As I look forward to future semesters in the Pennwest Edinboro Philm program, I want to continue building my professional skills as a filmmaker and photographer, as well as branching out into other film-adjacent disciplines to become as well-rounded as I can. I have been passionate about filmmaking for as long as I can remember, and I am motivated to keep improving in future classes.
I have already learned quite a bit this academic year. In Intro to Photography, I learned how to use my personal camera and improve my photo composition to create great-looking images. I also learned how to use Adobe suite tools such as Photoshop, Lightroom, and Bridge to edit and organize my photos. Altogether, I have been able to create a portfolio I am immensely proud of. Intro to Digital Film has taught me the basics of Adobe Premiere Pro. Learning the in-and-out editing workflow has made me an efficient and capable editor. Working with a small crew has helped me plan and produce my films better and build connections with classmates that will be useful for future film projects. The art history classes I have taken have broadened my tool belt for art production. My exposure to new media and art has helped me discover artists, techniques, and works that inspire me. So far, my education at Edinboro has made me more than prepared to take on more challenging coursework.
Next semester, I will be taking Nonfiction Film and Light & Lens, which will aid me in my mission to build my professional portfolio. I want to continue my photography work by emphasizing portraiture. Wedding photos, senior portraits, and corporate headshots are very marketable skills that can help me gain experience, fill my portfolio, and have a source of income tied to my creative work. I also plan on taking Narrative Filmmaking in future semesters to further refine my filmmaking skills.
Another goal I have moving forward is to broaden my skill base beyond camerawork. While I have built good foundations in photography and film, I also want to explore screenwriting and animation. The films I have most enjoyed have very strong scripts and character writing. My favorite pieces of media, such as Interstellar and Andor, have incredible dialogue and character writing, and I would like to write and film a script that I have written. I have also been a lifelong fan of stop motion animation, and would like to take some classes in it if I am able. It is a unique and visually distinct art form that I would like to add to my portfolio work.
Outside of academia, I also plan to use my skills to build a social media presence online to showcase my film and art abilities. I already have some experience in video creation for YouTube, and I want to continue building a social media presence to display my work and gain an audience.
I am confident that my continued education in Pennwest Edinboro Philm program will help me grow into a capable and effective filmmaker. I look forward to advancing into upper-level coursework that will ready me for the film industry.