Seniors from the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film and Television’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program will present their thesis films at Fox Tucson Theatre on May 9 as part of the 21st annual showcase “I Dream in Widescreen.”

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m.; tickets are $5.

The showcase demonstrates the culmination of two semesters of work by BFA seniors. It is the ultimate test of the filmmaking knowledge students have gathered through the FTV program and networking they have done in the Tucson film community. 

“Collaboration is the biggest thing that I’ve learned,” Clinton Willis, a BFA student, said. “When I first started doing film stuff, I was kind of a one man band trying to do everything myself and it would make a decent product. But there’s a certain level of artistry that comes with a collaboration where you get to humble yourself […] and I think ultimately it made for a better product.”

Historically, production of IDiW films began their pre-production process at the start of the fall semester. This time BFA students were advised by professor Lisanne Skyler to begin drafting their scripts during the summer, as UA alumnus Craig T. Nelson had expressed his interest in starring in a student film. Nelson, well known for starring in films like “Poltergeist” and “The Incredibles,” would read the script and select which film he wanted to be a part of.

Nelson selected the script for “Be Still, Boone” directed by Willis. 

Willis traces his inspiration for “Be Still, Boone” to when he was on his second tour of Afghanistan while serving in the Air Force. In 2018, Willis was diagnosed with cancer and was medevaced to Washington D.C. While doing chemotherapy, Willis saw his father, a “gruff cowboy guy,” cry and generally display a gentler, more sensitive demeanor. 

“I grew up watching these western films with [my father],” Willis said. “And it was always like all this crazy hyper masculine stuff and that’s what got me thinking about what happens to a cowboy when they get older. What really matters to them?”

Student films are largely self-financed. They are either paid for out of pocket or through crowdfunding through websites such as GoFundMe and Seed&Spark. This year, each of the BFA films was allotted $500 by the School of Theatre, Film & Television.

BFA student Kaitlyn Liddicoat estimates her film “Rebranding Bob” had a budget of $1,000, including the money allotted by the school. Willis estimates “Be Still, Boone” finished with a budget of $4,000. BFA student David Aberle’s film “They Wait” had a budget north of $7,000.

The money they raise goes straight back into production matters such as props and costumes. The budget is often consumed by practical matters not visible on screen such as food or in the case of “Be Still, Boone,” production insurance and Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists regulations. 

On top of financing, student filmmakers are tasked with acquiring their own locations and assembling their own crew. They often pull from their prior connections to gather grips, gaffers, producers, directors of photography, production designers and many other positions. “Be Still, Boone” was filmed at Old Tucson with a crew of around 40, a location Willis stated they were loaned for free. Part of “Rebranding Bob” was filmed in the Daily Wildcat’s own Sherman R. Miller 3rd Newsroom.

When they were not directing their own films, the BFA students were working on each other’s films. Liddicoat worked as a producer on “Where the Birds Still Sing” and assistant director on “A Tale Most Fowl.” BFA students do not always work on each other’s films in strictly production positions. For example, Willis, notable for his baldness, was cast by Liddicoat to play his doppelganger Sean Evans, the host of “Hot Ones.”

The most common struggle noted by those interviewed was time management and sleep. 

“Sleep was the number one sacrifice for me,” Liddicoat said. “I think I was working on a total of three hours for all three days of shooting.”

For the production of “Rebranding Bob,” the set decoration called for a very specific type of table that could not be shipped to Tucson in time for filming. The tables could, however, be shipped to Phoenix in time. So after wrapping a full day of filming at 9 p.m., Liddicoat got in a car with her mom, drove up to Phoenix and immediately drove back to Tucson. 

Willis managed the production of “Be Still, Boone” and also planned his wedding, attended classes and worked his regular job. The workload was staggering, but he has managed to pull it all off. 

As the thesis films enter the final stages of post-production, the IDiW line-up features a wide range of genres. The final line-up features zany bird-themed comedies, meditative westerns and Indigenous horror. 

Creatures from Native American folklore and religion have appeared in TV shows like “Supernatural” and video games like “Until Dawn.” But depictions of folklore from Indigenous creators are very rare. 

Aberle, as a medicine person for the Diné tribe, is dedicated to presenting sacred cultural concepts from Indigenous cultures with all their nuances intact. During production, he would often receive notes from people outside his tribe and would struggle on how to address it, not wanting water down the culture. Aberle was eventually advised by “They Wait” actor Jon Proudstar, known for “Reservation Dogs,” that he was under no obligation to “handhold them.” 

“Indigenous horror is not a brand new genre, but it is something that we’re trying to push forward,” Aberle said. “Being a medicine person who knows the songs, ceremonies and stories and adapting them to film, I feel a huge responsibility.”

After graduation, many of the BFA students plan to immediately start searching for work in the wider film industry. Liddicoat plans to move to the East Coast with aspirations to write and direct her own work, but currently intends to become involved in the industry in “any way, shape or form.” Aberle plans to leave for Canada to star in a paranormal investigative television show that has recently been greenlit. 

“The grind doesn’t stop, even though I have the degree in my hand,” Aberle said. 

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