Teens From LTHS Win Big With Silent Film

Students from Lyons Township High School (LTHS) received top honors for their silent film submission titled “Stood Up” at the Student Silent Film Festival (SSFF) held Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at the Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Avenue, Downers Grove. Media advisor is Bill Allan, a teacher at LTHS

The Student Silent Film Festival was a film competition in which students from 11 high schools created original motion pictures. Unlike other film competitions, however, the movies submitted told their stories in visual terms without the aid of voices or sound effects. Each school was given four weeks to create its silent film entry.

“My students demonstrated a level of creativity and collaboration that I haven't seen in several years,” said Bill Allan, media advisor. “They really pulled together. They had numerous meetings, location scouts, and rehearsals. They scheduled three shoot days and ended up adding two more to re-shoot and perfect their scenes. In addition, the editing process was laser focused.”

The LTHS students who created “Stood Up” are Maddox McDonald, Ben Cunin, Daniel Murray, George Gangas, Elliott Marcoux, Karman Kapsa, Annie Price, Abby Gertsmeier, Mia Sekulovski, and Michael Badrov.

“I learned that with a crew this big there are a lot of moving parts,” said Daniel Murray, 17, of LaGrange Park. “Keeping track of everything was essential.”

Submitted movies were shown with live musical accompaniment by festival founder Derek Berg who is a professional pianist and CEO of the Clarendon Hills Music Academy. Berg’s original compositions were inspired by the soundtracks from the network series “Stranger Things.”

For the festival, a panel of judges — all professionals in the entertainment or art education industries – selected LTHS as a winner based on the quality of the story narrative, development, camera work, lighting, and editing.

“I learned how much needs to be done even for a short six minute film,” said Elliott Marcoux, 17, of La Grange. “It was clear the judges and audience enjoyed our film, and I am relieved that all the hard work paid off.”

The school received an HD digital file of the movie with the accompaniment sound track.

“In addition to being an incomparable experience for all the participating students,” said film festival founder Ed Newmann of Hinsdale, “the winning filmmakers will have powerful pieces of work for their portfolios.”

Due to the success of all four festivals held to date, a Halloween Silent Film Festival will take place in October, tentatively October 25, 2023.

For more information, visit: https://www.studentsilentfilmfestival.org/.