First Day Shuffle

You know, it's funny. If you had told me one year ago that I would be in charge of the Ball State Summer HD movie I'd have never believed you. My friend, Kris Knight, had directed last Summer's movie and as someone who looked to him as a friend and mentor, I never saw myself as being able to do what he did. A friend of mine has a phrase for it; he calls it the "TCom A-List." Members of the "A-List" include the top students in the program; the directors, the show runners, and the students that are used as examples to visiting parents of why a telecommunication major doesn't mean you'll be fixing phones (I've heard of many grandmas telling their grandkids that "AT&T pays lots of money"...).

Anyway, I realized on the first day of shooting that as a Senior, I was in that elite group of students. I myself had reached the "A-List." Did I feel different? Beside feeling overwhelmed, not really. The first day of shooting was a completely new experience for me. Being the director, it's not like they call you that and then you get to show up at the premiere six months later to look good in a tux. It takes a lot of know how, hard work, and a good crew to make it look as easy as Kris and company did so long ago (Thanks for that Kris. I probably looked pretty stupid tux shopping the day I found out I got the job). I guess what I'm getting at is that there's a reason the students on the "A-List" are considered so; it takes lots of work to stay there. Anyone can be a flash in the pan wonder, but to really stick around and be more than just a snobby know-it-all film school student, you have to keep at it. For me, that means there's still a very long road ahead, but I'm more than up to the task and I know that with such a solid crew behind me I can do it.

-Jon Moisan
Director