Jesseca Kusher

The past week since returning from break has been an incredibly exciting one. I have launched full force into preproduction meetings for my senior thesis project, which will start filming the second week of February.

On Tuesday of this week I met with Jon Sherman and Martha to outline my plans and get feedback on my script. It was unbelievably meaningful to me to receive their positive feedback on my story since I have poured a lot of myself into the project.

Other meetings this week have focused around building my team and securing locations. I met with Noelle Jordan of the Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC) yesterday to pitch her my project and it was very exciting to have her on board. As I explained my inspiration and passion for the project I could watch her eyes swell with emotion. Most meaningful to me was when I thanked her for the meeting and for being on board with the project. In that moment she turned to me and said, “It’s hard to say no to someone as organized as you.” That said, I am just so thankful for her support. We’ll be filming all over the BFEC property (in the farmhouse, by the river, around the fire pit, and beside the barn).

I am also just so grateful for my team. This week I met separately with my DP, Zack Reichiemer and sound recordist, John Ortiz Vargas — they both have powerful visions for how we can make this project special. I have also met multiple times with my producer Devon Musgrave Johnson. She’s working on casting my two adult roles on the project, the mother, “Molly,” and grandfather, “Grandpa John.”

We will have our first all crew meeting at my apartment on Saturday to outline our goals for the projects in finer details and also just begin to bond as a group. I’ll be making brunch and trying to treat the whole crew like they’re “Going to a wedding,” as I was taught by Michael Chichette.

This post was published the first week of classes, 2019.