PHOTO COURTESY OF ALOTTABIT STUDIOS

Each town has its own kind of vibe or personality as well as different ways it is shown to a wider audience.

For Marshalltown, there’s a short film titled “According to Scott” that is going to be produced at Marshalltown Community College (MCC) and is based around “a Marshalltown native personality.”

This short film is a comedy produced by Alottabit Studios in conjunction with Steve Muntz, a broadcast/digital media teacher at MCC. It is about Scott Monroe and how he navigates outlandish events in his life.

The film will show Monroe using his mobile phone and mobile apps to record his life, and his interactions with a female friend, Jennifer, which causes changes in his life because of his feelings for her.

Film director Scott Seuss, an MCC graduate who is the founder and CEO of Alottabit Studios, said the idea of this short film wasn’t just a recent thought but is something that was thought about in years past.

“This concept (for the movie) came about two years ago,” Seuss said. “The concept is based on a natural Marshalltown resident.”

Seuss described Monroe as having a “natural ability to be humorous” that is “somewhat like ‘Napoleon Dynamite.'”

The short is still in production and scripting will be done prior to casting in the fall.

Catarina Cesar, an international student from Portugal, is the writer for this film.

In regards to the film production equipment at MCC, Seuss said the equipment that is available is good and should be used frequently.

Seuss said they are preparing for casting for background actors to occur for the short in August for two to three weeks. In regards to what the producers are looking for, Seuss said they are looking for people to fit a comedy film and who want to get good shooting experience. During the casting days, Seuss said food will be provided.

Following casting in August, Seuss says they are hoping to shoot “According to Scott” in October or November.

For some people, filming a movie in a community that they are very familiar with would be the main reason they are excited for that project. Seuss said his excitement for this project is more than just that.

“One of the biggest reasons I’m excited for this project is being able to see others get excited about animation and film,” Seuss said.

“According to Scott,” is one of nine film titles that Alottabit Studios, a Marshalltown-based studio, 510 N. Second St., is working on. While a lot of films are produced in Hollywood and other bigger markets, there are smaller areas where high quality films can be made. Marshalltown is one of those communities, according to Seuss.

“Marshalltown is a great, talented community,” Seuss said. “This is another place where we can make films. Why not us? If nobody is stopping us, let’s continue doing it.”

Seuss said art and film is continuing to develop in Marshalltown and that has been the case since 2014. He added that film and art is potentially a way for troubled teens to find something to identify with and a movie is just a part of that.

The short is going to be a smaller version for the feature film and has a release date of Sept. 8, 2022. The short will be released on Amazon Prime through AlottaFlix and other platforms online.

For those who are interested in helping with the film, can reach out to Alottabit Studios at 641-481-0417 and DavidSeuss@alottabitstudios.com or Steve Muntz at MCC, 641-844-5797.

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Contact Sam Stuve at 641-753-6611 or sstuve@timesrepublican.com