STUdeNT NOTES
Take Three!
View Trio of Student Film-Contest
Winners on Woody’s Web Site
W
ith access to digital video facilities and courses that
are among the most advanced in the U.S., SMAD
students are regular contenders for the most pres-
tigious awards in their craft. On Professor John Woody’s Web
site, iedithd.com, you can view the prize-winning produc-
tions below and others. Look under “Student Videos.”
Speechless: the Judges’ Choice winner in the 2006
Leaders of the club: (from left) Jessica Shultz, Blair Garka,Claire Molinaro,
Apple Insomnia Film Festival, is a commentary on the loss
Helen Stackhouse, Kendall Wadsworth, Marie Christopher, Heather Phillips.
of interpersonal communication to text messaging. Robert photo: Leila Saadeh
Kramer, Sierra Neal, Nathan Burns and Peter Dwyer, 2008
graduates, wrote, shot and edited the three-minute film – in-
cluding three required elements – within a 24-hour deadline.
SMAD Club Gives Students Role In
From a list of possible elements the festival supplied, the team
chose to include the name “Alex Kona,” the dialogue line “No,
Guiding, Promoting Department
you don’t understand what it’s like growing up here,” and ice.
“Alex is one of those bi-gender names,” said Burns. “We fig -
ured we could give (the name) to anyone and it was fly.” Visit
the site to see how they worked in the other two elements.
S
MAD students can take an active role in promoting the
department and influencing decisions affecting them
through the SMAD Club, an organization formed in 2007.
The club is open to students at all levels in all concentrations.
Missed the Boat: uses an intriguing combination of
Helen Stackhouse, chairperson of the SMAD Club, said it
stop motion with oil paint in a music video. Paul Gleason and
gives students an opportunity to “fully engage” in the depart-
Nathan Burns, 2008 graduates, took runners-up honors in the
ment, as well as a way “to use their creativity and the skills
2006 Epic Records and Apple, Inc. Film Competition for their
they learn to promote the School of Media Arts and Design.”
creative treatment of the band Modest Mouse’s song “We Were
In its first year, the SMAD Club worked with faculty and
Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.” The team used still photos
alumni to organize the career sessions and banquet that made
of individual glass panes with painted foreground and
SMAD Day a success (see page 15).
background elements and married that
This year, the club’s activities have in-
to footage of the band. “Somewhere in
cluded making SMAD T-shirts to promote
the middle of production we came up
the department and again providing
with the idea of having a sea monster
planning and hands-on help for SMAD
emerge from the water and eat some of
Day in the spring.
the band members.” Burns said. We hope
The club also plans to organize ca-
(the devoured members) weren’t too of-
reer sessions for SMAD majors beyond
fended,” he added.
those held on SMAD Day. “Especially
for graduating seniors.,” Stackhouse
Buck Winchester The Frontiers-
said. “It will be a resumé- and inter-
man: a takeoff on the old serial Westerns,
”
view-type workshop,”
won first place in the 2007 Virginia Volvo/
SMAD Club officers also serve as a
Video Clip fr
om
“M
issed the B
oa
t
Adrenaline Film Project. Nathan Burns,
Student Advisory Committee that will gather student
Nick Lazo, and Robert Krammer used the stereotype of old
opinions and suggestions and make an annual presentation to
estern films: a small town in trW ouble and a hero saving the
the department director and faculty.
day. Influences included The Twilight Zone and the Road Run-
Junior Kendall Wadsworth, current SMAD Club co-chair,
ner cartoons. The competition, in Charlottesville, allots con-
will chair the club next year.
testants 72 hours to write a script, shoot, and edit. The SMAD
SMAD majors are welcome to attend the SMAD Club meet-
team shot on a huge farm with two cabins and a chicken coop.
ings held every two weeks on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in Har-
“We actually wrote the script before we knew where we were go -
rison 102. Contact smadclub@jmu.edu.
ing to shoot, so finding the cabins was a huge relief,” said Burns.
— Leila Saadeh
— Lauren O’Brien
7 The School of Media Arts and Design
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