I want my MTV development deal

By FilmStew Staff / FILMSTEW.com / November 15, 2005

Don’t you wish sometimes that they would make the trailer first, before the feature-length film, to confirm something is actually worth making?

In a way, that’s exactly the impetus behind mtvU’s 2nd annual Best Film on Campus competition. The 24/7 closed circuit college network - which spans upwards of 730 campuses across the U.S. and a combined student body of 6.8 million spring break worshippers - has whittled it down to five finalists. And along with a home entertainment system, the winner will get to flesh out their trailer vision into a full-length production for MTV Films. In other words, Project FratLight, although they also have separate Best Gamer, Best Music and Best Animation competitions.

At this final stage, we thought we’d help out potential online voters, as well as the competition’s three celebrity judges (John Singleton, Nicole Kassell and Catherine Hardwicke), by attaching a brief Hollywood label to each one of the eligible projects. Just to help visualize their full, crass, commercial potential.

- Rob Schneider Comedy, a.k.a. Grading Curves: Two college guys, Shawn and Drake, start a scholarship fund for hot chicks. A wealthy alum agrees to hook them up with the money, but only if Shawn hooks up with the five hottest girls on campus. [Charlie Anness, University of Cincinnati]

- Kurt Russell Cop Drama, a.k.a. Her Summer: In 1999, Officer Ethan Crowe discovers two of his brothers brutally murdered. Determined to solve the case himself, Ethan stays on the crime scene all night, ending in a horrifying discovery. Based on a true story, Her Summer is a compilation of the events which took place that night, unraveled by two friends who come across the investigation material. [Bryan Woods, University of Iowa]

- Son of Brokeback Mountain, a.k.a. Student of the Month: The story of a depressed high school acting teacher, Mr. Schwartz, who finds inspiration in a talented, but troubled, student named Steve Falcone, who is ruled under the iron fist of his gangster older brother Jimmy. Inspiration soon develops into infatuation as Mr. Schwartz grows closer to Steve. When Mr. Schwartz shows up at a party at his young student’s home and runs into the thespian- hating Jimmy, Steve will eventually discover what it truly means to be the teacher’s pet. [Charles Son, Ohio University]

- The WB 2006 Group Hiatus Project, a.k.a. University Heights: Follows the last days of four lives on a college campus. An examination of life and the choices we make, University Heights grasps the common struggle of humanity -- finding yourself. [Scott Beck, University of Iowa]

- One Hell of a Tough Sell, a.k.a. Violet Flower: A troubled nomad finds himself in a familiar town where he begins picking up the pieces of his life to figure out what went wrong. [Derek Green, University of Colorado at Boulder]