SectionsLocal film wins at Sundance
'Winter's Bone' details daughter's struggle
Karen Bliss
Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Features
Nathan Shelton, a past student at Missouri State, worked on making a prosthetic body and hands for the film, and because the film was shot in Forsyth, he was not on set often.
"My work was mostly done in my house and my shop," he said. "It was a unique experience. Most of my work was done on the phone. I got the local effects contract."
Sweetser was able to attend the Sundance Festival for five days and attend the premiere of the film.
"(Sundance) was amazing," she said. "We were so busy. We had press to do all the time and different events. The film was incredible. There was an incredibly talented director and a talent-packed cast."
Missouri State's Theatre and Dance Department allowed Sweetser to take leave to shoot the film and to go to the festival while keeping up with her classes, she said.
"This theater department has such a good program," Sweetser said. "We have so many talented professors. They were instrumental in allowing me to shoot this film."
Going to Sundance and being a part of "Winter's Bone" has opened up doors for Sweetser.
"Now I am eligible for the Screen Actors Guild, which is the union you have to be part of to work professionally," she said. "I met so many different people at Sundance, so the networking opportunities that have opened up are huge."
Sweetser already has a manager in Los Angeles and is prepared to move there after she finishes up the semester.
"I've lived (in L.A.) the last three summers to just network and find out if I actually wanted to live there," she said. "I have friends there and tons of networks out there, so it's not going to be that big of a deal when I move."
"My work was mostly done in my house and my shop," he said. "It was a unique experience. Most of my work was done on the phone. I got the local effects contract."
Sweetser was able to attend the Sundance Festival for five days and attend the premiere of the film.
"(Sundance) was amazing," she said. "We were so busy. We had press to do all the time and different events. The film was incredible. There was an incredibly talented director and a talent-packed cast."
Missouri State's Theatre and Dance Department allowed Sweetser to take leave to shoot the film and to go to the festival while keeping up with her classes, she said.
"This theater department has such a good program," Sweetser said. "We have so many talented professors. They were instrumental in allowing me to shoot this film."
Going to Sundance and being a part of "Winter's Bone" has opened up doors for Sweetser.
"Now I am eligible for the Screen Actors Guild, which is the union you have to be part of to work professionally," she said. "I met so many different people at Sundance, so the networking opportunities that have opened up are huge."
Sweetser already has a manager in Los Angeles and is prepared to move there after she finishes up the semester.
"I've lived (in L.A.) the last three summers to just network and find out if I actually wanted to live there," she said. "I have friends there and tons of networks out there, so it's not going to be that big of a deal when I move."
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