(Credit-Photo by: Brea Walters/The Valley Forge)
Deep down in the library’s basement, in the far back room, you’ll hear students laughing, discussions about film, camera angles, lighting and other cinema-related topics.
The mass communication classes and department are located on the lower level of the ERC building.
Students taking mass comm. classes even have the chance to rent out gear and use the numerous Macs and audio booths to work on their projects.
There are classes offered in the morning, afternoon, and night. Kyle Owen teaches RVC’s screenwriting and motion picture courses, but he also teaches the cinematography class as well. Ten students this semester are involved in the cinematography class.
The cinematography class is only offered in the spring and is designed to give students specialized training in the video production industry. Students will produce multiple group and independent projects. Students must complete the basic video and audio production courses to take the course.
“The class is kind of a hybrid of what it used to be, which was Advanced Video Production, where we worked on building the portfolio of the filmmakers, the students of the class, and Cinematography, which is what it’s called now, which is more about the art of lighting and using the camera to tell your stories visually,” Owen said. “I wouldn’t say, ‘You come out of here, and you’re a cinematographer,’ but you walk out of here with a better understanding of cameras, lighting, and visual storytelling.”
For the ten students, the cinematography class not only puts them on the path to success in their academic endeavors but also allows them to establish strong friendships.
Cinematography student Joy Goebel says, “The environment of the class is so fun. It’s almost like a little family. We are all comfortable with each other and support each other’s work.”
Their friendship in class has also grown outside the classroom.
Olivia Matthews says, “We all have such a good bond together, and we hang out outside of the class all the time. We have a tradition where every Tuesday night, we go to the movies together.”
The students described how supportive their classmates are of each other and how they enjoy working together as a team.
Carmen Sanchez says, “I love the environment of the class, even though sometimes I end up being on my own during and after class. I know my classmates will help if I ever need it.”
Teachers and student workers in the department began to notice how unique the class truly is.
“Yeah, they’re nuts. They’re crazy,” says mass communication student worker Brea Walters. “It’s been great to see them grow. They have grown as people and in their work. You can tell how passionate each and every one of them are. They will come in and sit in the office and brainstorm their ideas with us. It’s nice to see them be goofy and still work hard together as a team.”
For the final class, everyone showed their final projects that they were assigned at the beginning of the semester. The screening gave everyone a chance to show how much progress they have made since the start of the semester.
“Since I started teaching here in 2016, I have to say this is the most solid group I’ve ever had,” Owen said. “Seeing everybody grow as cinematographers and filmmakers makes me so proud.”
