Cherry Hill East’s Filmmaking club had their first official meeting Tuesday, September 28, 2010, after school in B148. Nearly every seat in the classroom was filled as potential actors, directors, writers, editors, and cinematographers listened to Iryna Hrubiy (’12), Leah Rosenberg (’12), and Keaton “Velcro” Anderson (’11) explained their ideas for the new club.

Each presented one or two ideas for a film, and the other students in the club could write down whichever film they wanted to work on. Additionally, if students had an idea for a different film, they could suggest it.

The Filmmaking club is a new addition to East’s plethora of extracurricular activities.

Hrubiy and Rosenberg started the club this year under advisor Mr. Peter Gambino: an English teacher and the broadcasting teacher at East. Hrubiy took broadcasting over the past school year and realized that she enjoyed filmmaking.

Gambino said, “It was great to see her take her passion for film and make it into this club.”

Rosenberg was in several of Hrubiy’s videos and decided to help start the club this year.

Gambino has worked on several documentaries in the past, often working with Professor Robert A. Emmons Jr. Additionally, Gambino works on short films. In Gambino and Mr. Charlie Musumeci worked on a film called The Séance over the summer.

Anderson, who has been making clips on his own for years, said that the point of this club is to help kids understand that film does not stop at the actor. Anderson said, “It took over 600 people to create the 49 second fight scene between Annikan and Obi Wan. A lot of kids don’t realize that.”

Anderson, Hrubiy, and Rosenberg are hoping that their club will give teenagers the chance to be part of the filmmaking process, and have fun along the way.