for college students by college students Feb. 18, 2016 / 9 ADAR I 5776 VOLUME 7, NO. 1 Heart And Passion Group reinstitutes Sigma Alpha Mu at MSU. Jacob Gordon } jewish@edu writer ast month, a group of 20 or so young men took advantage of an amaz- ing opportunity at Michigan State University to recolonize the Mu Chi chapter of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, a historically Jewish fraternity. Many of these men were not strangers to the Greek system. They had been part of a defunct chapter, but were eager to finally get the Greek experience they so badly yearned for. At MSU, many incoming freshmen interested in the Greek community tend to set their sights on three or four houses and can choose according to interest; at MSU, girls are required to visit every house. In many instances, people have images associ- ated with particular houses. This group of young men understood they had the opportunity to build the image associated with their beliefs, rather than fitting into others’ ideas. The images associated with fraternities are often filled with alcohol and ignorance and, for those in the Greek community, it is a constant battle to live outside of this shadow. The men of SAM understand the importance of breaking these stereotypes and have done so by placing an inordinate amount of attention on philanthropy. So, this brotherhood thought that entering the scene with a big party would immediately set them off on the wrong foot, not with the image of community and positivity that they wished to convey. Instead they focused all the energy and excitement of their new presence toward fundraising. As philanthropy chair of Sigma Alpha Mu, Mu Chi, I knew any house can get a little money together and throw a party and maybe reach 200 people. We wanted to be different. In two weeks, we had an idea, executed it and had a successful fundraiser, all while run- ning a successful week of recruitment, adding nine new brothers. The fundraiser was called “got water?” and the goal was to provide Flint residents with bottled water. “I knew with the energy this group of men had that we could exceed all expectations,” says Hunter Strager, president of SAM at MSU and a junior from Birmingham. They raised more than $6,000. On Jan. 29, some SAM brothers, along with some women from Kappa Kappa Gamma, made the trip to Flint to donate their time and money. Together, we donated $5,500 to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan for bottled water and distributed three L continued on page 42 40 February 18 • 2016 Living His Dream Filmmaker Adam Cooper probes father-daughter relationship. Erin Ben-Moche } jewish@edu writer Actress Julie Kline receives a costume adjustment from Erin Ben-Moche, head costume designer for Model No. Human. S ome directors can bond with crew members or work with their actors. Adam Cooper can do both and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure his film is a success. The West Bloomfield native has been mak- ing films since age 8 and since then has been working hard to become a great director. “When I realized that people actually do this for a living, that became my dream,” said Cooper, 20, who studies film at Columbia College in Chicago. His twin brother, Daniel, does the same at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. The Cooper family belongs to Temple Israel, and the brothers were active BBYO members who created videos for annual regional conventions. The brothers already have impressive resumes that include showcasing four short films at festivals, such as the Los Angeles Film Festival, Seattle Film Festival, San Antonio Film Festival and the Hampton International Film Festival. This year, Adam directed and wrote Model No. Human, a film that explores a relationship he had never experienced before. “This is the pitch: Imagine an artificial intel- ligent man who discovers the pain of being a human through learning about a girl he believes to be his daughter,” Cooper says. Cooper is known for his sci-fi thriller films, but this time he centered the plot on a father- and-daughter relationship. “I needed a relationship to contradict the synthetic and emotionless world in which the story is set,” Cooper said. “I chose a father- daughter relationship because, to me, nothing looks more human than that connection.” Not only did he find a way to understand the relationship, but he also was able to build chemistry between the actors so their actions would be genuine. “I’m not a father so I lack experience,” he says. “I had to rely less on the relationship and more on the acting of the brilliant actors. We developed a background with the actors and a history for the characters, inside jokes and stories they tell each other that came out on the set while they would improvise the scenes. It was important to me that the relationship felt real.” The 30-member crew watched every father- daughter scene because they were captivated by the genuine performances. While filming a water sequence, which took place at the Sports Club of West Bloomfield, Cooper dove into the water to direct and film the actors. Julie Kline of Lake Orion, who plays the daughter, 2.037, says, “I was never a good swimmer and have asthma, so water is a struggle. Adam made sure I was comfortable and that made the scene more easygoing.” Motivating Presence Director Adam Cooper, left, on the set of Model No. Human Connecting with his characters was only part of the movie- making process. His devotion on set motivated the crew for the four days of shooting. Producer Harper Shecter of West Bloomfield enjoyed working with such a tightknit group of filmmakers. “Having a quality crew who I can always trust that never fails to deliver is always a great asset,” he says. The hardworking crew members ranged from high school and college students to col- lege alumni. Art Director Jake Ruth of Westland created a futuristic universe by building the set and using light gels to enhance each location. Artificial fog hazed each location daily. Futuristic costumes were designed using electrical wire and black body suits, while the set was strategically constructed to portray an unfamiliar futuristic room. Pools were turned into glossy lakes, and two high-definition cam- eras were used to double the amount of shots. “The most thrilling part of this movie was how challenging it was,” Cooper says. “So many teachers and faculty told me not to do it because it was too challenging for students with such a tight budget. I loved proving them wrong by having an incredible crew that broke barriers in terms of student filmmaking.” Although most scenes took place inside the Motion Picture Institute in Troy, a challenge was the Michigan winter. Everyone had to work quickly and efficiently in below-freezing temperatures to make sure the cast and equipment didn’t freeze and shut down. The entire crew worked through the frigid cold to wrap the movie. Cooper plans to enter the film in festivals, gaining exposure and notoriety so he can eventually direct a feature. “This film was one of the most challenging films I’ve ever done,” Cooper says, “but I’m excited to see where it will go.” @ Erin Ben-Moche of West Bloomfield is a sophomore studying journalism at Oakland University. She was head costume designer on Model No. Human.