NEWS
A8/Liberty Champion
NOVEMBER 5, 2013
Students star in music videos Osterhus and Sundheim play key roles in films for Blood of the Martyrs’ songs “H.E.L.P.ER” and “Swiftly” Emily Webster ewebster@liberty.edu
The zombie apocalypse has made its way from TV shows to music videos through the making of Blood of the Martyrs’ “H.E.L.P.ER” and “Swiftly,”with the help of a current Liberty University student and a Liberty graduate. Senior Rachel Osterhus and graduate Jeff Sundheim acted as the main characters in the music videos for the band Blood of the Martyrs, which were filmed during the beginning of the fall semester, with the latest video published on YouTube Oct. 30. The members of the Christian heavy metal band contacted Osterhus and Sundheim after a mutual friend recommended them for the video, according to Osterhus. The music video portrays the two struggling for survival after the zombie apocalypse. Osterhus, who is a theatre arts major, said she had never worked in film before and thought it sounded like a good experience. She described the two days of filming in Farmville, Va., as interesting, even though she was not fully aware of the story behind the music video before working on it. “It was hard to jump right in and to not really have a background,” Osterhus said. “We didn’t create a backstory … It
was hard to put all of those conditions on myself (for the apocalypse).” Sundheim said he mentally prepared for the long hours of filming before arriving each day. He also said it took him some time to get used to all the zombies and the fake blood used during filming. With the five members of the band also involved in the filming, Osterhus said she and Sundheim were able to talk with them and get to know them over the course of the two days. “I’ve never really interacted with people who are into the screamo music, but they were so endearing, so kind, so welcoming,” Osterhus said. “They brought us water and snacks, and they just thought of everything. They didn’t have everything planned out, so they were flexible. … They were really encouraging.” Sundheim said the extras used in the video showed him the extent of the band’s fan base. “So many people showed up to help these guys out with their video, so you know they are doing something right,” Sundheim said. “They are reaching people for Christ in a way that isn’t really the norm in the music industry. You don’t hear of many good metal Christian bands, and they are, which is so awesome.” Realizing that heavy metal and a zombie apocalypse are not
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ZOMBIES — Sundheim (left) and Osterhus (right) run for their lives in the Blood of the Martyrs’ video. typically seen in the Christian music industry, Sundheim said the band and music video sheds light on how Christians are not the cookie-cutter people that others make them out to be. “(Christians) have different likes and dislikes from each other, and it is shown in this band,” Sundheim said. “I personally am not a fan of heavy metal music, and I am a Christian. But these guys are serving the Lord
in a way that people sometimes judge and don’t realize is making a huge impact. I, as a Christian, applaud them for using this unique gift of music for (God’s) glory.” Describing the zombie world as beyond her understanding, Osterhus said this experience helped her grow not only as an actress, but also as an individual. “I ended up coming out of those two days really learning the
value of loving people, the value of getting to know people,” Osterhus said. “We can always love each other no matter (the) different opinions and different things we enjoy. It was cool getting to know new people … and to love on new people and to be available and to just trust that they are following their call, whatever that may be.” WEBSTER is a copy editor.
Experience Law The School of Law hosted an open house Kristen Hines kahines@liberty.edu
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WRITE — The 18thWall Publications seeks to put the art back into the publishing industry.
Book publisher opens
18thWall seeks to promote artistic style in literary industry Mary Helen Norris mhnorris@liberty.edu
Filling the void that has been growing over the last few years, 18thWall Publications started with the dream of putting the art back into the publishing industry. James Bojaciuk, an English major at Liberty University, along with his friend Ben Kasson, started 18thWall this past March. Bojaciuk said he started this venture because books have become “an industry, not an art.” And Bojaciuk and Kasson believe it should not be that way. According to Bojaciuk, starting a publishing company was not an easy task, but it will soon pay off with the release of their first book projected to hit shelves around Christmas. “Lying in a Wounded Wood,” according to Kasson, brings together all the best modern fairy tales. The collection will include a reinvention of Snow White and a twist on dragons that Bojaciuk says “does not release you, dear reader, until you believe in dragons.” Nikki Petit, an author signed by 18thWall Publications, will be making her debut with a story that, according to Bojaciuk, “will introduce us to a folk hero.” “It’s just such a coincidence,
and I didn’t expect it,” Petit said about being published. “It’s exciting. He came up to me and said, ‘You write well. Write us a story.’” The second collection, entitled “Those Who Live Long Forgotten,” includes stories which strip something from the past — be that something mythic or fictive — and adapts it to the present. One of the stories will include a tale about Sherlock Holmes, and another reapplies the vampire myth to a post-“Twilight” world. Bojaciuk also said they have a number of novels in the works, but titles and details are not yet available. “Two novels involve the legacy of Sherlock Holmes,” Bojaciuk said. “In one instance, a case long unsolved, in another, the diseased remnants of the Moriarty family, and a third takes a stark look at English folklore and what an old woman’s myths might do to the world.” According to Bojaciuk, his writing style is to “beat your nightmares into submission and catalog them for the public.” He shared that he has been published in Thought Catalog, Tales of the Undead: Suffer Eternal (both volumes two and three), Another 100 Horrors, LAMP, Cease, Cows, Wold
Newton Beyond, The Television Crossover Universe, and Sundry Publications. Formerly, he was fiction editor at Cease, Cows. Kasson, a former poetry editor for Cease, Cows, once found himself the winner of a writing contest conducted by Horror Tree. 18th Wall Publications encourage writers to send in their creations, saying that submitters have a great chance of being published. And even if they get rejected, there is an upside: They never send form rejections. “Send in-depth analysis of the submitter’s story — we get into the nit, into the grit, into all the dirt and mud and help to the best of our ability,” Bojaciuk said. “We give them the editing they need to become a great writer.” LaRue Photography provides their cover art and, according to Bojaciuk, their work is vital. “We’re blessed to have the team we do.” For more information about 18thWall, including future publications and how to get involved, visit their website at 18thwall.com or facebook. com/18thwall. NORRIS is a news reporter.
The School of Law opened its doors Nov. 2 to welcome visitors the second time this semester for their Experience: Law event. The event began early Friday morning with a continental breakfast at 8:15 a.m. Visitors were then able to attend a class, where they could get a feel for how a law class at Liberty would work. “Students are able to attend a live class session to see how a Christian worldview is integrated into the classroom, which sets Liberty apart,” Director of Admissions Annette Pettyjohn said. Visitors were then taken to a financial session, which, according to Pettyjohn, informed them of how to obtain financial aid and the answers to other questions regarding payments during law school. This was followed by a presentation entitled “What to expect during your first year of law school” and gave four principles to guide and encourage those pursuing law. Led by Director of Center for Legal Writing Susan Patrick and Director of Academic Support Caleb Sweazey, both alumni of Liberty School of Law, the session covered things such as how law classes are different from undergrad, how to make a schedule that would ensure one’s success, and how to prepare for classes ahead of time. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Rena Lindevaldsen spoke briefly of the Israel study tour, a 10-day trip that takes students to places such as the Garden of Gethsemane, the Valley of Jezereel and the Israel Supreme Court. She also discussed the internship and clinical opportunities available to students of the School of Law. The day concluded with a tour of the classrooms, facilities and various elements of the School of Law, and a social with faculty, staff and current students. Visitors were also able to set up oneon-one meetings with faculty to discuss financial questions Overall, the day provided in-
formation and experience for the visitor. “In one day, from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., you have a really good idea of who Liberty University School of Law is. We feel like you can make an educated decision of what school you would like to attend,” Pettyjohn said. Many visitors felt that this information was exactly what they needed, according to Justin Amos. This was his first Experience: Law event. “It really gave me a view of how law actually is,” Amos said. “I was able to sit in on a class … The event has really been informing, fun and interesting.” Alexis Brewster said this visit will be the first of many. “The Experience: Law event really made the school stand out to me,” Brewster said. “The skills training here is phenomenal. We have visited several law schools in Florida, and Liberty stands out by far.” According to Pettyjohn, Experience: Law is available to anyone interested in the university’s School of Law. The event occurs twice a semester and is only $10. For more information regarding the Experience: Law event or Liberty’s School of Law, visit liberty.edu/law. HINES is a news reporter.
FYI Liberty University School of Law is a law school committed to academic and professional excellence in the context of the Christian intellectual tradition.