It’s common every spring for a bevy of Webster University’s film students to head for Hollywood seeking opportunities. It’s a little more uncommon for those opportunities to come seeking them.

Such is the case when “Bill” moved to town.

Producers of the independent feature film arrived early this year looking to shoot in St. Louis. The film follows the story of a man mentoring an unruly 16-year-old as part of a program he reluctantly joined. It stars Aaron Eckhart (“Thank you for Smoking”) Elizabeth Banks (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Spider-Man” films) and Jessica Alba (“Fantastic Four,” “Sin City”).

Producers scouted locations throughout the St. Louis area and secured Missouri tax incentives they needed to finance the film. All they needed was the people to actually help put it together.

Enter Webster University School of Communications.

Webster students and alumni permeated the crew of “Bill.” They assumed numerous roles and responsibilities while working on the project, such as assistant property master, sound mixer, electrician, boom operator and production assistant.



“It really was a Webster-intensive experience,” said Production Assistant Justin “Tucker” Wells (BA, Film Production, 2006).

Wells originally planned a slow summer preparing to embark on a career in the film industry, but those plans changed when “Bill” came to town with a golden opportunity — work on a well-financed feature film without even leaving town.

“This is how I hoped to be spending my first summer out of school,” Wells said. “I feel very fortunate that it came along, especially so soon after graduation. I didn’t even know this production was coming, but when a feature film calls, I can easily change some things around for that. “

Along with a handful of other recent graduates, Wells was hired on as a production assistant. Early in production, Wells helped GreenStreet Films establish a St. Louis office, provided transportation to and from the airport and made coffee runs for film executives. Occasionally, he’d interact with the stars of the film like Eckhart and Alba.



“They were all really cool,” Wells said. “No ridiculous demands or anything like that. But when they’re on set, they’re definitely working. They’re not in red-carpet mode.”

Wells credits the connections he made at Webster with launching his career in the film industry. Similar connections are made every year.

“If I see students that are really good at what they do, I’ll recommend them for jobs,” said Adjunct Professor Chris Benson (BA, Film Production, 1996). Benson, himself, worked as a boom operator on “Bill.”

The Webster students he recommends to fellow members of the film industry, he said, are usually “worth their weight in gold.”

Photographs on the set of “Bill” were taken by Claudia Burris. For a longer version of this story, check out the upcoming edition of Webster World, the alumni magazine of Webster University.

Do you have a similar story to share? E-mail scan@webster.edu

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