by Kris Harrell
Another Troy University alum is bringing Hollywood home.
Troy University alumnus Calvin “Kalvo” Griffin, who is based in Pensacola, Florida, organized a showcase of his short films at Troy University, premiering his most recent film, “Channel 43.”
Griffin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, and later a masters in strategic communications. Griffin started down the road to filmmaking while working at a television station.
“One of my coworkers was expressing an interest in film, “Griffin said. “One day I show up to work and I tell him this crazy story about something that happened to me when I went to Planet Fitness. The next day, he comes into work and he has a script based off of the text message conversation that I sent him.
“He's like, ‘I'm wanting to enter this short film competition. Your story is just too good, nobody would believe it if I use your story for it. Also, would you mind helping me film it?’”
The showcase featured films created from 2017 to 2023, including “Love me 6ft Away,” “6ft From the Gun,” “Marry Me Yesterday,” “You Were Loved,” “The Proof,” and the most recent film “Channel 43.”
Nicole Richard, a supporting actress in the short films “Marry Me Yesterday” and “The Proof,” stated that the filmmaking process behind these two films was “quite the journey.”
“The filmmaking process was really, really amazing,” Richard said. “I actually had to audition so there was like a whole reading if you will.
“I ended up playing the character Jade, who basically the fun-loving, live it up, YOLO kind of kind of attitude and personality.”
Most of these films varied in themes, from social distancing and the struggles of Covid-19, to relationships and the bumps in the road caused by them, to racial injustice and police brutality.
“As a filmmaker, I think I like to use my voice to shed light to situations and open up conversations for topics that people usually don't want to talk about,” Griffin said.
“It’s painful in the way that it challenges the viewer to think outside the box and have conversations about topics that affect our society that they normally wouldn't have.”
Curt Hassinger, an actor based in Atlanta, Georgia, drove three hours to see his film debut with the premiere of “Channel 43” during the showcase. He states that he was impressed with the level of professionalism displayed during the filming.
“The cast and crew were absolutely incredible”, Hassinger said. “I could have sworn I was on a professional set.
“And Calvin Griffin was just a wonderful director. He really knew what he was doing, and I was really glad to take direction from him.”
In the future, Griffin and his multimedia company FORC3 Studios plan to create a full-length feature film based on the urban legend of Bloody Mary. The director had previously created a proof-of-concept with the short film “The Proof” that was also showcased at the viewing.
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