By: Michael Murg
With the return of Diablo Heat in its 22nd season, the challenging task of the show lies within the hands of this year’s cast and crew.
Mission’s annual tradition of the comedy and news show, Diablo Heat, came to a halt last year. Instead of Diablo Heat, the film program at Mission took a different approach and became more of a film-school styled class. After the year ended, it was apparent that the faculty and students at Mission had a great desire for Diablo Heat to return. Now that desire will be fulfilled
Although you may have just heard that Diablo Heat is returning, or maybe you just learned what Diablo Heat is, members of the cast and crew have been working on the show even before the school year started. Mr. Harnack, the teacher for advanced video at Mission, scheduled three workshops over the summer to better prepare the class for the upcoming year.
The three workshops focused on news, comedy, and opening titles. For the comedy workshop, Mr. Harnack was able to get Mission graduate and Comedysportz legend, David Neil to help get the team off the ground. David led a table write for the show’s first comedy sketch, “Freshman Survival Guide”, which is a piece about different strategies freshman can use to “not die” at Mission. This sketch is obviously not meant to be taken seriously, but for entertainment purposes instead.
For the news workshop, cast and crew discussed new and upcoming events at Mission, that would be good to inform the students of MVHS. Some members of the crew were able to film the first two football games at mission, with camera angles from the booth, sideline, and end zone.
The team met again, and was able to write the opening titles for this years show. They would later film the opening titles during the last weekend of summer at Doheny State Beach. These opening titles have inspired this years Diablo Heat logo, which is Pablo the Diablo surfing on a massive wave.
Although the team is working hard and putting much effort into to the show, are they really ready to put on a 20 minute show?
I was able to ask Caitlin Ree, the producer and head editor of the first show, how the making of the first show has been going. She replied, “Because we didn’t have it last year, it’s been a new process for all of us. But the cast and crew have come together, and I look forward to this new year.” She seemed very optimistic towards the cast and crew, and their adjustments to the new format.
The Diablo Heat cast and crew consists of twelve students in total; one senior, one sophomore, and ten juniors. Although there is only one senior on the team, nine of the twelve students have participated in Video 1 and Video 2 at Mission. However, there is a big leap from doing the morning news show, “What’s Up Mission”, to completing a 20 minute show.
Mr. Harnack was asked about how he would compare this year’s Diablo Heat cast and crew to years in the past. “ They are very good, just as good as any other cast and crew I’ve had. They are a little in-experienced because we missed a year… We don’t have seniors leading the way.” Although they have lack of experience, after 21 previous seasons of Diablo Heat, it is good news that he has faith in this years cast and crew.
Kayla Holliday is one of the ten Juniors on the team, and she will be on the cast for season 22. Kayla had not participated in Mission’s Film program until this year. When asked how she has adjusted to the class she said, “It’s been good, the team has been very welcoming to the new members, and have taught me new things about the art of video”. She later exclaimed that everyone gets along in the class and they have had a lot of fun so far.
Episode 1 of Season 22 of Diablo Heat aired during tutorial on September 21st. Cast and crew hoped everyone watched and enjoyed their hard work. There is much to look forward to for Diablo Heat this year, not just for the students making it, but for the ones watching as well.
