SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — EU Films, a media group within Evangel’s Communication Department, will present the student-produced action film “Witness” with multiple showings on Friday, April 30. The movie will premier at 6, 7:30, and 9 p.m. in academic building Zimmerman Hall Room 105 located on Evangel University’s campus.
The showings are free to the public and seating will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Masks will be required.
“Witness” falls within the genre of a post-apocalyptic action film, taking place a few years after an incident called the “vanishing.” The film follows the main character, Everett (played by David Burgio), a journalist for a local news station. He and his camera operator, Patrick (Brian Savard) and their producer, Jessica (Renee Michaels) head to an abandoned church to follow a story lead, but they uncover something sinister.
Each semester, students in the Film Workshop course produce a feature film that is 30 to 60 minutes in length. Students participate as staff, crew, and writers. Films are supervised by Executive Producer and Communication Department Chair Dr. Cameron Pace.
The creative process
Director Tristin Ray, a junior Film and Broadcasting major, says this is his biggest project to date, and that it has been a long time in the making.
“I have been a filmmaker since I was 13, when I started out using an iPod 4th generation.” said Ray. “I’ve always had an interest in learning about the end times, and this film highlights just how bad a post-apocalyptic world might be,” said Ray.
Allyson Smyntek, a junior Multimedia Journalism major, is the producer of the film.
“Filming has involved a lot of long hours, but has been very enjoyable, especially with the crew we have,” said Smyntek. “This has been a very exciting experience, and I am really looking forward to the release.”
Evangel’s Communication Department prepares students to pursue careers within various communication-related fields. Students study video, audio and film production, journalism, public relations, advertising, public speaking, multimedia design, and much more – all applied through methods of electronic media, print, and oral communication.
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Evangel University, with the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS), is a comprehensive Christian university committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to serve the Church and society globally. Evangel and AGTS serve more than 2,200 students from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries, offering 70 undergraduate majors and 19 master and doctoral degrees.