Filmmaker returns home to advise youth about entertainment career

MARQUETTE — Students at Marquette Senior High School got an opportunity to learn about life under the limelight.

Steven Wiig visited Marquette to tell students about his career in the entertainment industry. He’s a Negaunee native and Northern alum who moved out to California and became immersed in the film–making business. He’s been in many movies, including Milk and Into the Wild.

“I currently have a film that’s in film festivals right now and since we don’t have a film festival in Marquette County, I thought it would be great to bring it back to show to my hometown friends and family and bring it back to the place that I came from,” said Wiig.

The film is called Dead Metaphors and centers around a self–destructive writer. At his home in California, Wiig works with kids a lot, teaching drumming and drawing.

“Well I think the arts are crucial because there’s a certain segment of the population that is gifted or cursed with being artists. And I think to be able to nurture that and to help extract that and bring that out, especially in a very sports minded universe, I think it’s great to show that that is not only okay but it’s encouraged and should be emphasized,” Wiig added.

If you’d like to see Wiig’s movie, there’s a showing at Kaufman Auditorium Thursday at 7:00 p.m. He’ll also be doing a Q&A about his experiences in the movie business.