This past weekend, Lakehill Preparatory School freshman Luke Williams was recognized at the Dallas Teen Film Festival. Williams received honorable mention in the comedy category, which had more than 40 entries, for his short film Escape From Dog Island.
Using a claymation technique for his film, Williams initially began the project in his Digital Production class taught by Mark Guerra. “Luke came to me and asked if he could do a claymation movie for his upcoming project," said Guerra. "I knew it was quite a big task to accomplish, but he worked diligently on it while finishing other projects in the class. I was excited to watch his creative process as he wrote the script and created the storyboards.” The entire film took Williams about six weeks to produce, including the audio and original music.
The film centers around a group of dogs trapped on an island that are hunted each night by the native monster. Williams explained that the idea was based on a Lord of the Flies narrative, using dogs instead of humans. Williams also revealed that he does not like when films have talking dogs. "I find it unrealistic.” He corrected this in his film by personally creating the audio for all of the dog characters. Each dog has a unique bark and the tone changes throughout. This audio was accompanied by subtitles to reveal the dogs’ conversations.
Over the past few years, Williams also has been creating a comic TV show with his friend and fellow freshman Mika Davis, which they started in their seventh grade art class. The specifics remain secret while they pursue copyrights for their show. Williams's film will be presented during Lakehill’s slot in the ISAS film festival in April.
By Kate Langley, '19
Marketing Intern
About Lakehill Preparatory School
Lakehill Preparatory School is an independent, co-educational college preparatory school for students in kindergarten through grade 12. Our challenging and nurturing educational community, supported by passionate faculty, inspires students to be independent thinkers and collaborative problem-solvers. Athletics, the arts, and a wealth of student activities and organizations promote teamwork and help develop valuable leadership skills. Lakehill is a special place where students realize their intellectual, physical, and creative potential while recognizing their responsibilities as members of their community.
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