Students gain from campus film productions

At Mount Saint Mary College, real-world experience isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a guarantee. And for Digital Media Production majors, those valuable connections and training are now happening right on campus.

In the past two years, these opportunities have been made possible through a new initiative spearheaded by Instructor of Digital Media Production, Merle Becker – working with location managers to invite production companies to film scenes on campus.

Becker has served as the point person between the college and these film productions, securing several opportunities that have been filmed across campus, including Paramount Pictures’ “The Accused,” the independent feature film “Divine Blood,” Fox Entertainment Studio’s American medical comedy drama “Best Medicine,” and Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”.

Before teaching film and television at the Mount, Becker worked in network television and on feature sets. Over the years, she’s maintained a lot of those contacts, and a few years ago, a location manager she knew reached out and asked about a classroom and other locations at the college.

Becker works with the location managers to show them locations on campus brainstormed by campus faculty and staff, occasionally sending pictures ahead of time before negotiating a rate and contract. After the production is set up, Becker informs her students about the shoot and has them sign up for a time slot to help with the production. They can choose to be involved in the pre-production, which includes aspects of set design and sometimes painting and helping to set up props, or they can be on set during the shoot to shadow the various production personnel.

“Working alongside such inspiring professionals showed me that no matter where you come from, you can find your place in the industry,” said Marina Cilento, a sophomore in the Digital Media Production program. “If that is my starting point, there is no telling where this field will take me next.”

During the shoot of “The Four Seasons” several Mount students spent the first part of the day on set. They had the opportunity to speak with various crew members who took the time to explain their roles and offer guidance on how to pursue those positions. They also had the added bonus of meeting the stars – Tina Fey, Colman Domingo, Erika Henningsen, and Marco Calvani.

“Often, you don’t really know what role fits you until you’ve actually been on a set,” Becker said. “My hope is that these experiences help them discover what they love and envision a future in the film industry.”

For more information, visit www.msmc.edu