For years I've been trying to organize a field trip for my film classes to the Shanghai Film Studios, and for one reason or another, it just hadn't happened.  However, every year our school does a week without walls, where we take the students all over China to experience the country that we live in a hands on and authentic way.  This year I stayed close to home and helped organize the Shanghai trip, which afforded me the opportunity to bring some students to the studios.

We started out the day by watching Reign of Assassins, which was filmed partially at the studios, and then headed over to the lots.  In the following pictures, you'll see some great locations, a warehouse full of antique cars and vehichles, and a staged kung-fu fight between my good friend and school counselor, Shaun McElroy and  one of our brave students, Jason.  You'll also see a boat that's not really a boat, and me driving a bus.




Finally, since we had the whole studio at our command, we decided to spontaneously write, plan, and execute a one minute film... in one minute.    Here are the stunning results:




Do note that the students at the end of the film were supposed to form a vicious zombie attack, but with only one minute to plan the film, that part somehow fell through.  Imagine what we could have accomplished in five minutes!