A Q & A with cinema major Isaac Ward ’25

Cinema major Isaac Ward ’25 will screen his film at the 2025 Denison Film Festival. Ward spent the past summer on set for a film trilogy and plans to continue his cinema education after graduating.

Can you tell me a little about the film festival? What is it? What will be shown? 

The Denison Film Festival is hosted at the end of spring every academic year. This year, it’s May 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Slayter Auditorium. All students from this year’s cinema workshops screen their movies. It’s kind of like a last hurrah for the majors.

Describe your process for this project. Why did you choose it? What have you learned?

I was in Prague last spring for a film program study abroad experience. One night, I was awake at 3 a.m. and came up with this idea of a total slob who’s living in complete filth. His mom, who’s a total clean freak, is coming over to visit for his birthday. It’s a silent slapstick comedy. A lot ends up happening.

During the creative process, ideas just show up at the most unexpected times and moments. I wrote the script, cast it, assembled a crew, and edited it.

One thing I’ve learned is time management. You have to be really good at saying, this time I’m going to get the call sheet ready for the actors and that time, I’m going to edit the film.

I’ve also learned to make sure the actor feels welcome to share suggestions. A lot of the film has been improvised — it’s some of the funniest stuff in the movie.

How has your time in the cinema department at Denison prepared you for this project?

I didn’t have any cinema classes in high school, and hadn’t touched a DSLR camera. I walked in and started out with everybody else. We didn’t really know how to edit yet, we didn’t really know certain rules like the rule of thirds. But the cinema department was really welcoming to us at that novice stage. They got us started and taught us the basics before taking us into more advanced territory. I think the program is really good at being a place where everyone can start, and finish with work to show.

Can you tell me a little about your experience this past summer?

I was on set for a miniseries trilogy, filmed in the Mansfield, Ohio area, called the Heartland Horror Chronicles. They’re all about an hour and a half long, and all a little different. The first one is about a serial killer, the second one is a creature feature, and the third one is a kid’s horror movie.

It was a lot of fun. I was a production assistant, a grip, and an actor. As a production assistant, I prepared food, crafts, and services. I also helped the gaffer, the person who sets up the lights. I helped them build stands, run electric to the lights, and I drove talent to and from locations.

I really learned that a film set is a community, and you need to build camaraderie with each other. It was a great experience.

Do you have any post-grad plans?

I’ve been accepted at DePaul University’s Film and Television Directing MFA program at the Cinespace in Chicago. While I’m there, I’ll see if there are any sets I can work for, and if I’m able to, I will work professionally out in Chicago.