Kent Independent Films experiences an overflow of support at the Hell at Heathridge premiere

Jason Kilbane, sophomore electronic media production major, gets his bow tie fixed by his friend and fellow fraternity member, architecture senior Andrew Burson, at the opening of Hell at Heathridge on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. Kilbane was a part of the production for the film. Photo by Jacob Byk.

Alexandra Taylor

Supporters of the Kent Independent Films club flooded the Student Center Ballroom for the premiere of Hell at Heathridge Thursday night.

Hell at Heathridge is the most recent film that Kent Independent Films has worked on, which has been over a year in the making. The horror centers around five students at Heathridge University that are asked to recreate a gruesome murder mystery that took place on the Heathridge University campus 20 years prior.

“It’s a relief that [about the premiere], but I’m really nervous, because we’re going to see if people get scared or not.” Hell at Heathridge Director Tyler Pina said.

The event began with a social hour where family and friends we able to meet up with student cast and crew workers for the film and congratulate them on their big day. The ballroom was decorated in inflatable Academy Awards, and the entry way was filled with images of the stars of the film and a red carpet. The capacity for the event flooded over to the point that supporters sat on the floor to watch the debut of the horror film.

The night went “pretty good,” said Event Host and Casting Director, Buddy Candela. “A lot of people drove a long way to be here and support us.”

The film received overall good remarks from students in the audience.

Zach Mandel, sophomore public communications major, said, “I thought it was okay. I’m not a huge fan of horror films, but I think the volume was too loud at times. Other than that, I think the actors did a good job. Overall, I enjoyed it.”

Hannah Servedo, junior public communications major and Jewish studies minor, agreed that, “It was very well done, but it was very loud.”

The person in charge of scoring for the film also agreed that there were problems with the volume. Joe Eberst, senior electronic media production major, emailed the directors of Hell at Heathridge asking to have his name removed from the film’s credits.

Ebesrt said that sounds were added in over his compositions that interfered with the sound quality in the movie. “I’m overall happy with how the movie turned out,” Eberst said. “It’s one thing to ask someone to work on a movie and score it. It’s another thing to take someone’s work and add things onto it, as in adding things into the movie that don’t make sense and putting it on someone else’s name.”

Hell at Heathridge will be shown again at the Kiva Saturday. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the movie starts at 8 p.m. Tickets for the second showing cost $5 and will be available at the door.

Contact Alexandra Taylor at [email protected].