High school students enmesh themselves in art of filmmaking

Aaron Thompson / Special to the Sun

Erich Bergen, a member of the “Jersey Boys” cast, laughs with student actors Tuesday at the CineVegas headquarters in Henderson.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009 | midnight

Seven local high school students are part of a film project that will take them to the red carpet of the CineVegas Film Festival this summer.

The students are members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas and were chosen for the five-week long film workshop because of their interest in acting. Each week, the students, ranging in age from 13 to 16, were given a lesson in filmmaking with the CineVegas Clubhouse, the festival’s outreach program.

When their 10-minute film “Where the Girls at” debuts on the big screen at Brenden Theatres at the Palms in June, these students can say they had a hand in everything from the screen writing to the acting. Their script can best be described as an urban tale of good versus evil.

“I’m the son of Satan,” said Davion Stewart, who wears a tall Afro and cool sneakers. “I want to rule everything, get girls, but I’m lactose intolerant so I can’t eat ice cream.”

Those details are actually critical to the plot. Spoiler alert: The hero overcomes Stewart’s character by distracting him with a cute girl and then giving him ice cream. Devil Boy melts back to hell. Sorry to give away the ending.

Stewart said he wanted to kill somebody in the film, but the organizers wouldn’t let him go there.

On Tuesday afternoon, the teens got a crash course in acting from two stars of The Palazzo’s hit Broadway musical “Jersey Boys.”

“Learning from people who are doing it professionally is the best training you can possibly get, better than any university or college,” said Erich Bergen, who plays Bob Gaudio in the musical based on the lives of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

He and Jeff Leibow, who plays Nick Massi, implored the young actors to remember that confidence is key, and to be confident you have to be prepared.

Stewart has the confidence — he described his stage presence as “iconic.” He just needs to memorize his lines.

“The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be,” Leibow said.

Tashawn Wiley is nearly 6 feet tall at 15 years old, and doesn’t at all resemble the stereotypical nerd he will be playing in the movie.

“I suggested that the nerd be the hero of the day, because the jocks are always the hero. Everybody sees that and they’re used to that,” said Wiley, who said he has always wanted to be an actor.

Then he asked a final question to the two actors.

“After this, can I be on your show?”

CineVegas runs from June 10 to 15. For more information, visit www.cinevegas.com.

Becky Bosshart can be reached at 990-7748 or becky.bosshart@hbcpub.com.