BY SUE WHITEHOUSE OF THE METAMORA HERALD
MAY 6, 2004
Unfortunately, school students today have a unique perspective on violence. Violence has, too often, left the streets, the ghettos, all its "familiar" venues and entered the corridors and classrooms of schools.
Two students, one a 2003 graduate of and the other a senior at Metamora Township High School, have chosen to use a passion of theirs, film making, to look at the passions that trigger, indeed, pull the trigger of violence in school. David Zimmerman, a graduate of MTHS, and Levi Obery, a senior at the school, have scripted a story and used their additional talents as directors, filmmakers (in all its many aspects) and editors to bring a film to the screen that portrays and analyzes violence in schools. The school's encouragement and support of what principal Greg Christy sees as incredible writing and expert technical film making skills, and the acting talent found within the school, helped the directors reach the "wrap" stage and the movie will be previewed by the student body and the public this month.
This isn't the young men's first film. Although the talents that have been further honed and are evidenced in their upcoming movie were presented in their first outing, the school just couldn't get behind a Jason/slasher-type movie, explained Christy. Violence is still a topic of the current movie, but it's a violence that finds its roots in reality and one which the script analyzes and tackles in a "why," "what if' method; hopefully, leading to a "could be, should be" mode of thinking.
Christy said he wanted the film to be more than a portrayal of violence and suggested that the film study the breeding grounds of, and not just the violence, played out upon the screen.
How well that message comes across, the hours of efforts and the skills and talents of some young local residents can be judged by those taking in the film. Showings of the film will take place in the MTHS auditorium Friday, May 21; Saturday, May 22; and Friday, May 28. The public is invited to these screenings which begin at 8 p.m.
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