Screening set for 2014 Summer Film Project

Grand Valley State University is set to premiere a sneak preview of its 20th annual Summer Film Project, “Lucky Jay,” for West Michigan audiences April 24 at 7 p.m. at Celebration! Cinema North in Grand Rapids.

The seven-episode comedy-drama is a web series about one semester in the life of a young film professor pursuing tenure at a fictional college in the Midwest.

The web series will be available online for global audiences beginning May 1 at luckyjayseries.com with one episode set for release each day until all seven are posted on May 7.

John Harper Philbin, associate professor of film and video production, directed “Lucky Jay” and wrote the script, along with collaborators John Dufresne, a novelist and creative writing professor at Florida International University, and Angelo Eidse, a Vancouver-based screenwriter.

The film’s crew consisted of 22 members including Grand Valley faculty, students and various professionals. Filming for “Lucky Jay” took place at multiple locations on Grand Valley’s Pew Grand Rapids and Allendale campuses as well as private homes in Grand Rapids and Fenian’s Irish Pub in Conklin.

Barbara Roos, associate professor of film and video production and program founder, established the Summer Film Project in 1995. The project was established to offer junior and senior students an opportunity to work side-by-side with professionals to produce a short film during a six-week practicum course. Post-production is completed during a 15-week fall course, with a premiere screening each spring.

For more information, contact John Harper Philbin at (616) 331-3608.