The film is called “Thirty Years From Now” and stars
Hunter Reimer and Tori Schroeder.
When asked about the film, Reimer said, “It’s a film about remembrance. The scary
realization that in thirty years, life may be different. This film is about looking back and wishing
to remember.”
One member of the writing team, Ryan Presler, reflected positively on his experience.
“I had a wonderful time brainstorming with the team and bouncing ideas and tennis balls
off the wall,” says Presler. “I had never been involved in a film writing process and I had an
experience that made me want to explore that more. I thought the film was adorable.”
The film was very successful at the festival, taking home two student awards for Best
Writing and Best Directing and placing as the Second Runner-Up for Best Student Film. One
host of the event, Richard Chilton, repeatedly exclaimed throughout the Appreciation
Ceremony, “I love this movie!” The Coo Cinema Club is excited to compete again next year.The Full Cast and Crew is as follows:
CAST
Hunter Reimer as Dan
Tori Schroeder as Daniella
CREW
Director: Abigael Olson
Assistant Director: Charlie Wood
Writers: Faith Holmen, Abigael Olson, Ryan Presler, Charlie Wood
Pre-Production: Faith Holmen, Eric Johnson, Abigael Olson, Ryan Presler, Charlie Wood
Cinematography: Abigael Olson, Hunter Reimer, Tori Schroeder
Audio: Karl Sharkey
Lighting: Eric Johnson
Slate: Kadie Huls, Ryan Presler
Production Assistants: Faith Holmen, Kadie Huls, Eric Johnson, Karl Sharkey, Ryan Presler,
Charlie Wood
Editor: Abigael Olson
Assistant Editors: Eric Johnson, Charlie Wood
Graphics: Faith Holmen
Score: Abigael Olson
Poster: Faith Holmen
Trailer: Eric Johnson

BTS: Abigael Olson