By Benjamin Pola

On April 24, 2023, a group of 27 USC students and alumni (23 of whom are current SCA students and alumni), screened their independent short film titled, BOOBA, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. What started out as an idea pitched in an SCA undergraduate production course by the film’s director, Gaoyang Ganjin ’24 (BFA, Film & Television Production) led to the creation of a student founded production company, iNGSANE Productions, and a red carpet, private screening event at one of Hollywood’s most iconic theaters.

BOOBA tells the story of Maestro, whose life is shattered by the sudden betrayal of his man-dog, Booba. Now questioning the fealty of his longtime companion, Maestro must reconcile the painful truth that loyalty comes at a cost.

When Ganjin pitched the idea to the film’s writer, Hunter D’Ancona ’24 (BFA, Writing for Screen and Television), he did not need much convincing and from there the development process began. They recruited fellow SCA and USC students to bring this film to life and after a year of production, they were ready to showcase their hard work.

As with any independent film, the BOOBA team had to get creative with their budget, which was primarily funded by the key crew members and their families. This sentiment of familial support remained a constant theme throughout the production process as the film’s director, writer and producers prioritized creating opportunities for their fellow Trojans – which they succeeded.

The film’s premiere was a success with a packed theater of USC students, staff, faculty and industry professionals. iNGSANE Productions, run by Ganjin, D’Ancona, ans Joe Grode '25 (BFA, Film & Television Production) already have projects slated for Summer ’23 that they plan to recruit more Trojans for. To learn more about BOOBA and iNGSANE Productions, visit: https://www.ingsane.com/home