Members of Rye Middle School’s Film Club debuted their original feature film during a red-carpet premiere on June 8. The premiere celebrated the students’ yearlong filmmaking journey and their accomplishments throughout the school year.
The students’ “Locked In” is a comedy-adventure film about a group of students accidentally locked inside Rye Middle School for an entire weekend.
“The project spanned the entire school year and involved every stage of the filmmaking process, including brainstorming, scriptwriting, acting, filming, editing, marketing and event planning,” said Heather Moran, who co-advises the club with Deborah McNamara.
Throughout the process, the students collaborated in a writers’ room format for several weeks, created characters, developed plot points, wrote dialogue and revised the script multiple times. The final screenplay went through numerous drafts as students refined scenes, added humor, improved pacing and solved storytelling challenges.
Many of the students appeared on screen as actors while others helped with directing scenes, managing props, setting up locations, operating equipment, filming shots and assisting with production decisions. The students also reviewed footage, discussed edits and made creative choices about how scenes should be presented. In addition, they created promotional materials, designed merchandise concepts, made school announcements and publicized the premiere.
“The filming process was extensive and often required multiple takes of the same scene,” Moran said. “Students learned firsthand that filmmaking involves patience, flexibility and problem-solving. They worked together to overcome scheduling challenges, improve performances, adjust scenes and ensure the final product reflected their shared vision. After filming wrapped, the students spent several weeks editing footage, reviewing cuts and making revisions before preparing the film for its premiere.”
Moran noted that one of the most rewarding parts of the experience has been watching students take ownership of a project that truly belongs to them.
“It has been exciting to see them collaborate, support one another and bring their ideas to life on screen,” she said.
Through the yearlong project, the students developed filmmaking skills while strengthening their creativity, communication and problem-solving abilities. They learned how to collaborate on a large-scale production, accept and apply feedback, and adapt to challenges throughout the creative process.
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and enthusiasm the students showed throughout the year, and we were excited to celebrate their hard work at the premiere,” Moran said.