This past week, Disney spent some time on Clemson’s campus to film scenes for their new movie, “Safety,” that chronicles the story of former Clemson football player Ray Ray McElrathbey as he took custody of his eleven-year-old brother, Fahmarr, while balancing football and school with the help of the Clemson family. Undoubtedly, the heartwarming tale will be a hit in Tiger Town, but until the release, we’ve got memes, stories, and maybe even a film credit as an extra.
The filming climaxed as most weeks in Clemson do – with a football game. At this week’s home game against UNC Charlotte, a portion of the half-time show was reserved for filming a few plays and the fans in the iconic Death Valley Stadium. As actors took a shot at the iconic Clemson tradition of touching Howard’s Rock and running down the hill, all of the graphics shifted back to their 2006 glory. The former slogan, “It’s About Pride,” really sums up the pride Clemson fans felt while celebrating Ray Ray and Fahmarr’s story.
Fans who otherwise would have left as soon as half-time began stuck around to be part of this Clemson legacy. While the student section may have completely ignored the request to keep our smartphones out of sight, we still cheered like it was the biggest game of the year.
Though the final moments were beautiful, we’d be remiss to neglect the many inconveniences filming has caused. From closed parking lots to overflowing inboxes, we were constantly reminded that Disney was definitely on campus. If you walked into Cooper Library this week, that means you consented to be included in the film, and if you’re anything like me, you don’t exactly walk into Cooper looking camera ready. Don’t even get me started on how often we’ve heard, “Yeah, I was an extra this week.”
But the inconveniences pale in comparison to the new memes and inside jokes going around campus. To prove it, here are some of the best reactions from Clemson students and fans.
- Clemson + Lizzie McGuire = ???
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- Lol, like we can ever find parking
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- Trapped in Cooper: a Horror Story
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- Rudy Who?
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- Probably the Cutest Duo of the Night
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- When Disney Got the Clean Version of Our Cheer
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- Parent’s Weekend? Nah, This Weekend Belongs to Disney
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- The Only Valid Scale for Death Valley Volume
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- What It’s All About
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- And Finally, Some Clemson Family
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Plus, even if we didn’t make it on screen, we’re basically all movie stars now.
And we can always relive it when “Safety” hits a theater near Clemson.