UNA Student Assists On Set Of ‘The Hunger Games’

Mar. 21, 2012

FLORENCE, Ala. — UNA student and culinary arts major James Perini was given the opportunity to work as an assistant food stylist on the set of “The Hunger Games” movie, which will be released in theaters at midnight March 22.

“I was in class one day and my chef made an announcement regarding Jack White, a food stylist from Los Angeles,” Perini said. “When I heard ‘food stylist’ and ‘Los Angeles’ I immediately walked out of class and called him.”

White returned Perini’s call a few days later and he immediately began assisting White with food styling at smaller events and even traveled to North Carolina to assist with events there. After helping White on many different projects, White asked Perini if he would be interested in assisting on the set of “The Hunger Games.”

“The first day there blew my mind,” Perini said. “I couldn't believe I was working on the set of a major motion picture. It was hard to believe at first. The next day was a shoot day and that’s when I saw my first movie star: Woody Harrelson, who plays Haymitch in the movie. It was very surreal and honestly, I was star struck.”

Working on a major motion picture movie set was a memorable and life changing experience for Perini.

“Working on a movie set was the biggest learning experience ever for me,” he said. “I had no idea what it took to make a movie. It takes hundreds of people, not just the actors, to make a movie happen. I think that everyone, from the construction workers to the director and all those in between, are true artists.”

“The Hunger Games” movie is based on the first book of “The Hunger Games” trilogy and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth and Elizabeth Banks.

For more information, contact the Department of Human Environmental Sciences at 256-765-4313.