Students watch Hunger Games under the stars
Byron Thompson & James Coreas / Senior Staff Photographer & Contributing Photographer
The University Program Council changed up its monthly movie event and took the silver screen outside to host a drive-in night, without the drive to Forth Worth’s Coyote Drive-In, featuring “The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay – Part 1”
Social work senior and UPC film coordinator Ashley Shepherd took on the task of moving on-campus movies to the next level.
The movie screen shines bright against the cloudy night sky. UPC members coordinated from the ticket stand to the silver screen to put on the drive-in event for students.
“I wanted to do something bigger and better,” Shepherd said. “When I was in high school I always went to the drive-in movies, I thought it’d be a cool thing to bring to campus.”
About 100 people turned out to Victory Hall for the film, she said.
Cars line up and attendants get their popcorn ready as students convene outside of Victory Hall for Saturday night’s drive-in showing of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.
Nestled in the warmth of their vehicles, some watched through their windshields, others opened wide their trunk doors and piled up in the back.
“I like being able to provide something to the university that’s more on campus. We want to give students the opportunity to be connected to the campus,” Shepherd said, “I think it creates that kind of culture, bringing people together for those types of events.”
The ‘Epic Screen’ being inflated. It took a few tries to get the screen in position because of the high winds Saturday night, but funflicks.com’s 25-by-15 foot movie screen was able to rise to the occasion.
Dean of the Texas Academy of Math and Science Glênisson de Oliveira took his family to the residence hall.
“We are new to town.” Oliveira said, “We love seeing movies together. It is great that there are things to do like this so close.”
The snow day rescheduling contributed to a low turnout for the movie, which usually brings in more than 200 students and faculty, Shepherd said.
UPC members hand out tickets, point out where to park at the residence hall and show viewers how to tune their radios to hear the film’s sound.
“I’d like to see it happen again because I know it has potential if it’s well-marketed and done during warmer weather.” she said, “It never hurts to try out new ideas and that’s what we like to do, think more out of the box about how we can make our events more unique.”
Featured Photo: Dean of TAMS Glênisson de Oliveira, right, and his family eagerly await to start of the movie from the back of their van. Photos by Byron Thompson – Senior Staff Photographer
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