Don’t ever doubt the creative genius, ingenuity or flair for the dramatic of Huntington High School students. Incoming junior Ally Kustera recently assembled a group of energetic classmates and two Class of 2020 members and directed a thought-provoking short film that has impressed everyone that’s viewed it.
“Humanity” is a short film running about ten minutes that centers on “a young girl struggling with her inner demons in a desolate world facing a deadly virus,” according to a snapshot description.
Ryan Porzio, Chris Maichin, Ally Kustera and Emily Geller.
“My ideas for the film came shortly after quarantine began and the initial shock of having no school settled in,” Ms. Kustera said. “It started out as a fun little project for myself since I had so much more free time. I struggled for a while trying to figure out exactly what kind of story I wanted to tell. I drew inspiration from just about everywhere- books, games, nature and of course current events.”
Ms. Kustera is a multi-talented young woman who is a serious student of her craft. She gives the projects she takes on the time they require and doesn’t cut any corners.
The cast includes incoming juniors Emily Geller and Christopher Maichin and recent graduates Abby Semelsberger and Neil Jean-Baptiste. The story was written by Ms. Kustera and fellow incoming junior Ryan Porzio, who also served as assistant director. Ms. Kustera edited the film. Music was from Epidemic Sound of Sweden. Incoming eighth grader Emily Kustera was the film’s music consultant. The Markotsis family provided pyrotechnics. Gregg Geller and Linda Burnett supplied the camera equipment.
“When I mentioned to Emily and Christopher that I was writing for a new project, they were super eager and I realized that they would be perfect as the two leads,” Ms. Kustera said. “I’m so proud of them both and couldn’t be happier with their performances. I asked Ryan to be my assistant director because he has a great eye for cinematography and ideas. We had a blast on set, there was truly never a dull moment. Lots of bloopers!”
Ms. Semelsberger (Marymount Manhattan College) and Mr. Jean-Baptiste (University of Delaware) are preparing to start college, but both signed on to act in the short film.
“Abby and Neil were incredible and I’m so thankful they were able to be a part of it,” Ms. Kustera said. “We filmed the majority of it at Target Rock in Lloyd Harbor because it was exactly the kind of environment I envisioned when writing.”
Bringing the project across the proverbial finish line was a time consuming task. “My favorite part of the editing process is choosing music,” Ms. Kustera said. “I think that music in film speaks just as loudly as what the actors are saying.”
With all that’s going on the world right now, what motivated Ms. Kustera to take on the project? “The reason I decided to make this is because I just wanted to tell a story and share something that will leave people thinking,” she said.
The actors had a great time working on the project. “The process of filming the movie was a really unique experience,” Ms. Geller said. “It was really fun to play such a unique character who was going through so many traumatic events. Doing this movie was something totally out of my comfort zone, but in the end we were able to create something amazing and I am so grateful to have been able to do it. Ally is a very talented director and editor and she really knew what she was doing. It felt like we were filming a real movie most of the time.”
Filming was sometimes grueling, but it was also enjoyable. “I had a great experience working on Ally’s short film this summer,” Mr. Maichin said. “Other than having a really fun time while filming, I also learned a lot about filming and making movies. There is a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into making a short film, but we were all willing to put in the work and all of us that worked on the movie couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
Being a member of the cast was an exciting college send-off for Mr. Jean-Baptiste. “Being a part of Ally’s movie was such a treat and a great experience,” he said. “I’m thankful to have been selected to participate in such a fantastic project. I hope that creative individuals just like those involved in this project continue to entertain all of us during such challenging times as we continue to battle COVID-19.”
Ms. Semelsberger has been starring in Huntington High School drama club productions twice a year for the past four years. She had a great time acting in “Humanity” and applauded Ms. Kustera. “Ally is such a talented young director,” she said. “Getting to see her work was such a wonderful opportunity and I cannot wait to see all the amazing things she accomplishes in the future.”
To view the film click on this link: Humanity: a short film