If you ask a young filmmaker where he draws inspiration from, you'll likely hear the names Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry mentioned.

However, senior film student Chuck Marks makes it clear he drew on his own life experiences and things he learned at Penn State when beginning his new short film, "The Beginner's Guide to be Unsuicidal."

This past summer, Chuck Marks wrote the 22-page screenplay while interning at MTV in New York City. The realization that television was not for him and the frustration of having to take a train from Philadelphia to New York City three times a week for an unpaid internship all influenced the script.

"I saw friends interning making money, and meanwhile, I'm working for MTV making nothing," Marks said. "That's where it came from; that anxiety influenced me."

After pouring this anxiety and creative energy into his script, he decided to submit it for his COMM 437 (Narrative Film) class. Marks said every student in the course needed to submit either a script to be made into a film or work on another student's film. Marks' script was one of 12 chosen to be made, and Marks quickly gathered a crew to help make the film.

Specifically, fellow film student Brad Barry showed his support early for the script. The two had a few classes before, and Marks approached him with the script before they had COMM 437. Before reading Marks' script, Barry wanted to take it easy his senior year.

"I just wanted to work on someone else's movie ... then Chuck's script came along," Barry said.

He thought Marks' script was the most humorous and interesting in the class, and before long, he was working side by side with Marks as the co-producer and art director.

By the end of September, they sent out mass e-mails to various arts-related list-servs and put up fliers in buildings on campus for a casting call. It was held on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1; by Oct. 8, the film was completely cast.

The script deals with the idea of bettering one's self versus doing what is good for society. The story is centered on Chad, a film school graduate who hasn't made much of his life. Chad's luck seems to change when a producer gives him a break. However, reality catches up with Chad, and he must make an important decision.

"You have these opportunities in life, as down as it may sometimes seem," Marks added

Marks' passion for filmmaking started in high school when he meshed his love of photography with writing. Since then, he has drawn inspiration and been influenced by many things, from other films to his professors.

"I had a spark going into filmmaking, but the teachers here helped me," he said. "Films that hit you the most are films that you can connect with."

Working with a crew of about 10 fellow film majors on this project, which Marks and Barry speculate will cost around $2,500 to make, has forced the duo to not only think big, but make it happen. They have had to seek out any person or business they think will contribute money as well as plan rehearsals and secure locations for them.

"This is pretty much our lives right now, this film," Marks said.

The journey won't be over for Marks after the film is made. He plans to submit to Penn State's film festival in the spring, and this summer, he plans on "selling the product" by entering it in various other film festivals.