Ohh Student Seven, where do I even begin with you?

I’ll start here. I can’t remember if it was Sam or Chelsey, or another crew member who convinced me to audition, but audition I did – and scared I was. I was only a month into my freshman year of college and still actively searching for a niche to squeeze myself into: a club, a team, a student group?  I assume it’s something many freshmen go through, and I was no exception.

I thought I had bombed my audition because I didn’t get a call-back. I thought I had failed and would have to continue the arduous process of auditions, call-outs and floor meetings in an effort to find my fit somewhere. I was wrong. So was the contact email I wrote down on the audition sheet. A few days later I ran into a fellow cast member who asked where I had been and my fail became apparent. I was ecstatic, jubilant even. But more than anything, I was relieved to have finally gotten involved with something on campus – something big.

Now I could tell you all about how much fun we had at rehearsals, how intense the parkour and fighting scenes were for me, or how terribly long the shoots were for a first-time film actor. I could mention my self-imposed concussion when my arms were too weak and too tired to block a blow during a fight scene fifteen or so hours into a shoot. I could write all about acting as if I was on mushrooms while on the moon while also blowing lines of cocaine with Eeyore off of Winnie the Pooh… I could. But I won’t.

What I will say is that without Student Seven, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Because of Sam and Chelsey (and of course everyone else in the cast and crew) I discovered telecommunications; my current major. I discovered the Parkour and Freerunning Club at IU, which I continue to be a part of for the third year in a row. Since Student Seven, I’ve fallen in love with film. I’ve acted in a dozen or so shorts, often times type-casted as Kyle from S7 – a role I’ve learned to embrace. Without Student Seven, I wouldn’t be making my own films, editing them, entering contests and aiming to begin production on my own web-series this year. Without Student Seven, I really don’t know what I would be doing down here.

So here’s to you Student Seven, you sneaky little devil. When you do come out of hiding I know the wait will have been well worth it. I know that seeing our web series in its final, most beautiful form will be worth everything we had to go through to get it there. I know Sam’s directing will come off as marvelous, the production as professional, and each shot as beautiful and breathtaking as the one who shot them. (#sarahpierpont).

And I suppose for just one last time, I shall conclude with an energetic fist and an unwavering smile:

Gamers Brigade!

Until next time,

Ryan Black