Two Penn State professors, Rod Bingaman and Maura Shea, will debut their comedy creation about a runaway bride at the State Theatre this Sunday.

In Hollywood, a movie budget of a few million dollars is considered cheap.

Just more than $100,000 went into the production of Chasing Butterflies, a film that Penn State film professors Rod Bingaman and Maura Shea produced locally and will screen at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at the State Theatre.

"It cost a hundred times less than Slumdog Millionaire," Bingaman said, referring to the Oscar-winner that was considered inexpensive at $15 million. "You can do all right with a little bit sometimes if you have the right people and support."

Bingaman and Shea's people and support consisted largely of Penn State students and alumni. All but three members of the film's crew were Penn Staters, Bingaman said, adding their film, a screwball comedy about a runaway bride, was shot locally in State College, Bellefonte and Lewistown.

"I watched it, and it's very good," said Mike Negra, the State Theatre's executive director. "I like the locality of it and the fact that local people did it."

Alyssa Fannick (senior-film and video), who is president of the Student Film Organization, said she has had classes with both professors, and will definitely attend the film's screening.

"We've seen clips of it in class," she said. "I'm really excited to see the whole thing come together."

Though Shea expects her students, her friends and people who were involved in the production to attend the screening, she said she hopes to see unfamiliar faces as well.

"I don't want it to be only people who are involved in the production," Shea said.

Negra added that based on his past experience with showing locally made films, he expects community interest to surround the screening.

"I think it should be a real good cross section," Negra said. "The community has come out for other local films, and so I'd be surprised if they didn't come this time."

Chasing Butterflies is the third film for Bingaman and Shea's Ma & Pa Pictures. Film distributors have told Bingaman they don't usually buy comedies, but they see something special in Chasing Butterflies.

That might be because they find that its subject matter is modern and relatable, Bingaman said.

"It is more commercial in the sense that it's a bit more contemporary," he said. "It has some elements that are irreverent enough to fit in that independent film circle."

Filming took place in June 2006, but Mother Nature didn't make the shoot easy for the cast and crew.

"Ninety percent of the film is outdoors, so weather was incredibly important," Shea said. "We had the rainiest June in years."

Aside from weather complications, filming a road trip movie brought its own set of problems, Bingaman said. The crew accidentally broke three-inch thick, bulletproof glass, and a vintage Corvette fell off of its trailer, causing $900 worth of damage, Bingaman said.

Shea said every filmmaking experience brings its own set of hardships.

"Every film is hard while it's happening," she said. "I can't say every moment is enjoyable."

Bingaman added their movie can provide film students in the audience with insight into their future as filmmakers.

"To me it's a window to what their next step is going to be," Bingaman said. "Most likely their next film will be something on this budget level."

Fannick said she appreciates the guidance the professors have provided for their students both in and out of the classroom.

"They care so much about us," she said. "They're dedicated. They're always there and willing to help."