Tag Archives: NYU senior thesis film

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. The Adventures of Penny Patterson, the title of the comedy, sci-fi short film, flashes over a high school hallway lined with lockers at the start of the woman directed film, at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo. (© 2018 Ann Parry, Ann-Parry.com)

“The Adventures of Penny Patterson” at LIIFE 2018

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
July 25, 2018

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. After final film screenings at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo, filmmakers and actors - including Shara Ashley Zeigler, Stephanie Donnelly, and Ajna Jai - go on stage for Q&A at the Bellmore Movies. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. After final film screenings at LIIFE 2018, filmmakers and actors – including, at center L-R: Shara Ashley Zeigler, Ajna Jai, and Stephanie Donnelly – go on stage for Q&A at Bellmore Movies. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Last summer, a friend told me about The Adventures of Penny Patterson, a short film that tells the origin story of a superhero from an intriguing point of view: his girlfriend. 

The premise of the NYU senior thesis film that Stephanie Donnelly wrote and directed, and the eye-catching poster-in-progress by illustrator Liam Donnelly, stuck with me, so I looked forward to catching the comedy sci-fi this summer when LIIFE 2018, the 21st Annual Long Island International Film Expo, accepted the short film.

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. AJNA JAI, actor playing title character of The Adventures of Penny Patterson, strikes a Penny pose before the film screens at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo at the Bellmore Movies. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. AJNA JAI, actor playing title character of The Adventures of Penny Patterson, strikes a Penny pose before the film screens at LIIFE 2018. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Last Wednesday night, July 18th, when spotting Stephanie Donnelly sitting with family and friends in Bellmore Movies’ vast theater shortly before the screenings began, I asked if Penny Patterson was her alter ego. Stephanie smiled, then said, “Maybe subconsciously.”

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. In The Adventures of Penny Patterson, the title character, played by actor AJNA JAI, calls Steve, her boyfriend and lab partner, who isn't helping with their science fair project. The comedy, sci-fi, screened at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo. (© Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. In The Adventures of Penny Patterson, the title character, played by actor AJNA JAI, calls Steve, her boyfriend and lab partner, who isn’t helping with their science fair project. The comedy, sci-fi, screened at LIIFE 2018. (© Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Penny’s a high school student who needs to win the science fair to earn a college scholarship, but Steve, her boyfriend and lab partner, suddenly stops doing his share of the work.

Steve also doesn’t share with Penny how he turned into a superhero overnight and is trying to keep her and their town safe.

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. During screening at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo, the end credits for The Adventures of Penny Patterson use illustrations by artist Liam Donnelly, the short film's Executive Producer. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. During screening at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo, the end credits for The Adventures of Penny Patterson use illustrations by artist Liam Donnelly, the short film’s Executive Producer. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Though pushed in more ways than one, Penny turns out to be no pushover.

Q&A

After the final screening, many filmmakers and actors – including Shara Ashley Zeigler, producer and writer of the funny, touching film Joe; Bethany Nicole Taylor, lead actress in Joe; Stephanie Donnelly; and Ajna Jai, who plays the title character in The Adventures of Penny Patterson – participated in a Q&A. 

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. L-R, STEPHANIE DONNELLY, director and writer of short film The Adventures of Penny Patterson; AJNA JAI, actor playing Penny Patterson; BETHANY NICOLE TAYLOR, lead actress in short film Joe; and SHARA ASHLEY ZEIGER, producer and writer of film Joe, get together after final screenings at LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. L-R, Sephanie Donnelly, director and writer of short film The Adventures of Penny Patterson; AJNA JAI, actor playing Penny Patterson; Bethany Nicole Taylor, lead actress in short film Joe; and Shara Ashley Zeigler, producer and writer of film Joe, get together after final screenings at LIIFE 2018. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

The Adventures of….

It was a late Wednesday night at LIIFE, and the next day Stephanie Donnelly flew to California for the San Diego Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, CCI-IFF 2018, where The Adventures of Penny Patterson screened that Saturday morning. 

Adventures of Penny Patterson, and STEPHANIE DONNELLY, director and writer of the short film, pose before the movie screens during LIIFE 2018, the Long Island International Film Expo. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. July 18, 2018. Ajna Jai, actor playing title character of The Adventures of Penny Patterson, and Stephanie Donnelly, director and writer of the short film, pose before movie screens during LIIFE 2018. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com

Penny Patterson at LIIFE 2018:  PHOTO GALLERY

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