Your assignment: Spend one week creating a three-minute movie called One Chance that includes a character named Ray and a notebook.
Sound tough?
Not for a team of Morristown High School videographers. They got more than a passing grade; their production took top honors at the Fifth Annual New Jersey High School Film Challenge.
They bested 30 schools and more than 70 movies to win Best Overall Film at Jackson Liberty High School in Jackson last month.
One Chance was written and directed by Trevor Stephney. Darren Gong was cinematographer, and Matty Monahan assisted with editing, and acted.
“Trevor’s ability to visualize every scene was impressive. He knew exactly what he wanted, and had total confidence in Darren’s cinematic eye,” said broadcasting teacher Mike Butler, the project adviser and a former director for Court TV.
Rounding out the team were junior Mat Mruz (audio, acting) and sophomore Kylee Strasser (assistant director, actor), recent winner of the Emerging Filmmaker Competition at the Montclair Film Festival.
Both of them are members of the Colonial Corner film club, run by Butler.
“I channeled my inner Larry David,” he said.
Ok, thanks.
Quick Correction: Trevor Stephney was the chief editor. Darren Gong did some additional editing.