Star Power . . . A filmmaker himself, Jeff Stern has taught Introduction to Video Production for six semesters.
“The class really broadened my thinking in terms of film production, and the time and effort that goes into it,” says Liberal Studies and Marketing major Dimitry Marcelin, a sophomore who began producing videos in high school. “It’s a great course if you want to fully appreciate what goes into films.”
The course debuted a few years back as one of several developed for the Media and Culture major and the Media Arts and Society concentration in the Liberal Studies major — two fast-growing academic programs at Bentley. The architects were Senior Lecturer in English Elizabeth LeDoux and Assistant Professor of English Heide Solbrig. The course is a springboard for students planning advanced study in film production, and an overview for those with other career plans.
“Media is tied to everything now,” observes Lecturer in English Jeffrey Stern, who has taught the course for six semesters. “Video and multimedia presentation is critical to business, so it’s important to understand how it all works. Beyond the technological aspect, being able to tell a story or communicate an idea is important for any professional.”
Stern starts the course with a survey of the filmmaker’s tools: screenwriting, camera work, lighting, sound, editing, and more. For the first big assignment, students pair up to create a
6
OBSERVER
one-minute video that involves scripting, lighting and editing — but no sound. The final project is a full-blown, four- to seven-minute video, created in teams of four or five.
“The course definitely pulled our creativity beyond what I expected,” says sophomore Maria Raspa. “Every single product of the class was shaped by where the students wanted to take it. The assignments were open and general.”
Len Rubenstein
The teams develop ideas for their final films, pitch them to the full class, and refine the projects based on feedback. About three-quarters of student groups opt for a fictional piece, according to Stern; the rest choose documen-taries or public service pieces.
“That’s the Hollywood influence. It’s where the inspiration comes from for a lot of students,” says Stern, whose own credits include a short film about the 2008 election called The Thrilla in Wasilla, now being shopped to film festivals; and The Romantic Possibilities, a feature film that received a production grant from the LEF Foundation. Stern also hosts and co-produces a monthly showcase for independent and underground film presented at Brookline’s Coolidge Corner Theatre.
To bring their ideas to the screen, students use the campus-based Media and Culture Labs and Studio, where they have access to state-of-the-art digital cameras, audio accessories, and lighting. The facility also has post-production suites with the latest software and editing tools.
“Making a film is a big undertaking,” says Keith Dugas ’ 11, who majors in Marketing and Media Arts and Society. “We all learned to multitask to make it work.”
Dugas’s group, which included Marcelin and Raspa as well as sophomores Rebecca Langweber and Alexa Graff-Radford, engaged an exceptionally wide range of talents. Dugas and Marcelin are musicians with recording experience; Marcelin wrote and produced the song featured in the video. Three members belong to the Bentley Dance Team.
References:
Archives