Experimental Film Screening
12/12/2022
Celebrating the Innovative Work of our Emerging Student Filmmakers
“Art isn’t made to exist in a vacuum, it comes alive through the eyes of an audience.”
On December 14, members of the Mount community gathered in Benedict’s Hall for a dazzling cinematic experience—nearly a dozen student filmmakers premiered original movies at an Experimental Film Screening, highlighting each artists’ individuality and personal creative ideas.
This semester Professor Laura Elayne Miller introduced the course, ART/COMM/THTR 324 Experimental Filmmaking, which is a part of a series of new video courses being offered in the Division of Communication, Art, & Media. In this exciting new class, students have studied all the steps in professional filmmaking, while learning how to create movies through an experimental approach. The Screening Event marked the culmination of their course of study, with the final films showcasing not only the students’ newfound technical skills, but, most importantly, their ability to craft their creative visions into fully produced original movies.
“For each student the ability to share their individual creativity with an audience in this popular form of media is an incredible opportunity,” said Laura Elayne Miller, Assistant Professor of Studio Art & VAEM. “Art isn’t made to exist in a vacuum, it comes alive through the eyes of an audience.”
The class invites students to explore digital filmmaking in the context of historical avant-garde cinema, experimental video, and contemporary new cinema genres. With a focus on original moving image production, the course interweaves artistic analysis, video projects, screenings, software demonstrations, readings, workshops, and group critiques. A studio course, hands-on workshops included Experimental Cinematics in the camera, Experimental Effects in the software, Experimental Sound Design, and Digital Performance. Each student’s final film builds upon these activities, while utilizing lessons in traditional production and post-production techniques. They go through the full filmmaking process from start to finish: ideation of non-linear storytelling, producing, cinematography, lighting, performance, sound design, and editing (with Adobe Premiere Pro software). This immersive educational experience is unique and advanced, and each student has engaged their unique style and creative voice to their work.
“The final film projects are so satisfying for the students,” continued Professor Miller. “In my class, the content and style is totally up to them—the students work from pre-production through post-production (the initial idea to making the movie) therefore they are the sole author and visionary. It’s an incredible accomplishment.”
The screening featured original movies by: Sydney Alvarado ’23, Adrian Chano ’25, Giovanni Garufi ’23, Keshawn Faux ’23, Jasmine Izquierdo ’23, Meghan Kemp ’23, Ernita Mavraj ’23, Felix Vazquez ’23, Jenny Vega ’24, Sonia Weathersby Wilson ’25, and Marcos Williams ’24.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.