CLEMSON, S.C. —
The city of Clemson's downtown turned into a movie set Wednesday afternoon for the filming of a feature-length film titled "STUDENT FILM: THE MOVIE," which is based on a screenplay written by Gaffney, South Carolina, native Julia Fowler.
The recent launch of a film production course under Clemson University's World Cinema program is now giving students a unique, hands-on opportunity to gain experience on and around a movie set.
According to a release from Clemson's World Cinema College of Arts and Humanities:
Clemson University’s World Cinema Program is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking film production course, made possible by a grant from the South Carolina Film Commission. This new course offers Clemson students a unique, hands-on experience in filmmaking, designed to prepare the next generation of creative talent for careers in the film, TV and digital media industries.
Throughout the course, students will work directly under the mentorship of acclaimed education consultants and industry professionals, gaining practical experience in every facet of film production. This immersive approach ensures that students learn not only the creative process but also the real-world skills needed to succeed on-set and in the ever-evolving landscape of film, television and digital media.
The course is being led by 2-time Emmy Award nominated producer and current Professor of Practice at Clemson University, Sam Sokolow (Nat Geo & Disney+’s Genius). “When I came to Clemson, my north star was creating a film production curriculum that brings to life and practice what all my friends in Hollywood always say is what they wish they had learned in college – real world, real experience and the chance to express their creativity in a professional-style environment while being mentored directly from professionals who have worked on projects they are familiar with,” Sokolow said. “This course is a big step toward that goal and our students will now have that experience to help propel them forward in their creative careers.”
The centerpiece of the course is a collaborative micro-budget, digital new media project that will culminate in the production of a feature-length film titled STUDENT FILM: THE MOVIE, which is based on a screenplay written by Gaffney, SC native Julia Fowler (Netflix’s Country Comfort, YouTube’s Southern Women Channel) that the project acquired.
Students will take on key creative and technical roles, working alongside a distinguished cast and crew of education consultants to bring the project to life. Guiding the students behind the scenes are an accomplished crew of educators led by Sokolow and Fowler that includes BrandCinema’s Nicholas Levis (High Strung), Geoff Herbert (The Irishman, The Hunger Games), Mark Cochran (Cross Wars) Andrea Brotherton (The Six Triple Eight, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), and Quintessence Patterson (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, Furious 7). Their expertise will provide students with professional-level mentorship and insight into the professional filmmaking process.
The on-camera cast that will be teaching Clemson’s student actors while working side-by-side with them, includes Finesse Mitchell (Saturday Night Live, Ant Farm), Tim Stoltenberg (Failure to Launch), Brett Rice (Forrest Gump, Remember the Titans), Julia Fowler (Modern Family, The Closer), Matthew Settle (Band of Brothers, Gossip Girl), Jayson Warner Smith (The Walking Dead), Alex Ellis (Hot In Cleveland), Katherine Bailess (One Tree Hill, Hit the Floor), and Delaine Yates (Law & Order).
This initiative underscores Clemson University’s commitment to building a world class film program, to a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on experiential learning, and to supporting South Carolina’s growing film industry. Students will emerge from the program with real credits on their resume, professional connections, and the confidence to pursue their creative ambitions in film and new media.
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