By Abby Luciano, North Shore News
That's a wrap!
Dozens of Argyle Secondary students and one dedicated teacher recently put the finishing touches on Armageddon Again: The Prequel, a 25-minute action film about a Canadian and American space crew rallying together to stop an asteroid striking Earth, and it's hitting the school's screens this week.
“The film really showcases our talented student acting and directing," said Chris Miller, Argyle Secondary Digital Media Academy teacher. "Expect an interesting action, suspense movie."
The film is a collaboration between the Digital Media Academy, a program offered by the North Vancouver School District, and Argyle's drama department.
Taking inspiration from the 1998 film Armageddon, the Argyle project has a local and national twist. Set in 1986, the film features music from Canadian standouts like Blue Rodeo and Bruce Cockburn, as well as subtle nods to the Canadian flag and Expo 86.
Having that Canadian focus was important for Miller when he began the project two years ago.
“Let's have the Canadians save the world, because we do that a lot, and I don't think we get enough credit," Miller said. “With American TV, you see the American flag in almost every movie they do. And so I thought, wouldn't it be fun if we put the Canadian flag behind stuff and really make it Canadiana."
The film being set in the '80s was an intentional choice too, he said, with younger generations taking interest in the fashion and music within that decade.
Two years ago Miller began storyboarding for the film and students began working on some special effects and props. But most of the work bringing the film to life took place this school year, as the team transformed one of the school's computer rooms to look like the Canadian Space Agency and NASA Mission Control Center in 1986.
Students from the Argyle drama program auditioned for roles in September, filming most of the movie earlier this year.
Grade 11 Argyle student Iris Clark stars as the NASA space centre controller, which was Billy Bob Thornton's character Dan Truman in the 1998 film.
Clark couldn't believe she got the role. For three months, Clark and her classmates spent two days a week filming scenes for the movie. Stepping into the controller role was a challenge at first for the young actor.
“It was so surreal that it happened, I was really excited," Clark said. “I haven't taken on anything like that before. My character was supposed to be this authoritative figure and yelling at everyone, a very stern voice, and getting into that feeling while I was with all my friends was a bit of an odd shift."
Both Clark and Miller hope people see the time and dedication the production crew put into the film.
“They're really passionate, very talented and I hope that these kids decide that film could be something that they want to go into for a career," Miller said.
Armageddon Again: The Prequel is being shown at Argyle Secondary May 5 to 7 starting at 7 p.m. as part of the school's annual film festival, where other short films will be shown. Tickets are available online on Argyle's website.
Check out the trailer of the film below:
