This Athens educator doesn't just teach about making movies. He also wins awards for them
When a reporter arrived at the Athens Community Career Academy campus, instructor Michael A. Bosby's film technology class had just been let out, save for one student who stayed to set up a camera for the purpose of filming an interview. The unusual scenario was just one example of Bosby's real-world approach to education.
Bosby, who teaches Film II and III at ACCA and Film I at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools, recently added award-winning filmmaker to his list of qualifications. His horror film, "Straight From Hell," received multiple accolades from two festivals, including a win for Best Director.
Clocking in at a briskly-paced 18 minutes, the short stars Bosby in multiple roles, including a version of himself as the protagonist, a film instructor on a hunting trip who discovers a Voodoo doll buried in the woods. Upon his return to the office, Bosby’s character is subsequently terrorized by the diminutive villain, also voiced by Bosby.
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“I chose to do a horror short because it was the easiest genre for me to write,” said Bosby. “I’m a lifelong fan of that category of film, so I instinctively knew exactly how I could make one of my own without a lot of expensive special effects or a big crew.”
That crew consisted of Bosby and student Daniel Herrera-Sandoval, who completed the entire movie from filming to post-production in one weekend. Herrera-Sandoval assisted Bosby with complicated camera setups, with Bosby handling the performances, music, sound and editing. In the end, one of Bosby’s film-fest certificates was a nomination for Best Actor.
Originally from Chicago, Bosby earned a degree in broadcast television and worked as a studio manager at a cable station in nearby Skokie before relocating to Athens in 2002 with his wife and daughter. After several years as an asset coordinator for the Clarke County School District, Bosby became the A/V Film Technology instructor in 2017 when the department was still very new.
"Mr. Bosby is a team player with a positive attitude," said ACCA Administrator Anita Lumpkin-Barnett. "His value of real-world learning and love of his craft add to the overall value of the class."
Once Athena Studios opens, a $60-million sound-stage development in Athens expected to be partially operational in 2023, Bosby said that he looks forward to no longer having to tell his students that they will have to leave for Atlanta to get jobs for companies like Warner Bros. and Marvel Studios.
“The students in my class have all kinds of technology at their disposal now, including drone cameras and green screens,” said Bosby, who has also done extra work on major film and television sets. “Once they complete Film II and III, students can earn an industry certification from the state of Georgia that’ll look great on their resumé.”
So what do his pupils think of “Straight From Hell’? Due to regulations that prohibit the use of prop weapons in student productions, Bosby has not been able to show the film in class, but said that some have watched it on YouTube on their own time. Bosby said that the typical reaction is a smile and an expression of surprise.
“Student projects are usually done in groups, but some are solo efforts,” said Bosby. “I enjoy getting to be creative while serving as a real-world example of what is possible.”
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens film instructor's short horror film wins two festival awards
