An interview with SOC faculty member, Geoff Thompson
(posted May 2, 2008)
By Jessica Kelly
As an instructor for the School of Communication, Geoff Thompson teaches audio and video production, as well as a number of other classes. But, he also keeps busy with a variety of communication-related activities outside the classroom. These activities include helping out with a new movie—“Wesley.” Thompson is also in his first season as the radio play-by-play voice of ECU Baseball, carried on the ISP Sports network (airing locally on 1070AM). In addition, he played a villain in the 2005 independent film, “Chicks 101” and also played a behind-the-scenes role in production.
You’re working on a new movie. What is it about?
The new movie is about John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, the Wesleyan movement, and for whom numerous colleges and foundations have been named. It deals some with his ministry and religion, but mainly it deals with his personal journey — his demons and struggles, of which he had several. There was a good bit of blue-screen work, where a background in composited in digitally behind the actors, so postproduction on that project is taking awhile. I’m not involved in post-production, I was just brought in to make sure principal photography was completed (there were some issues that my producing partner and I had to fix).
What is the theme for the movie “Chicks 101”?
Believe it or not, the theme is one of redemption and healing our inner wound. Some people have looked at the title only (without viewing it) and declared it misogynistic. The truth is, it’s completely the opposite.
It’s about a guy (Louie) who’s only ever been good at one thing: meeting women. (His friend Noel) pays Louie to teach him how to meet women. Noel has such a transformation under Louie’s tutelage that Noel’s loser buddies want to learn as well, each paying $100/hour. Word spreads, the class grows, Louie’s making tons of cash…The class has grown so much (that) Louie and Noel get a room at the community center to hold it. Marla happens to teach “Feminism in the 20th Century” at the community center…Enter Roland (my character, the villain) who is skeptical. He questions if $100/hr is worth it, ends up challenging Louie to a bet: bed a woman of Roland’s choosing in 30 days. Of course, it’s Marla. If Louie can’t succeed, his credibility with his class will be lost, and his newfound source of income will be gone.
Where can people go to get more information about this movie or buy it?
It’s available on Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, etc. They can also go to www.chicks101movie.com and buy it from there, as well as view the trailer (in which I make an appearance as a platinum blonde). It’s PG-13.
How long did this movie take to make?
Pre-production took several months, between casting, scouting locations, raising the money, etc. We shot it in 19 days, which is unheard of for a feature that’s shot on film (as opposed to digital video). Post-production took a bit longer. Since we used our entire budget on production, we didn’t even have the money to get the film developed or processed. It took us four months to raise more money to even see a frame of the film. We were just thrilled it was (mostly) in focus. After that, we had a rough cut in about four months. Then we’d have to go raise more money to get further in the process, getting money to pay a composer for the score, opening animation and credits, etc. It was finally finished about two years after we started planning it.
Why should people go watch the new movie or Chicks 101?
“Chicks” is a very funny film with a good message. “Wesley” will have a good message. “Wesley” will also be gorgeous to look at. It’s a period piece, taking place in the 1700s. Our locations and costumes were fantastic!
What was your favorite part when working with the movie “Chicks 101”?
It was a TREMENDOUS learning experience. It was the first feature film I’d worked on, and I learned an incredible amount, from the whole production process to minutiae like dealing with actors and contracts.
What inspired you to pursue a movie career or acting? How did you get connected with “Chicks 101”?
I’m a ham, and I need an audience. Plus it’s cool to inhabit another persona for a while. I had always wanted to do voice-overs, which led to radio work. I started taking acting classes to improve my voice-over/radio work, ended up being cast in a couple plays and student films. After grad school and a couple radio jobs fell through, I moved to Wilmington to pursue acting, ended up getting the job here at ECU. Lovinder Gill, a former professor here, started at the same time I did. He had written a number of scripts, one of which had been made into a film the previous summer. Another script he’d written was called “Chicks 101.” We hit it off immediately, started talking about making a film together.
When did you start thinking seriously about acting?
I don’t know that I’ve ever thought too seriously about it, which annoys a friend of mine in LA who’s been trying to break into acting for over 10 years and hasn’t had much luck. It seemed like it’d be something I’d like to do, gave it a shot, and I’ve been able to do a little bit here and there. I did a couple local and regional TV commercials, and I played Blackbeard for two summers in an outdoor drama in Bath. But I think if I really wanted to do it seriously, I’d move to LA or NYC to pursue it, and I don’t see myself doing that anytime soon.
Two students to appear on WUNC's 'The State of Things' (posted April 29, 2008)
Two students from the School of Communication—graduate student Lauren Peaden and video production student James Gould—were interviewed for Frank Stacio's "The State of Things" on WUNC-FM for a segment of the program that will be broadcast Wednesday, April 30 from noon to 1 p.m.
Peaden and Gould appeared with Susan Hall, a peer facilitator from HOPE Station, the new peer community mental health recovery center established by East Carolina Behavorial Health in Greenville.
Peaden and Gould were part of a collaboration between Professor Bernard Timberg's graduate class in health communication and Professor Erick Green's advanced video production class to produce a series of Public Service Announcements for the recovery center.
Lisa Bonnett, Executive Director of Recovery Education and Peer Supports of East Carolina Behavorial Health, centered in New Bern, N.C., partnered with Timberg and Green in this project. After receiving community feedback to the PSAs on April 15 at HOPE Station, the students worked on final versions that is scheduled to be screened May 1 at a Recovery Conference for an estimated 250–300 mental health counselors, advisors and educators at the Greenville Conference Center next to the Hilton Hotel on Greenville.
The School of Communication fondly remembers
Jim Rees: professor, colleague, mentor, friend
James Rees
January 1935–April 2008
Mental health awareness aim of community/School collaboration
(posted April 23, 2008) 
By Jessica Kelly
Students and faculty of the School of Communication collaborated with ECBH Recovery Education & Peer Supports staff to help raise awareness about mental health.
Dr. Bernard Timberg, an associate professor in the School of Communication at ECU, launched this project with Lisa Bonnett, an executive director of ECBH Recovery Education & Peer Supports, to support the open house of Hope Station on 2407 S. Memorial Drive in Greenville.
Hope Station is a safe and welcoming community-based recovery education support center for adults who face mental health or substance abuse challenges or other life struggles.
Erick Green, an assistant professor in the School of Communication at ECU, had his media production students show their PSA series premiere on April 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hope Station.
“I wanted to make my PSA something different, more abstract, and aimed at a younger audience,” said Tony Pham, a senior in the School of Communication. “It was a really good experience to do something in the real world and reach out to the community.”
Dr. Timberg's graduate students from Comm 6210 Media and Health Communication participated as researchers and discussion leaders for the focus groups.
Bonnett, Timberg and Green are currently working on an article called "The Pedagogy of Engagement" for Carolina Communication Annual.
They will use quotes from the graduate students' reflective essays to explain “how the graduate students apply their theory and ideas to organizations in project,” said Timberg.
Bonnett decided to take this project on with ECU professors and students because, “We were struggling because we didn’t have the methods, means, and creativity and I don’t think that anyone else could have made this impact." She added that, "Dr. Timberg believes in our message and it came through on the PSAs.”
Hope Station’s message is that recovery is possible, according to Bonnett.
“I learned how to take my creative vision and collaborate with a client in order to reach their goals,” said senior communication major James Gould.
Hope Station will promote and run the PSAs on May 1 at the 2nd Annual ECBH Wellness Recovery Conference and Expo at the Greenville Convention Center.
School of Communication Spring 2008 recognition ceremony
(posted April 16, 2008)
Mary Schulken
Award-winning journalist Mary Schulken, a 1979 graduate of ECU, will be the featured speaker at the School of Communication’s fifth annual spring graduate recognition ceremony on May 9.
Schulken is an associate editor of the Pulitzer Prize winning Charlotte Observer, the largest newspaper in North Carolina. She sits on the Observer’s editorial board and writes editorials, a blog, and a weekly column. Her areas of focus include higher education, local government, immigration, and many North Carolina issues, including poverty, rural areas and natural resources.
In October, ECU named her one of its “100 Incredible Women” alumni honored for leadership.
Schulken graduated from ECU in 1979 with a bachelor of arts in English and a minor in print journalism. She began work as a reporter in 1980, covering education and politics for The Daily Reflector in Greenville, and worked in that newsroom for 24 years. She was the newspaper’s editorial page editor for 10 years, the managing editor for three years and finally, the Reflector’s senior associate editor. In that role, she wrote a weekly column for Cox Newspapers, which was distributed on the New York Times wire service.
She has won numerous reporting and writing awards.
Schulken will address the spring 2008 School of Communication graduates and their families in a ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. in the Wright Auditorium. The School of Communication was formed in August 2003.
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