Cru Films Produced for Marriage & Family Counselors

The two original Cru screenplays that have been produced at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor (UMHB) this spring are Runaway by Steve Nelson and The Good Wife by Jillian Shook. These films have been made for the public; for use by UMHB Graduate Christian Counseling Faculty, who teach Christian Marriage and Family counseling courses; and for U.S. military chaplains, who are being trained in graduate work at UMHB in this field. Once the UMHB graduate student chaplains complete master’s degrees in Christian Marriage and Family Counseling,  they train other chaplains on military posts around the world to enable them to better serve military families, especially those stressed by multiple deployments to war zones. Dr. David Howard, Director for the Graduate Christian Marriage and Family Counseling Program at UMHB, has served as a consultant to UMHB student screenwriters, as they have developed films that marriage and family counselors, especially those who work with military families, can use as training tools.

The UMHB Cru Film Program is directed and supervised by Dr. Joseph Tabarlet (Chairman of the Communication and Media Studies Dept. in the College of Humanities), Dr. Diane Howard (Director of Performance Studies in the Dept. of Communication and Media Studies), and by Ms. Donna J. Teel (Director of Computer Graphics in the Dept. of Business Information Technology and Systems in the College of Business). Dr. Joesph Tabarlet teaches a course in Film Studies. Dr. Diane Howard teaches courses in Screenwriting and Film Acting. Ms. Donna Teel teaches courses in Production, Digital Video Editing, and Post Production/Special Effects. Dr. Tabarlet is the advisor in the Communication and Media Studies Dept. in the College of Humanities for the Film Minor. Mrs. Teel is the advisor for the Film Minor in Computer Graphics Design in the Dept. of Business Information Technology and Systems in the College of Business.

UMHB film students have participated in performing for and producing short films, television films, and feature films; public service announcements, industrial videos, and commercials; and documentaries. They write screenplays for short films in the fall semester. Performance Studies, Media Studies and Computer Graphics faculty choose two fall screenplays for spring semester production. They also select teams of UMHB film students to produce the films and professional film staff to facilitate the teams. Independent film festivals have screened Cru short films and featured them on corresponding Websites.

Runaway is a Cru Film that depicts a young boy who is struggling in his family to escape from the monster in his life. Aidan Vitela plays the boy. Johnny Vacca performs the father and Margo DelaGarza plays the mother. The film staff and crew for Runaway have consisted of the following: Co-Producers, Dr. Diane Howard and Ms. Donna Teel; Production Supervisor, Deann Graham; Post Production Supervisor, Ms. Donna J. Teel; Director of Photography, Javier Rivera; and Student Director, Ica Perry. Johnny Vacca has provided the location for the film. Further, Runaway crew has included Editor, Scott Cheek and Dean Straight as Assistant Director. Holly Gaskamp has been Assistant Editor. Cheryl Blake has been DVD Authoring and Script/Continuity Supervisor.

For Runaway, Scott Cheek has served as 1st Assistant Camera Operator and Yolanda Gonzales has been 2nd Assistant Camera Operator. Jonathan Pederson has served as Sound Editor, Foley Artist, Sound Recordist, and Boom Operator. Peter Blackwell has been the Sound Mixer and Engineer. Dr. Diane Howard and Tara Coet Felmly have served as Talent Coaches. Ica Perry and Deann Graham have cast talent for the film. Edgar Garcia has been the Key Grip with Jon Graham working as a Grip. Production Assistants have been the following: Noell Felmly, Jon Graham, Raychelle Presley, and Vince Van Dam. Rebecca Blizzard has been the Production Still Photographer and Frank “J.R.” Vitoria has been the Behind the Scenes Videographer and Editor. Yolanda Gonzales has been the Special Effects Designer and Amy Hoover has been the Make-up Artist. Angela Booth has served as Location Scout. Aja Bradford and Matt Litaker have managed Craft Services. Rebecca Blizzard and Dean Straight have been the Public Relations Assistants. The UMHB Art Dept. has provided graphic art.

In the Cru Film, The Good Wife, by Jillian Shook, a young soldier's wife learns how much her life has been affected by her husband's PTSD. Karrie Cox plays the wife, Carrie. Jeff Gibbs performs the husband, Jack. Marian Seitsinger plays the Doctor. Dean Straight performs a male voice. Raychelle Presley and Samantha Anderson perform female voices. The film staff and crew for The Good Wife have consisted of the following: Co-Producers, Dr. Diane Howard and Ms. Donna Teel; Production Supervisor, Tara Coet Felmly; Post Production Supervisor, Ms. Donna J. Teel; Director of Photography, Javier Rivera; and Student Director, Scott Cheek. Johnny Vacca has provided the location for the film. Further, Good Wife crew has included the Editor, Mark Rojas; 1st Assistant Director, Edgar Garcia; and Yolanda Gonzales as 2nd Assistant Director and Assistant Editor. Cheryl Blake has been DVD Authoring and Script/Continuity Supervisor.

For The Good Wife, Mark Rojas has served as 1st Assistant Camera Operator and Holly Gaskamp has been 2nd Assistant Camera Operator. Jonathan Pederson has served as Sound Editor, Foley Artist, Sound Recordist, and Boom Operator. Peter Blackwell has been the sound mixer and engineer. Dr. Diane Howard and Tara Coet Felmly have served as Talent Coaches. Tara Coet Felmly has cast talent for the film. Dean Straight and Vince Van Dam have served as Gaffer. Jon Graham has been the Key Grip with Vince Van Dam working as a Grip. Production Assistants have been the following: Malcolm Felmly, Patrick Munoz, Dean Straight, and Frank “J.R.” Vitoria. Rebecca Blizzard has been the Production Still Photographer and Frank “J.R.” Vitoria has been the Behind the Scenes Videographer and Editor. Yolanda Gonzales has been the Special Effects Designer. Cheryl Van Dam and Laura Gebhardt have been the Make-up Artists. Fred, Kendra, and Noell Felmly have managed Craft Services. Rebecca Blizzard has been the Public Relations Assistant. The UMHB Art Dept. has provided graphic art. 

See Keeping Track of the Texas Pulse in Film and Visual Media
 
UMHB Film Talent

UMHB Film Program
 

Performance Studies, Film, Dramatic Arts Curricula
 http://www.dianehoward.com/curricula.htm

Past Film & Stage Projects
 http://www.dianehoward.com/film_stage_productions_UMHB
(DVD Copies of past Cru Films are in the UMHB Library)