By Ryan Marshall

The purpose of these interviews is to celebrate the efforts and ambitions of those who are about to embark on the grueling yet wholly rewarding cinematic journey that is SMCC’s annual Maine Mayhem Film Festival; and to shed some much-needed light on the school’s budding community of visual artists.

For this interview, I sat down with Breanna Penney, a close friend and collaborator, to discuss her own experiences with Mayhem as she is in the throes of pre-production on her film “42 Atwood Lane”:

Ryan Marshall: Who are you and what do you do in the local film industry (or what do you aspire to do)?
Breanna Penney: Hello, my name is Breanna Penney. For the past two years, I’ve jumped at any opportunity I could to forge my way into the Maine film community. I’ve interned at Lone Wolf Media, a local documentary company, and I am currently interning for Bonfire Films. In the beginning of the summer, I directed a music video that premiered in downtown Los Angeles, and I had also key gripped on two Damnationland films.

RM: Have you been involved with Maine Mayhem in the past? If so tell me about your experiences.
BP: Last year I co-produced and assistant directed “The Mustang, The Hand, and The Big Man.” It was technically my first real set I’ve ever been on and I learned so much from the combined efforts of everyone around me.

RM: Tell me a bit about your upcoming Mayhem film (discuss background, logline, any crew you would like to single out).
BP: I’m going to be directing the film “42 Atwood Lane.” It’s a self-discovery story about a teenager who runs away from home after discovering her parents divorce. She winds up befriending a city taxi driver, in hopes to escape her reality at home.
For crew, I’m going to be working with local filmmakers, including Ant Wheeler (director of photography), Jack Rohner (gaffer), and Ness Hutchinson (assistant director), all three of which have taken the Mayhem class in the past.

RM: After Mayhem, what do you expect will be next?
BP: University of Southern California. My goal, as of now, is to jump right into the shark tank of film once I finish my education at SMCC.