Written By: Cassandra England
Spring is a time for rebirth and new beginnings. However, here at Saint Martin’s, the spring semester marks one full year completed for first-years and the end of an era for the senior class. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays finally over, the spring semester brings about new opportunities and new projects. However, one of these new projects is more than merely another essay.
Cassandra England, a senior majoring in Communications and Theatre with a minor in computer science, has taken on the task of making a short film. A preview of the film, titled “The Phantom Regret,” is set to premiere on campus in late spring 2025, at the end of the academic year.
The short film follows a young woman named Amelia Sinclair, who is plagued by a spirit she cannot see. When she calls upon Detective Anita Franklin and reporter Jack Dixon for help, she is forced to deal with things in her past that are long forgotten.
The first day of filming took place on December 17th with students, Cassandra England, Alex Greene, Ben Gress, Bernardo Sanchez, & Yasmeen Barakat, ready to shoot the first scene. After finishing up the costuming and setup, the crew was ready to capture the shot. However, once the camera started rolling, so did the abysmal weather. The clouds had covered the sky and caused a massive downpour, prompting the cast to throw their coats and covers over the equipment so it would not get damaged. To their luck, the crew was able to get a few good shots in before rushing inside to dry off.
After editing, there was still footage that needed to be taken. So the cast scheduled another day for reshoots. Day two of filming took place on January 20th, 2025 at the same spot on campus, directly next to Krielsheimer Hall. This time, however, the weather was clear and the sun helped provide a good amount of lighting for the scene.
Alex, the lead actress for the scene played the part of Amelia Sinclair alongside Bernardo Sanchez who is the stand-in for the role of ‘The Stranger’. The two actors played their parts excellently and followed the direction of their fellow Saint Martin’s student & director Cassandra England.
The scene was filmed using a Canon M50 Mark II mirrorless camera with a 55-200 mm lens and was shot in automatic mode to adjust the aperture and brightness for the outdoors. Then, a white mist filter with an intensity of II was used to achieve the Film Noir and Vintage look. The filter softened the exterior lighting and faces of the actors, giving the footage an old Hollywood glow, reminiscent of the black and white films of old. No sound was used for the scene, however, since most of the effects would be added during post-production. Filming the scene without dialogue or sound effects gave both the director and cast the chance to focus on the camerawork, cinematography, and acting to focus on the emotions of the character and set the general tone for the short film.
While the footage for scene one during reshoots was significantly improved, there were also some mishaps. During a couple of the takes, the fog machine ran out of juice and Ben Gress, the film’s 2nd unit cameraman and actor for Michael Ellison, had to refill it. However, even after refilling the machine, it wasn’t a guarantee that the fog would turn on right away or last long enough for the take.
However, the biggest problem the team faced was the wind. Every so often, the wind would blow the fog in the wrong direction, causing it to flow in contrast to the shot and missing the actors completely. Eventually, the crew was able to adjust it by tilting it forward so that whenever the wind picked up, it would go in front of the actors and crew and float backward from there, achieving the perfect conditions for the scene.
After getting the fog right and the majority of the scene filmed, Ben employed his drone to capture aerial shots. The aerial shots were used to film the final shot of the opening scene where Amelia turns around to find that no one is there. By taking an extremely wide shot, the visuals aided in capturing the feeling of loneliness and suspense that Amelia, the scene’s primary protagonist, was experiencing.
The movie’s second day of shooting proved to be a success. With one scene behind them in the rearview mirror and five more scenes ahead, the film’s production had finally begun to speed up.
In the coming weeks, Cassandra England, Mia Moreno, Alex Greene, and Ben Gress will continue to work on filming on and off campus. The next scene in the film will take place inside the abbey church, using the natural lighting reflected on the stained glass windows to make the scene appear more abstract and visually interesting while also paying tribute to the monks and the catholic atmosphere of Saint Martin’s University’s campus.
The film is slated to be finished by the end of spring 2025 to early summer 2025, and those who are interested in seeing a preview of the movie can catch it during Saint Martin’s annual Scholar’s Day Celebration!
Anyone who wishes to help fund the project or to support their fellow Saints in the arts can reach out to @englacas on Instagram or through email (Cassandra.England@stmartin.edu). Feel free to message Cassandra England, regarding further information about the movie’s progress and how to donate (& receive your name in the film’s credits!).
The Belltower 