Warsaw Design Studio Releases New Short Film
WARSAW — On Monday, July 30, a short film project was set into motion at The Bowling Alley in Warsaw. The screenplay had been written, the cast had been assembled and over 60 extras joined the staff at the alley to be a part of a creative project titled “Humility.”
Marc Eckel is the creative director for one of Warsaw’s hidden gems, the Blue Spaghetti Graphic Design and Illustration Studio, located downtown across the street from the Kosciusko County Courthouse.
“Many people look at the sign on our window and wonder if we are a restaurant, but the studio creates original artwork, writes novels and creates short films,” said Eckel.
Following last year’s feature film, “John the Lion”(directed and produced by his son, Beau Eckel, along with many from the high school and members of the community), “Humility” was a partnership with his second son, Tyler Eckel, who plays the starring role of apprehensive bowling alley employee Michael Kent.
“It was a unique project that I loved being a part of,” stated lead actor Tyler Eckel, a senior at Warsaw High. The film also stars Dylan Owens and Tyler McKenzie, also WCHS students, as well as a local youth worker, Cameron Neace.
“We wanted to make a fun film using local people,” Eckel said. Six businesses responded to the invitation to send representatives to the alley to fill the lanes as bowling extras, including Allegra Print & Imaging, Giverny Fitness Studio, Latte Lounge, Lake Area Promotional Specialties LLC, Male Fashions, Mark Allen & Company and the Kosciusko County Republican Party Headquarters.
“We couldn’t have filmed this project without the help and support of Brian and Jennifer Stichter. The alley was not open on Mondays during the summer, and they allowed us to come in to use the facility when it was closed,” Eckel said. The Stichter family owns and operates The Bowling Alley located at 1535 N. Detroit St. in Warsaw. Bruce Stichter, featured in Blue Spaghetti’s short film, “The Cheeseburger,” was also instrumental during the evening of shooting.
The project was filmed entirely during that evening and the final version is over ten minutes in length.
“It was a fun little project I wanted to do to spend time with my son, who works at the alley,” Eckel said. The film follows Michael Kent, a bowling alley employee who discovers an unexpected talent for bowling. You can view the film, as well as the other Blue Spaghetti Films projects, “John the Lion,” “I Just Don’t See It,” “The Five” and “The Cheeseburger,” through the film tab at bluespaghettillc.com (Select the F tab).