A Casual Heart-To-Heart With Dave Vick

Name: Dave Vick
Activities on campus: Delta Kappa Epsilon, Kenyon Filmmakers, dominating the intramural world.
Major: Film
 
Describe your Kenyon experience in three words.
 
First I’d say fun, just through the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made, whether it be friends or professors. Another word I’d say would be challenging, Kenyon’s a good school with a lot of work. And then right now I’d say pretty busy. I’m shooting my thesis film starting tomorrow for the next three days, and then my comps exam is next weekend. And then the following weekend is Send Off, but the 29th is our film showing. I’m looking forward to knowing that when I’m done with my film I can check out.
 
Tell me about your thesis film.
 
So I wrote a depressing little film. It’s about a girl who takes care of her dying grandfather, when her father decides to take him off of life support. But it’s also somewhat of a love letter to Kenyon that I wrote. His dying wish is to ride his bike down Middle Path one last time. And it’s a tandem bike, so he rides the bike down with his granddaughter. And she’s a bit of a bratty 15-year-old bitch, and she doesn’t want to help him, but she does. I was able to do some casting in Columbus so I have a professional actor playing the grandfather.
 
How did you come up with this idea?
 
First I wrote a comedy film, but Tazewell and Sherman hated it. Then Kelly [Anderson] and I were talking about the idea of last dying wishes in Peirce one day, and I looked out and saw someone riding a bike on Middle Path, and I thought that would be a good dying wish. And then the story just came from that. I’ve been working on the script since October.
 
If you could write a love letter to Kenyon, what would it say?
 
I’d first talk about its beauty, I truly believe that it’s the most beautiful campus in the world. I would describe my love of Middle Path and being able to walk down and see friends and professors. Also I would thank Kenyon for the opportunities, being able to be a film major and do something creative. And I would talk about the friendships I’ve had—I wouldn’t trade my friends here for anything. But I would also have to mention the shitty food at Peirce and shitty housing.
 
What’s left on your Kenyon bucket list?
 
I’ve always wanted to play beer pong in Peirce—on these tables. I’ve already been in the Nuge’s house with my College Architecture class. We also went to Peirce tower with the class. The guy who teaches the class went to Kenyon and was friends with my parents who also went to Kenyon. They [my parents] met here and then got married a few years later. Another part of the love letter to Kenyon is that I’ve been visiting this campus since I was little, and feel very comfortable and at home here. I actually have never been in the new New Apts, and I do not want to go in there. Why would I go there when I live in the real New Apts?
 
As the child of a double legacy, do you feel pressure to find someone to marry?
 
No. My two older siblings decided not to come Kenyon because my parents went here, and they wanted to break with tradition. But I always felt very comfortable here. My mom really pushed me to come here. So there was some pressure to go here, but not pressure to find someone to marry.
 
Any final words for our readers?
 
I would say enjoy the time at Kenyon while you have it. I’m still in shock that we’re graduating soon. I remember meeting you at Milks the first weekend of freshman year. Enjoy the time that you have here, but most importantly, spend the time with the people you care about, the friends you’ll have for life.