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Burke Spring Fun Burke Page 4 Follow on Twitter: @BurkeConnection on Twitter: Follow Sports, Page 14 ❖ Classified, Page 12 Classified, ❖ Entertainment, Page 8 Photo contributed by Mike Arrison www.ConnectionNewspapers.comMarch 28—April 3, 2013 online at www.connectionnewspapers.comBurke Connection ❖ March 28 - April 3, 2013 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ March 28 - April 3, 2013 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News Woodson Graduate Directs Ross by Victoria Photo Award-winning Film Photo contributed by Photo Nicole Rosen’s 16-minute “Toy Soldier” will show at In conjunction with the State Board of Elections, the the GI Film Festival in May. county ran a voter preparedness campaign—“Are You Election Ready?”—to inform and educate voters about the election 2012. By Tim Peterson Mike Arrison The Connection Better Training, hen Nicole Rosen sets out to make a film, she doesn’t shy away from sen- Wsitive subject matter—she pursues it. Director Nicole Rosen with Chris Brodbeck More Technology One of her first projects in high as Sam Gold and Theo Van Golen as his school was called “Life Chronicles.” “Basically I shot friend Mason. The bipartisan commission people who were dying, suffering from terminal dis- “What would be in his fantasy world?” she contin- eases,” Rosen said. “They wanted to film their lives ued. “Cars? Dinosaurs? That’s when the idea of war released findings, for their families. I think it really hit something—my and military started coming. How would it be if he first really intense experience in filmmaking.” was playing with soldiers? If they didn’t just come recommendations regarding As a student at W.T. Woodson High School, Rosen from his father, but his father’s father ... special? It had an opportunity to take courses through the just started branching off from there.” long lines on Election Day. Fairfax Academy for Communications & the Arts and was empowered by both top notch film production NINE MONTHS of prodigious pre-production work By Victoria Ross fund that would pay for upgrad- equipment and instruction. After graduating in 2008, by Rosen and her co-producers Jess Herbine and The Connection ing voting equipment. The re- she attended Drexel University—inspired to pursue Emily Marcouiller (fellow 2012 Drexel graduates) port also suggested that county filmmaking. included dozens of script drafts flying back and forth fter learning that doz- officials find larger polling Rosen’s senior thesis project at Drexel, a short film with the project’s screenwriter Nicole Marchesani, a Aens of frustrated voters places where voters can form called “Toy Soldier,” has already taken first place at marketing campaign and fundraising that ultimately waited for hours in long lines inside precincts rather than the Endless Mountain Festival and Roslyn Film Fes- brought in $5,500. lines to cast their ballots on outside during bad weather. tival in Pennsylvania, and is nominated for the GI Herbine and Marcouiller were able to reach out to Election Day, Board of Supervi- Voter turnout in Fairfax Film Festival set to take place in Washington, D.C., individual donors through the crowd-sourcing sors Chairman Sharon Bulova County on Election Day was at May 6-12. website platform Indiegogo, and also benefited from (D-at-large) called for the cre- an all-time high in November’s a number of university grants including Drexel’s En- ation of a bipartisan commis- presidential election, with 81 “TOY SOLDIER” CENTERS around a young, mod- tertainment & Arts Management Majors Funding sion to figure out why and make percent of registered voters cast- ern-day military family and was shot on location in Undergraduates for New Development (EAM sure it doesn’t happen again. ing their ballots in 2012 com- Philadelphia and Doylestown, Pa., and Gloucester F.U.N.D.). At the March 19 Board of pared to 78.7 percent in 2008. City, N.J. A series of emotional moments unfolds not But the donations that truly propelled the six days Supervisor’s meeting, the com- In the 2011 state and local elec- only from the battlefield, but from the perspective of filming were those of the Drexel Army ROTC pro- mission—jointly chaired by tions, just 32 percent of regis- of the family waiting at home for a deployed soldier. gram. To impart authenticity, the veteran staff loaned Former Board of Supervisors tered voters cast their ballots, The choice of war as a subject was an easy, yet Rosen and company genuine body armor and plastic Chairman Kate Hanley and while 49 percent turned out for profound one for the young director. weapons, guided the cast in battle formations on set Stuart Mendelsohn, former the 2010 congressional contests. “I wanted to affect people universally,” admitted and even gave notes. Dranesville supervisor—released Lines and wait times varied Rosen, who graduated from Drexel in May 2012 and its final report. They recom- throughout the county’s 237 now works as a production assistant and talent co- “I KNEW THE PERIPHERAL, but when I zoomed mended additional poll workers, precincts last November. Voters ordinator in Los Angeles. “I wanted to impact a larger in, there’s just so much to learn,” she continued. more training and better technol- at Vienna’s Flint Hill Elementary audience and focus in on a current event. War is ev- Working with soldiers, including SFC Terris ogy to keep lines moving. School reported ample parking ery day. Someone is out there fighting—it’s not like Kolmorgan (Rosen’s “right-hand man and main mili- Recommendations encom- and virtually no lines. At other it goes away. Everyone identifies with it, you know tary advisor on set”), who had been stationed in Iraq, passed a variety of training, locations, however, lines snaked someone who knows someone ...” “I got closer to them in a way, I knew more than just technology, and process im- around elementary school park- Within the military film genre, she saw an oppor- the outside: I knew their personal lives, their take provements, ranging from using lots and through buildings, tunity to contribute her vision. on it. Everyone was so open with me. ing more Electronic Poll Books and it was not unusual for vot- “When I see films or shorts,” said Rosen, “they don’t “I’m so thankful, because I feel like I know, I have (EPBs) to providing additional ers to have to wait over an hour. focus so much on the families. I really wanted a dif- a greater understanding of what they go through.” parking spaces at polling places. Election officials said a short- ferent aspect of it. Instead of focusing on the war, “Toy Soldier” first screened on campus at Drexel “I am pleased that the Election age of poll volunteers coupled the fighting, I wanted to take a step back, do it in June 2012 for the ladies’ senior thesis show. “It Commission has completed its with complicated ballot ques- through the eyes of a family, a young boy. A son and made me feel like people understood my goal in work,” Bulova said. “It is impor- tions and bond issues meant father have this unexplainable bond.” making this,” recalled Rosen. “I looked over and tant that the county implement some voters took much longer people were wiping tears, my mom was bawling. It measures to reduce long lines, to finish their ballots. THE FILM FEATURES New York native Kaitee Page was one of those moments where I thought: Wow, decrease wait times and stream- While the long lines created (from Fox’s “True Love”), Ed Aristone (“Life Within” we did it.” line the election process in headaches for many Fairfax and “Desperate Housewives”), Gabriel Caste (“Fro- Rosen is the first to admit that reaction isn’t her Fairfax County. The commission County voters, some voters in zen Lies” and “The Framework of Illusion”) and Chris motive: “I promise I don’t want people to cry, but I has identified a variety of im- Prince William County faced Brodbeck (“Gypsy”) as Sam Gold. want to get the issues out there. You’ll go through an provements and efficiencies to five-hour waits before casting Brodbeck’s character Sam is an 8-year-old boy array of emotions as you watch it. You live with my ensure access and convenience their ballots. whose father has just been deployed to Iraq for his film, see the good in things.” for voters in future elections.” A copy of the report can be final tour. Sam connects with his father’s set of vin- And possibly come away with a different perspec- Additional recommendations found at http:// tage toy soldiers deeply and imaginatively, which tive and a sense of innocence. included using electronic poll www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ opens up a new way of looking at the war—and his The GI Film Festival takes place May 6-12 at vari- books at every precinct, and electioncommission/election- father’s career—for him. “I wanted this kid’s fantasy ous locations around Washington, D.C., and Virginia. asked the county to create a commission-report.htm. mirroring the idea of something bigger,” said Rosen. For more information, visit www.gifilmfestival.com. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Burke Connection ❖ March 28 - April 3, 2013 ❖ 3 Spring Fun Riverbend Opera to Open New Season By David Siegel Where and When Four Performances in March, 2013. he music of opera Tickets: $15-$25. For tickets and infor- takes me to beauti- mation: [email protected] or “ 703-869-3637. Note: Sung in Italian ful places in my T with English subtitles projected. imagination, with Performances: Providence Presbyte- swirling passions and languid times rian Church, 9091 Little River Turnpike, of reflection,” said John Turner Fairfax.

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