Redevelopment of Norris University Center’s East Lawn to begin this summer
April 5, 2024
A student-led film project, which will include prop weapons and scenes of violence, will take place on the Evanston campus Friday and Saturday. The filming is part of a senior project by a School of Communication student.
The project was approved by the University, as is routine for student film projects. The filming schedule will be Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., in a room on the second floor of Norris University Center, as well as Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Deering Meadow.
While no real weapons will be used, and there will be no simulation of gunfire noise, some scenes may involve action and events that look real. University officials and the students involved understand that given the recent mass shooting on the Michigan State University campus, the film project could be disturbing for some members of the Northwestern community.
On Wednesday, University officials encouraged community members to ensure they are connected and familiar with Northwestern safety protocols.
Clayton Brown, associate professor of instruction in the School of Communication, who has advised the student making the film, said the student has worked hard on the project, which he wrote to put a spotlight on his family’s history.
“The student’s film is a part of the senior directing program at Northwestern, and it’s a project that is very personal for him,” said Brown, who teaches in the Radio/TV/Film department. “It’s inspired by true events that happened to his grandmother in Mexico, and he’s exploring those themes in a modern context.
“He has worked with me and his cohort in the class since the summer, sharpening the screenplay and honing the story, and he’s put a lot of time and careful thought into the project to depict some disturbing events in a sensitive and thought-provoking way,” Brown said.
Signs will be posted at each site to officially indicate the film project is in progress. In addition, crew members in reflective yellow vests will be stationed around the perimeter of the Deering Meadow film site.
More information on Northwestern’s student film policy is available on the School of Communication website. A separate film policy for professional, non-University-related productions also is available.
