IU’s Newest Movie Star: Rafe Kaplan

Rafe Kaplan always wanted to be in a movie, but that always seemed like an outlandish wish – until recently.
 
While on an episode of IU Student TV’s Hoosier Date, he found out about an independent film that was being produced on campus.  Deciding to try out just for fun, Rafe went to the callout meeting in the Telecommunications building.  He ended up being casted as one of the leads in the film. 
 
“They had me try out once, and I loved it,” Rafe says. “Then they called me back with four other guys to try out again. I didn’t do so great the second time, but they called me back and told me I had the part. I was pumped.”
 
Rafe is a cast member of Runaway Home, the first full-length feature film written, produced and shot at IU.  Runaway Home is about an IU student trying to run away from his past, but his past ends up finding him. The film was written and directed by IU students Kevin Domer, Charlie Mattingly and Charlie Myers.
 
“There’s a lot of IU culture recognizable in the film,” said Kaplan.  “The music school, the auditorium, Greek life, football games and tailgates, various classrooms and Dunn Meadow.”
 
Rafe plays the lead character’s best friend Jake. 
 
“Jake is a wannabe frat guy who will do anything he can to get a girl,” Rafe says. “In the film you see his surface. You never really get to know him until he finds out his best friend lied to him and then he freaks out.”
 
Now a junior studying human biology, Rafe spent his sophomore year filming, and he really enjoyed it.
 
“Everyone I worked with became my friend,” Rafe says. “Our dynamics are great. There’s a good cohesion on set so it doesn’t feel like work – which it isn’t, it’s fun.”
 
Outside of filming, Rafe partakes in activities at the Helene G. Simon HillelCenter, the Chabad House of IU and the Bloomington Artists Association. He is also a member of the fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, and will be riding on their Little 500 team.
 
Runaway Home is due to come out next fall with a premiere planned at either the Union Auditorium or a local theater.  After the premiere, it will be sent to film festivals including Sundance.
 
“The film kept me from transferring,” Rafe says. “It’s one of my biggest accomplishments to actually get a role in this movie.  It has had a big impact on my life.”