Student-led Feature Film, “Rejuvenation,” to Premiere at Rialto Center for the Arts Oct. 5

ATLANTA—“Rejuvenation,” a feature film executive produced by film and television veteran Tom Luse (B.A. ’74, M.S. ’81) with a student crew, student co-director and largely student cast, will premiere Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rialto Center for the Arts.

A panel discussion will follow the screening. Moderated by Brennan Dicker, executive director of Georgia State’s Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII), the discussion will feature Luse, the film’s producers, writers, directors, composers and cast members.

To attend the premiere, RSVP here.

The film is a collaboration between the CMII, the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of the Arts’ School of Film, Media & Theatre and School of Music.

“‘Rejuvenation’ stands as a testament to the incredible impact of interdisciplinary collaboration,” Dicker said. “Partnering with industry luminary Tom Luse, we’ve not only enriched our students’ educational voyage but have also sparked innovative horizons in the world of filmmaking.”

Luse, who made his first film as a thesis project while in graduate school at Georgia State, has gone on to build a storied career with producer credits spanning four decades. They include producer and executive producer from 2010 to 2019 on the AMC phenomenon “The Walking Dead,” which he rejoined for its final episodes.

Luse, an Artist-In-Residence at the CMII, led a select class of students spanning diverse disciplines and colleges to work on the film he co-wrote with Georgia State screenwriting students. Students who participated in the one-semester endeavor earned 15 credit hours tailored to their specific areas of study and gained professional experience to enhance their resumes.

“Rejuvenation” employed emerging technology and new ways of creating content to allow the preparation, filming and post-production to happen all in one semester.

Luse calls the film a “proof-of-concept” — a new way of thinking about filmmaking that sets aside 100 years of moving picture protocol and attempts to redesign the process as if the artform were invented using the tools available today.

One of the many aspiring filmmakers who worked on the groundbreaking project is Kamal McAllister, a senior majoring in film and media, who served as first camera assistant and B-camera operator for the production.

“The process showed me the importance of being able to adapt to the rapid changes and challenges of the film industry,” McAllister said. “Working with people, like my fellow camera department, helped me to improve and provided me with a support team for my filmmaking journey.”

Luse said “Rejuvenation” is a thriller with a few fascinating twists.

“This has been a remarkable journey working with some amazing students,” Luse said. “Embracing new technology and techniques, the students showed both dedication and creativity. Making a feature film is a difficult task for even the most experienced crew, and I’m excited for our audience to witness the extraordinary achievements of these students.”

Watch the trailer below: