Woodbury High School Grad Wins Second Student Emmy

As graduate and student Emmy winner Joe Carlini , he teamed up with musician and fellow graduate, Joel Kachel.

Last summer, Carlini filmed Crow, a music video featuring Kachel.

Kachel wrote the lyrics and music to Crow while Carlini provided the film expertise. Carlini described the video as telling the story of a struggling musician who hitchhikes from gig to gig as he makes his way back home to his love interest. (See the video with this story.)

The video, just over five and half minutes, took the entire summer to complete. Carlini said he spent hours setting up shots and editing.

“Each shot is unique in its own way and must contribute to the story,” Carlini said.

Although making the music video was hard work, it was also fun, said Carlini. He especially enjoyed shooting the traveling scenes, such as Kachel riding a motorcycle or singing while riding in the back of a pickup truck.

The music video won Carlini a Student Midwest Regional Emmy for best editing. This was a second student Emmy win for Carlini, who has received eight student Emmy nominations. His first win came for his script about a terminally-ill man who lies in bed thinking about his life.

         Related: Woodbury High School Grad Wins Film Festival

In four years of filmmaking, Carlini has already made 25 short films. He said he seems to come up with a new film idea every month. Carlini also runs his own freelance videography business, through which he has made many other videos, such as for weddings and businesses.

In May he plans to start shooting his first feature film. To raise money for the movie, he plans to schedule a premiere of his documentary, Second Chance U, at an area theater.

The documentary focuses on the basketball program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College that ended in 2010. It took him two years to complete, and he is proud of the result.

“The program was more than just about basketball,” Carlini said.

He said the team gave students a second chance at pursuing their dreams both on and off the basketball court. He said the program had a positive impact on the players and the community. His documentary tells their story and explores the reasons related to the closing of the program, Carlini said.

While Carlini enjoys the entertainment value of his films, his motivation for making films lies in more than simply providing a two-hour escape.

“It’s the stories you can tell and the difference you can make in people’s lives,” he said.

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