The public is invited to view two original, short Cru Films at UMHB, April 16 and 17^th.   For  April 16, 11-11:50 a.m.,  two Cru Films are to be screened as part of an event hosted by the College of Humanities. For this event, Dr. Joesph Tabarlet, Chairman of the Dept. of Communication and Media Studies, is to present Insights from the History of Film. This lecture is to be followed by screenings of two short Cru films in Brindley Auditorium, York Hall, UMHB.  April 17^th, 12:30-1:30 p.m., the same original, Cru short films are to be screened again in Lord Conference Center in the Parker Building at UMHB. Screenings on April 16 and 17^th at the university are free and open to the public.

The UMHB Cru Film Program is directed and supervised by Dr. Diane Howard (Director of Performance Studies in the Dept. of Communication and Media Studies in the College of Humanities)  and by Ms. Donna Teel (Director of Computer Graphics in the Dept. of Business Information Technology and Systems in the  College of Business). The Cru Film Program offers courses in Film Performance and Production in the  Department of Communication and Media Studies and in the Department of Business Information Technology and Systems. Independent film festivals have screened Cru short films and featured them on corresponding Websites.

UMHB film students have participated in performing for and producing short films, television films, and feature films; public service announcements, industrial videos, and commercials; and  documentaries for UMHB and regional partners.  UMHB film students write screenplays for short films in the fall under the supervision of Mr. Eric Shephard, Theater and Media Studies faculty member at UMHB. Media Studies and Computer Graphics faculty select two fall screenplays for spring production. They also select teams of UMHB film students to produce the films and professional film staff to facilitate the teams.

Two original Cru screenplays have been selected for production for Spring ’07. They are Fly Away by  Mary Susan McGarr and Split Ends by Devon Toombs. Adrian Turner has been selected as the Student Director for Fly Away and Mandy Kennedy has been selected as Student Director for Split Ends.

These two films have been scheduled for screenings at UMHB for April 16^th and 17^th.

In Fly Away, two sisters, Jackie and Beth, cope with changes in their family brought on by Beth’s search for meaningful work and Jackie’s impending graduation from college. Beth, played by Karrie Cox, dreams of joining the Peace Corps; but it is Jackie, performed by Brittany Golden, who ultimately signs up. Soon after her decision, however, a tragedy occurs that changes their family forever.  Left in the wake are Jackie’s mother, played by Lynn Matthews, and family friend, Jill, played by Molly Kaufman. 

The film staff and crew for Fly Away have consisted of the following: Co-Producers, Dr. Diane Howard and Ms. Donna Teel; Production Supervisor and Location Manager, Eric Shephard; Post Production Supervisor, Ms. Donna Teel; Student Director, Adrian Turner; and Screenwriter, Mary Susan McGarr. Further, they have included Editor, Edgar  Garcia;  Director of Photography and Technical Advisor, Phil Curry;  and Script Editor/Supervisor, Angela Lee. The Composer has been Christopher Amsler; Assistant Editor and 1st Assistant Camera Operator, Adriana Baerga; and 2nd Assistant Camera Operator/Slater Kaycee Norris. Sound Recordists have been Deann Graham and David Summers with Robin Wheeler assisting them. Step Rowe has been the Acting Coach. Adrian Turner has selected the cast. The Key Grip has been Michael Deitch. Cheyenne Clark and Adriana Baerga have been  his Assistant Grips.

Production Assistants for Fly Away have been Breanna "Bre" Sherbert and Jon Graham. Further crew have included Boom Operators, Chandler "Beau" Stephenson, Allison Powell and David Summers; Continuity, Edgar Garcia; 1st Assistant Director,  Ica Perry;  and 2nd Assistant Director, Jamie Sijansky. The Production Photographer and Behind the Scenes Videographer has been Will Johnson. Ica Perry has been the Costumer and Designer. Jamie Sijansky has been the Props Mistress and Set Dresser. Kayla Jensen and Amy Martin have been Make-up Artists. Amy Martin has supervised Craft Services. Will Johnson, Breanna "Bre" Sherbert, Kayla Jensen,and Jon Graham have been assistants in Craft Services.

In Split Ends, Ken is sick. Barbie rushes to his aid. She cleans his apartment and finds questionable items. The two get into a comic argument. When the conflict is nearly settled, there is a knock on the door. Ken’s mother appears. The film ends with a surprise twist. Lizzi Covert performs Barbie and Justin Aguillon plays Ken. Alisha Osborn is the mother and Kendra Felmly is a child.
 
The film staff and crew for Split Ends have consisted of the following: Co-Producers, Dr. Diane Howard and Mrs. J. Donna Teel; Production Supervisor, Mr. Michael Fox; Post Production Supervisor, Ms. Donna Teel; Student Director, Mandy Kennedy; and Screenwriter, Devon Toombs. Further, they have included Editor, Chandler "Beau" Stephenson; Composer, Christopher Amsler; and 1st Assistant Camera Operators, Adriana Baerga, Steven Nelson and Ica Perry . The Director of Photography and Technical Advisor has been Phil Curry with Angela Lee as Script Editor/Supervisor.

For Split Ends, Second Assistant Camera Operators /Slaters have been Adam Carrell,
Breanna "Bre" Sherbert, and Cheyenne Clark . Sound Recordists have been Deann Graham, Kaycee Norris, and Chandler "Beau" Stephenson. Step Rowe has been the Acting Coach. Mandy Kennedy has selected the cast. The Key Grip has been Tim Richardson. Adriana Baerga, Adam Carrell, and Cheyenne Clark have been Assistant Grips. Breanna "Bre" Sherbert has been a Production Assistant and Continuity Supervisor. Kelli Kennedy has also served as a Continuity Supervisor. Boom Operators have been Edgar Garcia and Chandler "Beau" Stephenson. 1st Assistant Director has been Dee Hughes and 2^nd Assistant Director has been Steve Nelson.
Will Johnson has been the Production Photographer and Behind the Scenes Videographer. Mandy Kennedy has been the Designer and Costumer. Dee Hughes has been the Props Mistress and Set Dresser. Holly Gaskamp has assisted with Props. Steve Nelson has been the Location Scout and Manager. Devon Toombs has been the Make-up Artist. Jessica Napolez and Rochelle Dubois have supervised Craft Services.