NIU alumni Craig James Pietrowiak, Dale Spencer and Louis Coty never had to ask “what now?” after graduation.

In 1999, the trio developed Squid Brothers, a successful independent film company.

“Film is a very cutthroat business,” Spencer said. “We have some tough competition, but we have a good product out there.”

Squid Brothers’ first independent feature film, “I Promise, I’ll Never,” deals with the “what if?” idea of contracting HIV.

The main character has a serious girlfriend but has relations with other girls. He loses the support of his friends while his girlfriend becomes more supportive, Spencer said.

The trio’s second film, “Experimental Me,” chronicles the love life of a man who can’t find a connection with anyone. He tries experimenting with other men, but then realizes that there was love right in front of him. Spencer said.

Pietrowiak was the creative hand behind the films.

“The inspiration came from experiences from life,” he said.

Pietrowiak is more attached to “Experimental Me.” The cast for the production became almost like a family, he said.

“I really enjoyed that [film] and became friends with the cast and crew,” he said.

The group met in college through a fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi. The fraternity isn’t active at NIU anymore, but its nickname, “Delta Squids,” helped give the group its name, Spencer said. The three developed a closer bond after graduation.

“We were friends [in college],” Spencer said. “But we weren’t an intense group of friends.”

Spencer graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and in 1995, started acting and modeling. Aside from the film company, he is involved in real estate and is a mortgage broker. He serves as a producer and an actor for the company.

Pietrowiak graduated with a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurial management in 1993 and was the only one that year to graduate in that major.

“Directing people, managing production, managing people, is all part of [what I do],” he said. “My degree has certainly helped where I am today.”

Coty graduated in 1991 with a degree in criminology, but said he always had a flair for writing.

“I’ve always had the creative side in me,” he said.

Coty is a writer and producer for the company. Aside from Squid Brothers, Coty likes to spend time with his wife and two young sons.

Though not as close in college, the group helped each other through some tough times.

An injury in college left Spencer in a wheelchair, but he hasn’t let that slow him down, he said.

“I’m feeling good and just moving ahead,” he said.

Pietrowiak said he had an injury in college as well. He was burning brush one day for a landscaping company he worked for and some cans of gasoline exploded.

Pietrowiak said Spencer helped him work through the accident emotionally, and like Spencer, he has moved forward.

“Life goes on,” he said. “Except for some scars, I’m alright.”

Coty said the group is working on a television series, “Wrigleyville,” that deals with four 20-something guys right out of college.

“It has a ‘Party of Five’ tone,” he said.

All three men said the business is very difficult, but rewarding.

Raising money is the hardest part, but the end product is worth it, Pietrowiak said.

“[The most rewarding part is] creating my own future and taking it to the next level,” he said.

Coty also said the experience is rewarding.

“You get to see people breath life to your words.”