Wilson Valois has been creating and editing videos on YouTube since he was 12 years old.
Valois , a senior communication major, is focusing his studies on the film, television and production concentration in the department.
“I was first going to be a graphic design major, but then I really just enjoyed the video production side of it and telling a story. And so I fell in love with it,” Valois says.
“I love all the classes that they offer. I think the best thing about the program is this university, it just gives you the freedom to be as creative as possible,” he says.
“All the ideas that I usually bring in are over the top and somehow, we always make it work which is insane,” Valois says.
Valois says he wishes more people knew about this program since they give creative liberty for the students to do as much as they want with their projects.
“Aspiring filmmakers and content creators develop their understanding of professional theory and techniques that prepare them for careers in all aspects of the media production industry,” according to the department’s website.
Even though he says he loves the professors and courses, one thing he has noticed is a lack of equipment.
“We don’t have the equipment that we need to succeed. We have a low amount of students, and we’re getting there,” Valois says.
He says the concentration has been enrolling more students each semester to join.
“I think we would get more people if we had access to great equipment and the cool gadgets that are coming out, that we don’t have access to because we don’t have the budget for it,” Valois says.
While this is a downside, he says he loves being in the program.
“We don’t have all the cool stuff, but I feel like they gave me my foundation that I need to go into any path that I want. Even if I decide to go outside of communication,” Valois says.
In Valois’ capstone course, he was able to create a seven-minute documentary about “space utilization and the lack of investment that is going into the student experience on campus.”
He was able to learn the process of creating a film, something he really enjoyed doing.
Valois came into the concentration wanting to be a documentary filmmaker. He still wants to pursue that, but he is also more open to other possibilities.
“With documentary, everything you see is real time and that’s what’s so cool,” Valois says.
Another communication major, Leah Coleman, senior, has the ultimate goal of becoming a film director after graduating.
The film “The Joker” is what inspired Coleman into going into the major and field of work.
“You always know the Joker as this villain. You never think of him as anything else. So, seeing him, as sort of like a human, and then realizing that it took the director breaking down the film to make it that way. I was like ‘that’s really cool I want to do that,’” Coleman says.
Coleman works in the digital production facility in Earl Hall.
“You can use it for your projects. They also have editing suites with Macs so you can come in and edit the stuff that you have,” Coleman says.
Students can also go in and use the equipment, such as the cameras, lighting and audio equipment.
“It’s definitely helped me a lot. I have spent countless nights there working on projects, or even work I am doing outside of school,” Coleman says.
Coleman used the facility when she interned for the athletics department. She created and edited her footage there.
“They’re open the majority of the day, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It’s plenty of time for producers to come in and get whatever help that they need. It’s very helpful,” Coleman says.
Coleman loves being in this concentration and the professors who have taught her have been helpful and have pushed her with her work.
“I think this major isn’t only for film, people who want to go into film, I think if you overall just love movies, love telling a story. If you’re a videographer, photographer, have any interest in being in front of a camera, behind the camera, this major is for you,” Valois says.
By Sofia Rositani
