As Seventh Level has matured over the past 5 years, we have experienced the exhilarating process of growing from a bunch of kids who had fun playing with a video camera to a serious and dedicated group aspiring to create independent films of quality and value.
Seventh Level Productions is a video production group dedicated to creating art through the medium of film. Seventh Level began in 2006 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire when Ben Klema started shooting short stories around his dormitory.
The next year, Seventh Level Productions filmed an improvised series called "Our Hall". The series is comprised of six episodes and follows two college students going through relationship issues while living in the dorms.
In 2008, Ben teamed up with Matt Troge and Mike Jacobs to upgrade Seventh Level Productions. Using better equipment, the three-member crew began filming a miniseries entitled "The Present Tense" that had been written while Ben studied abroad in Australia. Two episodes were filmed before production had to be cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.
During the present tense hiatus, Ben and Matt shot a short film called "Love, Daphne". The film was awarded "Best Film" and "Audience Favorite" at the 2009 Student Independent Film Festival in UWEC, and constituted a step towards making their passion a reality.
In the fall of 2009, SLP switched gears and tackled a genre change, filming a psychological thriller called Rapt, a short film that premiered at the Davies Theatre on the UWEC campus Halloween weekend.
Since then, SLP has experienced an explosion of creativity and growth, filming a mini-series co-produced with the local TV10 entitled Station 10. In January 2010, SLP was flown out to New York City to shoot six different music videos for artist Marc Farre. Their latest short film, entitled For Just a Little While premiered at the 2010 Student Independent Film Festival at UWEC.
In the Spring of 2010, SLP received a grant for from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to create a feature length film in the summer of 2010. The film, entitled Everything and Nothing will be showcased in the Eau Claire area, and submitted into film festivals. It is set to be released in 2011.
A FILM BY
MATT TROGE
& BENJAMIN KLEMA
Starring
Cassia Harder
Katie Gerarden
Michael Van Hemert
and Matt Dreier
Original Score By Brandon Covelli
Sound Design By Mike Jacobs
Executive Producer Allyson Loomis
Produced By Dominique Sicard
Director Of Photography Tyler Tronson
Written By Benjamin Klema
Directed By Matt Troge
& Benjamin Klema
WON Best Film &
Audience Award
_ the 2010 STIFFE competitions
PEOPLE MAKING THE FILM:
matt troge - director
ben klema - writer/editor
mike jacobs - producer
PEOPLE ACTING IN THE FILM:
cj krueger
koryna flores
WON Best Film & Best Story
dominique sicard - producer
kaysee schmidt - costumes
katie gerarden
evan wilberg
matt tatone
WATCH THE FILM
