Lights! Camera! Action!

IT TAKES AN INCREDIBLE amount of coordination to produce a film. At Humboldt State University, Film students are still making stories come to life in spite of the pandemic.

Last Fall, Film students kept rolling thanks to limited face-to-face classes that followed strict COVID-19 guidelines from the entertainment industry, HSU, and the county. Among many programs where practical experience is critical to learning, Film students have continued to make films throughout the pandemic, often using the broad cultural changes of the past year as inspiration. To complement in-studio activities, the department offers a slate of online courses that teach students to write, shoot, edit, and produce films using digital tools.

In Multi-Camera Studio Production, instructor Montel Vander Horck’s students worked—masked and at a distance—in the Van Duzer Theatre, using cameras, field sound recording equipment, grip and lighting gear, and laptops for editing. They created six original multi-camera projects including “Season’s Grievings,” a four-minute film that explores grief, transition, and forgiveness directed by Film major Norbert Rodriguez.

“Filmmaking is a discipline that integrates critical thinking, storytelling, and technology,” says Film Professor Ann Alter. “It’s a powerful tool for exploring our shared humanity.”

Today, moving images are everywhere, and the demand for film has grown exponentially in the pandemic, explains Alter. Through hands-on project-based curriculum, Film students are gaining the skills and professional experience to broadcast their ideas and enter the competitive film industry after graduation.