A faith-based film set to release nationally at Christmas has a University of Mobile (UMobile) connection, with students, faculty and alumni directly involved in the movie filmed in the Mobile area.
Directed by Carl Lauten, “Yellow Day” will release in select theaters across the country.
The feature film blends live action and animation in a story that showcases the power of grace through a young man’s search for love.
‘Inspiring idea’
Keone Fuqua, assistant professor of film and theatre at the UMobile Center for Performing Arts, had worked in 2010 with the producers of “Yellow Day,” Jeff Galle and Blake Hester.
“At that time Jeff presented to me a script … and an inspiring idea to make a movie in Mobile for the glory of God,” Fuqua said. “I believed in his vision, trusted his faith and felt called to help in any way that I could.”
“Yellow Day” was partly inspired by Krisanna Roberts, a Mobile teenager who died from brain cancer in 2009. During treatment Roberts would describe her best days as “yellow days,” and the phrase stuck with Galle, who wrote the script for the movie.
Fuqua’s history with the producers of “Yellow Day” provided an opportunity for his students to participate in a legitimate, professional-quality feature film.
“As an assistant professor at the University of Mobile, I was in a position that served as a blessing for the film, helping connect ‘Yellow Day’ to a number of students,” Fuqua said. “Some students became key individuals for the production team and countless others found their way in front of the camera as extras.”
Film extras
Hester, who also served as the film’s extras casting coordinator, visited the university during fall semester 2014 to speak with several classes regarding student and faculty involvement in the movie.
“The University of Mobile has been a big supporter,” Hester said. “Keone was a big part of the film and helped us from the very beginning when we were in development. Students and alumni came out during shooting and helped us in post-production.”
UMobile alumna Stephanie Barnes was an extras casting production assistant for the film. Barnes was a member of the “Yellow Day” team from the very beginning, assisting with production a full year before filming.
“My favorite filming day was the day that we were able to have about 25 UMobile students, faculty and alumni on set as extras, cast and crew members,” said the 2008 UMobile graduate. “We had a lot of fun in between filming some great scenes.”
Barnes now teaches seventh and eighth grade English and high school film and drama classes at First Coast Christian School in Jacksonville, Florida.
“While I was a student at UMobile, I was able to become involved with the theater department,” Barnes said. “Working with the costume, tech and production teams over the years, I was able to gain skills that I can now pass on to my own students.”
(UMobile)
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