Photo courtesy of Dearborn High School Student Video Program
“The 49 Cent Store” and three other short films created by Dearborn High School students will premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. Advance tickets are available for purchase at DHS and will also be available the night of the show at the Ford Center.
By BOB OLIVER
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — “The 49 Cent Store,” the newest cinematic creation from the minds of Dearborn High School students, is set for its big screen premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.
The second showing of the film will take place the following evening, also at 7 p.m.
The film is the creation of students involved in the DHS student video program, who completed every part of the filmmaking process, from creating and setting up props to film editing and acting.
Directed by Megan Osborne and written by Michael Bsharah and Adrian Mikulak, the film focuses on the fictional music group The Emperors, who are exposed for lip-synching by a rival band and fall to obscurity.
Six months later the band reforms and names themselves The 49 Cent Store and take another run at stardom.
DHS teacher and student video program director Kurt Doelle said discussions on screenplay ideas began in September before production and filming began in November.
“Once we start rolling the students are filming seven days a week,” Doelle said. “But all of the other work, whether its props or editing is getting completed by students at the same time. It’s a group effort.”
Doelle said the students received help with production from Mayor John O’Reilly Jr.
“The mayor helped us out extensively by getting us a home to film some scenes in for about three weeks,” Doelle said. “He also makes a cameo appearance in the feature film.”
Doelle added the students are very dedicated to the program and that a lot of the work is completed after school, on weekends and over holiday breaks.
“Our students are very driven and give a lot of their time away from the school to this project,” Doelle said. “There’s only so much that you can get done in a one-hour class period, so a lot of the work on the films is done outside of school.”
“The 49 Cent Store” and three other short, student-created films will be shown at the Ford Center both nights. Tickets are $7 in advance and can be purchased at DHS, 19501 W. Outer Drive.
Tickets will be $9 if purchased at the venue before the show.
A trailer for “The 49 Cent Store” is available online on YouTube or at www.the49centstore.com.
(Bob Oliver can be reached at [email protected].)