Leno premieres Prospect High grad's short film
Before heading over to Jay Leno's studio on Wednesday, all Kylie Condon had to do was ask herself: "Would Tina Fey be nervous?"
Probably not.
Condon, an Arlington Heights native and 2008 Prospect High School graduate, was one of three finalists for "Jay's Student Film Festival and Critical Review." She flew to Los Angeles on Tuesday to tape Wednesday night's show.
The film contest involved using a small Flip Cam to create a 90-second short comedy using the words "dairy," "sprint," and "remorse." The contest was open to all students at New York University, where Condon is a sophomore. Richard Roeper, noted film critic and Chicago Sun-Times columnist, helped Leno critique the films on Wednesday night.
Along with her roommate Stacey Greenberger, Condon produced the short film called "Welcome Freshman" about Benjamin, a college freshman from New Jersey and his overbearing mother, who is played by the mother of Greenberger's boyfriend.
The entire film takes place in a dorm elevator.
"He's a libra and captain of his sophomore soccer team," said the mother, talking up Benjamin to a good-looking blonde in the film.
The film wasn't based on real parents, Condon told Leno.
"Our parents aren't embarrassing or anything, so I don't know where we got this from," she said.
Roeper liked the film.
"You followed the first rule of filmmaking," he said. " You had us relating to the (main) character in the first five, 10 seconds."
Condon, 20, majors in film and television production with minors in producing and psychology. In her studies, she focuses on writing comedy, producing and directing.
In high school Condon taped the school's live morning announcements and filmed athletic competitions, said Frank Novak, Prospect's academic technology coordinator. Novak taught Condon for three years at Prospect.
"Kylie always knew she wanted to be in television, but behind the camera and writing instead of in front of the camera," Novak said. "She just really enjoys the writing part."
And she knows how to play with the boys. Like her idols, Tiny Fey, Ellen DeGeneres and Chelsea Handler, Condon is excelling in a field dominated by men.
"She's tough and creative and can handle all the computer stuff," Novak said. "I've had a couple girls who are really good at this, and she's one of them."
Condon will post her winning video on her Web site, kyliecondon.com, later this week.
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<li><a href="http://www.kyliecondon.com/films.html">Films by Kylie Condon</a></li>
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