Film and Video - Summer Films

The Summer Film Project, founded in 1995, brings students, faculty and industry professionals together on the production of a film.  The preproduction and filming takes place in the summer session.  The fall semester is devoted to postproduction where students complete the film and prepare for its premiere at a local movie theatre and enter it into film festivals across the country.  See these award-winning films as well as the stories behind each production.


2022 - Unemployees


2021 - Thing from the Factory by the Field


2019 - Driftless


2018 - Inheritance


2017 - For the Birds


2016 - Lucky Jay: Season 2

Lucky Jay Season 2


2015 - The Lens


2014 - Lucky Jay

Lucky Jay

Set at a fictional college in the Midwest, Lucky Jay is a comedy series about assistant professor Dr. Jay Calder as he approaches his big tenure review.

Directed by Harper Philbin

Lucky Jay official site
Behind the scenes

 


2013 - The White Bag

Women over 50 are generally invisible in our society. The White Bag explores what happens when an elderly lady--tired of being ignored--stands up for herself.

Written and directed by Marie Ullrich


2012 - Realizism

Realizism

Home foreclosure drives a sheltered suburban family into the thick of the urban jungle where a latter-day Robin Hood helps them uncover a vast land-grabbing scheme.

- Directed by Mitch Nyberg


2011 - Message Sent

A vagrant finds a cell phone full of emergency messages and is compelled to find the phone's rightful owner.

-Directed by Harper Philbin

Watch the behind the scenes video


2010 - Horizontal Accidents

A week in the life of the bargain-basement Adamac Funeral Home and the two modern-day grave robbers who work there. Screenplay by Tom Castillo. Based on the short story by Michael Salisbury.

-Produced by Kim Roberts
-Directed by Tom Seidman

Watch the Behind the scenes video


2009 - The Darkroom

John, a divorced, old-school photographer, who has spent his life dedicated to the discipline of his darkroom and art of photography, finds himself fighting for his craft and ultimately his livelihood.

-Written and directed by Z. Eric Yang

Watch the Behind the scenes video


2008 - Walter's Wife

Walter's Wife is a dark and highly visual tale about a crumbling marriage as seen from the perspective of a young boy. Written by GVSU student, Joshua Kinne. Several GVSU alumni play major roles in the production including director Andy Fortenbacher, '07; executive producer Jim Schaub, '93 & '00; producer John Otterbacher, '03 & '05, and director of photography Michael Bosman, '07.

-Directed by Andy Fortenbacher


Watch the behind the scenes video


2007 - To Live and Die in Dixie

To Live and Die in Dixie is the first feature-length motion picture ever produced by a university in Michigan.  Winner of Best Thriller Feature at the 2008 Illinois International Film Festival and Best Feature at the 2009 Flint Film Festival.

-Directed by Harper Philbin

Watch the behind the scenes video


2006 - Story Time

Starring Janalee Keegstra.  Written by Elizabeth Grant (2005 GVSU Screenplay Competition winner).  

-Directed by Robert Hurst.

Watch the behind the scenes video


2005 - The Gospel According to Roy

The Gospel According to Roy: The Second Greatest Story Ever Told

- Directed by Harper Philbin

Watch the behind the scenes video


2004 - A Moment Of Grace

A young American doctor working in the midst of the Middle East conflict in a Palestinian refugee camp clinic risks her life to save the life of an unborn, premature baby. 

- Directed by Alba Francesca


Watch the behind the scenes video


2003 - Flickering Blue

A lonely old man turns off his TV and ventures out on a walk through the city in an attempt to reconnect with people. 

** Starring James Karen **

- Directed by Harper Philbi
Watch the behind the scenes video


2002 - The Freezer Jesus

- Written by John Dufresne
- Directed by Harper Philbin

Watch the behind the scenes video


2001 - The Lucas Files

- Directed by Harper Philbin


2000 - With You Always

- Directed by Harper Philbin


1999 - Survival of the Fattest

- Directed by Harper Philbin


1998 - My Life Among Gopis

- Directed by Harper Philbin

 

 



Page last modified September 22, 2023