By Sarah Krasin

It all began with a recurring nightmare.

According to University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac Professor Frances Perkins, her most common “stress dream” involves a horrifying realization that not only is she actually enrolled in a university-level math class, but she has also just showed up to take a surprise exam.

UW-Fond du Lac Professor and "Test Day" Director Frances Perkins (left) explains her vision for the next shot to Director of Photography Mike Hartzel, a UW-Oshkosh alumnus and film professional from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Perkins received a UW Colleges Summer Research Grant to offer this unique form of film education for UW-Fond du Lac and UW-Oshkosh students to work side-by-side with film industry professionals.

A thousand miles away from Hollywood, an enthusiastic group of UW-Fond du Lac and UW-Oshkosh students gathered with Perkins and her husband, Troy, to confront the nightmare head-on. While they aren’t exactly making the dream a reality, they’re doing as much as they can to convert the anxiety into a short comedic film entitled “Test Day.”

Students from a wide array of backgrounds and majors huddled around extravagant equipment many film students only dream of working with. Plus, the students had the unique opportunity to work side-by-side with film industry professionals from the beginning script to the finished product.

The cast and crew bonded over card games and plentiful quantities of caffeine as they tried to accomplish the goal of shooting the five-minute film in three days. 

As the third day marched on, a surprise twist that had nothing to do with the plot unfolded. A mere three shots from completion, the first of several tornado sirens echoed throughout the UW-Fond du Lac Science Building, the temporary set of the film. One crew member even brought a very expensive-looking camera with him to the shelter area, joking that it was worth more than he was.

While the slight delay may have discouraged some, Frances’ memorable positive attitude carried the cast and crew through the storm. Sitting in a small chemistry lab (windowless, of course), Frances related the details of the intriguing project.

As in her nightmare, the main character, a perceived “slacker” named “Our Guy” in the script, shows up completely unprepared for a major exam. Comedy ensues as he slowly comes to the realization that he might fail the test.

“He’s the only one unprepared, and the audience laughs at him,” Frances said. “But we want you to pay for that laugh.”

As the short film progresses, the audience discovers that “Our Guy” has a wife and two young children at home. For the approximately 225 “non-traditional” adult students at UW-Fond du Lac, this type of story hits close to home.

“So many students have different lives than we think they have,” Perkins said. “This definitely puts a math test in a different perspective.”

This film is the third collaboration for Frances and Troy. Past projects include “Tractor for Sale,” which was shot in the summer of 2005, and “Brothers,” an award-winning film produced in the summer of 2007. Though the husband and wife team has enjoyed considerable success in the past, they broke out of their typical roles for the production of “Test Day.” Frances, ordinarily the production mastermind, got a chance to exercise her creative skills as the writer and director for this film while creative Troy took a stab at production.

UW-Fond du Lac students Joshua Otte (left) and Christina Salinas (right) take a break between filming scenes in which they were "extras." Several UW-Fond du Lac students had the opportunity to experience film production first-hand during the shooting of "Test Day."

As the 2008 recipient of a $4,000 UW Colleges Summer Research Grant, Frances was able to give UW-Fond du Lac students the opportunity to participate in one of her films for the first time.

Christina Salinas, a sophomore at UW-Fond du Lac, jumped at the unique opportunity. Although Salinas

joked about her small role as the “Pencil Sharpening

Student,” she could hardly contain her admiration for Frances, her former speech professor.

“When Frances got the grant, she was running down the hall yelling, ‘Christina, I got the grant to make the film!’” Salinas recalled. “So when I saw the poster (for auditions) I thought, ‘I definitely have to do this.’”

Recent UW-Fond du Lac graduate Teale Greylord also shared her genuine enthusiasm for the project. As a friend of Salinas, Greylord initially came to the auditions exclusively for moral support.

“When I got there, I got really nervous and wasn’t going to go for it,” Greylord said. However, Greylord said she was motivated by Frances’ encouragement and decided to go through with her audition.

As the production process wrapped up, Greylord gave her verdict on the experience.

“It was so worth it!” she said with a smile.

Most students involved in the project shared similar stories. The vast majority are not film buffs or expert technicians, but rather past students of Frances or individuals who worked with the Perkins team on former films.

Editing of “Test Day” will most likely be completed by the end of summer, but as Frances notes, “When you’re working in the world of ‘free,’ you’ve got to take your time.” Everyone involved in the process

Script Supervisor and UW-Fond du Lac student Chad O'Connor (left) looks at the set up of the next scene to be filmed with Brenton Thom - assistant camera and UW-Oshkosh student, Frances Perkins, Mike Hartzel and Mike Buck - assistant camera.

volunteered their time, equipment, and expertise, with the UW Colleges Summer Research Grant making the rest of the project possible.

But the benefits of experiencing expert collaboration and “real world” conditions go far beyond any monetary reward. Frances shared the story of a young UW-Oshkosh student who, without any prior experience, signed on to work on the 2007 film, “Brothers.” After his work on “Brothers,” the student gained the courage to submit his resume for a technical position on the film “Public Enemies” when it shot in Wisconsin during the spring of 2008.

“It wasn’t class that made him confident, it wasn’t student productions that made him confident, it was ‘Brothers,’” Frances said. “We love to make movies, and (the students) need the experience. It’s a perfect combination.”

For more information on the productions by Frances and Troy Perkins visit the web site www.northtownproductions.com. The “Test Day” web site will be www.testdayfilm.com.

For more information on UW-Fond du Lac call (920) 929-3606.

View additional "Test Day" photos by clicking here

UW-Fond du Lac Photos