THE BLUE AND WHITE

On Friday, October 31st, UCC Film Club’s newest project “Retribution” screened at the MB theatre. The short film consisted of a murder mystery centered on vengeance, jealousy and revenge, and was entirely produced by students of the Film Club. The screening saw an incredible attendance, with the auditorium filled to the brim by both students and teachers following a largely successful promotional campaign. The posters for “Retribution” (designed by Daniel Albornoz) and its three variants featuring each of its star performers were displayed around the campus, its signature red peaking the intrigue of the student and faculty body.

The film itself was nothing short of phenomenal. Primary videography and direction were done by Nikhil and Rohan Gupta, lighting was done by Andrew Fan, and the cast starred Mason Lutz-Cruz, Karma Dorji and Andrew Weng. This passionate team, alongside other crew members, was able to fully utilize the twists and turns of the College campus to convert a space we all know so well into a haunting set, complimented by ingenious prop and costume choices to create a mystifying story that kept the audience on the edge of their seats all throughout the experience. For those that were not able to make the screening, the film has been released to student emails and is now publicized on Youtube.

When asked for a statement, this is what Nikil Gupta, one of the directors behind the project, said:

“Making retribution was definitely our biggest project yet. This past spring, my brother Rohan and I had just taken over the College Film film club. We knew we wanted to start with something big and memorable, and a murdery mystery felt like the perfect opportunity to do so

Mystery films take an extraordinary amount of thought, consideration and clever writing to ensure that the film remains tense, but unfolds in a manner that tells the story well. It took us around a month to take this film from the initial idea to a fully-fledged script. Mason Lutz-Cruz, the film’s star, was involved in the writing and creative processes as well. 

We went ambitious with a large production, creating a short film that’s eleven minutes long with a cast and crew of over 10 students. From the initial writer’s rooms, setting up production and lighting, to editing and talking with our composers, we had to learn to manage all facades of a film.  It was challenging, but rewarding, I think everything came together nicely to tell a cohesive story.

Our actors did a fantastic job in making the story come to life. Mason Lutz-Cruz, playing the lead character, Miller Chase, delivers stellar performances throughout the film. Karma Dorji and Andrew Weng both had excellent contributions. Their characters’ respective exchanges with Miller provided brilliant tension that adds an extra layer of depth to the film. 

In the editing stage, we realized that the film needed a suitable soundtrack to compliment the story beats and performances. In order to best suit the film, we decided to collaborate with Bill Cheng, a music student, and Mr Sontag, respectively on their own pieces that were originally composed for this film. Both scores turned out beautifully and an extra layer to the film.  If you want to be involved in the next film, come by room 207 during Flex Time on Tuesdays.”

The success of “Retribution” demonstrates that passion sits at the heart of the creative process. Each dedicated team member contributing to the film caused it to rise to the level that it did, and this is something that others can learn from the UCC film club. I, along with much of the student body, await patiently for the future releases of what we know will be an amazing year for the film club.

Here is the link to the Retribution short film: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tAWKbydjDC3rfi4RmkciquDdOHtPidns/view