2008 Woodie Awards
Students shine in 'Red Ink'
By: Kim Nolan
Issue date: 11/17/05 Section: LifeStyle
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Described as an adventure into the mind of a troubled writer who is beset by the presence of an imaginary character, "Red Ink" showed Nov. 14 as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival. The neo-noir style film was a senior thesis project for Webster film production alumnus Michael Witman.
Film noir is a style and genre of film that typically refers to films made from 1927 to 1958, Witman said.
"These kinds of films tend to be visually very dark with lots of contrast and they have a technical delivery that is more about mood and style," Witman said.
Noir films are often shot in black and white and portray crime or detective plots.
"Neo-noir refers to the same basic style of films that are presently being created," Witman said. "The greatest example of this is the recent film 'Sin City.'"
"Red Ink" is the story of a writer named Phillip, played by St. Louis actor Jeff Koziatek, who is under pressure to write a follow-up masterpiece to his previous novel. According to Witman's Web site, Phillip starts to mold his world of fact into the fiction of his book.
"Phillip is plagued by the presence of an imaginary character from the noir style world of his first book, as he desperately works on his new novel, during which his grasp on reality slips away," Witman said.
Sophomore Erin Marie Hogan, a video production major, played the supporting role as Kat, the haunting imaginary character that won't leave Phillip alone. Hogan was unable to comment about her role in "Red Ink."
"She is currently working on four films, performing in a play, rehearsing for a dance performance and going to school," said Chris Hogan, Erin Marie Hogan's manager.
Witman adapted "Red Ink" into a film after he saw it performed as a one-act play. The play was written by Webster alumna Laurie Melnik for her senior thesis, Witman said.
"Her play was originally a full 170-page, three-act play, which she altered to fit a shorter one-act play format of 37 pages long," Witman said.
Film noir is a style and genre of film that typically refers to films made from 1927 to 1958, Witman said.
"These kinds of films tend to be visually very dark with lots of contrast and they have a technical delivery that is more about mood and style," Witman said.
Noir films are often shot in black and white and portray crime or detective plots.
"Neo-noir refers to the same basic style of films that are presently being created," Witman said. "The greatest example of this is the recent film 'Sin City.'"
"Red Ink" is the story of a writer named Phillip, played by St. Louis actor Jeff Koziatek, who is under pressure to write a follow-up masterpiece to his previous novel. According to Witman's Web site, Phillip starts to mold his world of fact into the fiction of his book.
"Phillip is plagued by the presence of an imaginary character from the noir style world of his first book, as he desperately works on his new novel, during which his grasp on reality slips away," Witman said.
Sophomore Erin Marie Hogan, a video production major, played the supporting role as Kat, the haunting imaginary character that won't leave Phillip alone. Hogan was unable to comment about her role in "Red Ink."
"She is currently working on four films, performing in a play, rehearsing for a dance performance and going to school," said Chris Hogan, Erin Marie Hogan's manager.
Witman adapted "Red Ink" into a film after he saw it performed as a one-act play. The play was written by Webster alumna Laurie Melnik for her senior thesis, Witman said.
"Her play was originally a full 170-page, three-act play, which she altered to fit a shorter one-act play format of 37 pages long," Witman said.