Pitt’s Pinder to premiere film

When Peter Jackson, director of the epic the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, began his career by… When Peter Jackson, director of the epic the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, began his career by making small movies with friends, he almost certainly had no idea that in 2004, he would become the highest paid motion-picture director in film history.

Legendary director Quentin Tarantino began writing screenplays while working humbly at Video Archives in Manhattan Beach, Calif., eventually winning the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for “Pulp Fiction.”

J. Pinder, admirer of Jackson’s and Tarantino’s work, has directed, produced and edited a film of his own, “Panty Raider”. He is ready to showcase his finished product this Friday at David Lawrence Hall, in room 120 at 8 p.m.

Pinder’s fascination with film derives from his interest in writing and his childhood realization that writing films is an actual occupation. He used to make movies with his siblings and has been creating films ever since.

This past summer he was a production assistant for a Disney film. Although his work consisted of running trivial errands, Pinder says it was a great experience.

Pinder began shooting his film late last January, capturing six hours of raw footage. Eventually, after spending countless hours editing, he shortened his film down to about one hour. Posed with a series of problems – the greatest ones being time constraints and unpredictable Pittsburgh weather – Pinder added the finishing touches to his film this year.

“Panty Raider” will feature many of Pinder’s friends. Some have extensive backgrounds in acting and others are experimenting with acting for the first time.

Approximately 30 students helped Pinder in making his idea become a reality. Individuals recognizable on campus and throughout Pittsburgh will have cameos in his film, one of which will feature KDKA-TV’s own weatherman, Jon Burnett.

Shot on campus and in Schenley Park, “Panty Raider” will feature surroundings with which students are familiar.

The name “Panty Raider” gives reason to suspect that a series of events rife with absurdity await the audience. Instead, Pinder describes his film as a dramedy – a drama that includes comedic elements.

He vaguely disclosed the plot of his film by saying, “It’s not what you think. The film includes paradoxical themes of good versus evil. The title’s a grabber. It’s really about stopping evil power from taking over the world.”

“Panty Raider” has deviated from its original form. Originally a faux documentary, Pinder felt that it was too boring and decided to make it more interesting.

Although the original story also dealt with panties – an idea that stems from real-life experiences during spring break – Pinder further developed his initial idea into a story that he found to beappealing to the public.

Pinder is a junior, and “Panty Raider” will be his second film. His first film, “Cupid,” was screened last year on campus. He is about to begin work on “72 Hours,” a character-driven narrative that is a bit more serious, yet retains his sense of humor.

Pinder promises that “Panty Raider” will be a worthwhile experience, remarking, “It’s a fun, thrilling movie that will have you guessing until the end. You’ll see your friends caught in wacky situations.”