Take a look at one of NIU’s most notable Huskies, and a few current students who share a similar DeKalb path. Could they be next?

Robert Zemeckis

The man behind film such as “Back to the Future,” “Cast Away,” “Forrest Gump” and “Romancing The Stone” studied film at NIU before transferring to California to attend the University of Southern California.

Dan Marder

From River Forrest, Ill., the senior media studies major was one of several NIU students who spent the summer working in Hollywood on “Slipstream,” a film starring, written and directed by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Though he claims “Back To the Future” was his favorite childhood movie, he has no plans to follow the filmmaker’s path — at least not to transfer to USC. He does, however, hope to attend the school possibly for his master’s degree en route to a career as a director and screenwriter — something he’s been doing for almost five years.

Tim Piper

The senior communication major has plans to leave the Midwest for Los Angeles after graduating. The plans to leave DeKalb, and hometown Lombard, Ill., for the golden state would bring him back to where he also spent time on the set of “Slipstream.” With sights set clearly on directing, hence the beard, he had a strong finish in last year’s music video competition. He directed scenes using the Foo Fighters’ “No Way Back.” One of the few NIU film students who isn’t a big Zemeckis fan, he claims the filmmaker uses “too much CGI.” Although, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” would have been pretty boring with a real bunny.

Jeff Negus

The senior, yet to declare an official communication major, also spent a good chunk of time working on “Slipstream” on the West Coast. With plans to move to Los Angeles shortly after graduation, armed with several years of writing and directing films — including an 80-minute thriller, “The Legend of Cuba Road” — the Palatine, Ill. native won’t ditch NIU for USC any time soon. Even if “Back to the Future” is “possibly [his] favorite movie of all time.”