News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Rene Abadie Date: 6/1/04   Click on image for publication quality photo “WILD KINGDOM” AT FILM FEST –  “Wild Kingdom,” a video produced by Southeastern Louisiana University faculty and staff, has been selected as an award finalist in the first annual Flint Film Festival 2004 to be held in Flint, Mich., June 4-6. The film’s creators are, from left, seated, producer Martie Fellom, editor Andrew Richmond; standing, composer Stephen Suber, videographer Claude Levet, and author Alan Marsh. SLU’S ‘WILD KINGDOM’ SELECTED FOR FLINT FILM FESTIVAL        HAMMOND --  “Wild Kingdom,” a video produced by Southeastern Louisiana University faculty and staff, has been selected as an award finalist in the first annual Flint Film Festival 2004 to be held in Flint, Mich., June 4-6. The actual award will be announced that weekend.       Based on a short story written by Alan Marsh in 1992, “Wild Kingdom” humorously depicts a junior high school student who employs the techniques of camouflage by wild animals to avoid notice in class. Marsh wrote the screenplay and directed the video, which premiered during Southeastern’s 2001 Fanfare season. It was shown in April at the second annual Longbaugh Film Festival in Portland.       Southeastern dance professor Martie Fellom produced the 27-minute piece, while music professor Stephen Suber wrote the score. University photographer Claude Levet of the Office of Public Information, videotaped the production with student assistant Andrew Richmond doing the editing. The video, which used area high school students as the cast, was shot on Southeastern’s campus, at areas around Hammond, and at the Global Wildlife Center in Robert.       Marsh said the story was inspired by his own memories of school. “Most of us have spent time in classes when we were either shy or felt unprepared and wished we could really hide,” he said.   Fellom, who has produced several award-winning videos in recent years, including “Wish” and “An Act of Bravery,” said the final version of “Wild Kingdom” took two years to complete. “It was a wonderful, collaborative experience, as we had a terrific cast and crew,” she said. “Even after the premiere, we continued refining it. Alan wrote a subplot, which we shot last May. Then we re-edited the whole piece for better pacing.”       Suber’s musical contribution, which was done completely electronically over several weeks, was the first movie score he had written. “I’ve always wanted to write a movie score, but never had the opportunity,” he said. “I saw the video cuts, and the piece really wrote itself.”       “I really enjoyed the collective spirit in making ‘Wild Kingdom,’ because we all shared in the creative process,” said Levet. “I was especially impressed with the dedication of the cast members; in shooting a film, there is a lot of ‘hurry up and wait.’ We shot over four long weekends, and everyone was on time and eager to work.”       Fellom said the team is currently working on a new video project, “The Firefly Club,” which should be ready next year.