Becoming Tarantino doesn't need to remain a pipe dream. Her Infidel, currently one of the most ambitious film projects on Grounds, is largely written, directed, shot, cast and acted by students armed only with a penchant for mafia movies. Cast and crew ventured into uncharted territory to fulfill Hollywood-scale dreams. Even if this involved dealing with cops who discovered a bagful of their props including syringes and fake guns, or lying in a pool of pseudo-blood (corn starch) to play a corpse for hours on a freezing day in October.
"We had a lot of learning to do," laughs second-year College student Michelle O'Malley, producer of the film series. "We shot four [full] scenes that day."
This reflects the diligence with which the sheer scale of their subject matter was tackled. Shooting of the mafia film series began last fall. With the completion of the first episode, director Susanna Wong, a second-year Engineering student, plans to shoot five more in her time at the University. Eventually, nine episodes will round out the series.
Wong affirms how much learning took place during the process of pre-production, shooting and post-production.
"Lighting techniques, filming techniques -- you learn it all on set," she said.
Her crew tackles various aspects such as unit production, set photography, equipment transportation and location-scoping.
Hong Kong-born Wong started making films in the ninth grade and has since won prizes in distinguished competitions back home, such as at the Hong Kong Independent Film Festival and Discovery Channel's First Time Film Makers. Most of the cast and crew, however, are new to the film-making process. Assistance was enlisted creatively and widely. For example, managing consultant Grahame Burke has organizational experience with Alpha Phi Omega and Trigon Engineering Society.
The Virginia Film Society was sought out for infrastructural and logistical advice during early stages of production. Also, cast members are not limited to University students -- English Prof. Gordon Braden plays gang boss Victor, while Charlottesville locals were recruited for the key roles of Sean and Sofia.
Most of the crew members are avid Kill Bill fans, so expect blood. Buckets of it. In fact, auditions for new cast members are currently in progress because, as O'Malley pointed out, "several characters got killed off in the first episode, so we can't use them again this semester."
The film series is tantalizingly synopsized as a compelling saga about the struggles of two female superpowers and the men that surround them. Its plot revolves around Victor's training of his goddaughter and successor Antonia while fending off Sofia, wife of a rival gang leader killed by Victor's henchman. ... But we won't give too much away. Wong notes that inspiration for Her Infidel lay in the theme of female power in the mafia and the tenuous upper hand they possess in an overwhelmingly masculine environment. Wong visited Kyoto over the summer for site research, since future episodes will involve a Japanese assassin and fight scenes aplenty amongst sets that emulate Gion, Kyoto's famous geisha district.
It's continually emphasized that Her Infidel is a project that especially welcomes first-timers who want to learn about all aspects of film. According to Wong, the first step to anything big is gaining experience.
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