WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

 
Lorenzo Rossi, Class of 2014 

In fourth grade, my teacher told me to write down what kind of job I wanted. She said that most adults who feel fulfilled and satisfied in their career are doing what made them happy in elementary school. I remember writing down that I wanted to do something creative. This passion ultimately led me to Matt Lawrence’s Digital Filmmaking Program at Ballard High School.

What excites me about filmmaking is its constant combination and coordination of all art forms. The medium has allowed my passions for music, photography, writing, audio production, and personal documentary to interact in ways I never imagined. At the heart of all filmmaking is the ability to tell a story, to connect with others through personal truth. Ballard’s filmmaking pathway instills this focus in students throughout the entire program.

Besides providing an invaluable foundation in storytelling and the entire production process, the program helps students connect with industry professionals, create effective portfolios, and consistently earn scholarships at the top film schools around the world. In high school, I was able to intern at NFFTY (National Film Festival For Talented Youth), work on the camera crew of Lance Lambert’s Vintage Vehicle Show, produce a documentary for the Ballard High School Foundation, and create short films which won awards in several festivals (including a music video I directed for my band’s original song that helped me get into Emerson College with a half tuition scholarship).

Emerson has provided me with incredible opportunities to explore different creative avenues tied together by a cohesive liberal arts education. Over the past three years, I’ve worked on set in both the lighting and sound departments for countless student films, mixed bands and managed events for the college radio community, interned at Soundtrack Boston (a full service audio post production facility), and completed an immersive documentary installation and thirty page academic thesis exploring the many ways my blended family interacts in cars (What We Say In Cars). The highlight of my college experience has been the people I’ve met through Emerson who’ve pushed me as an artist and collaborator and expanded my understanding of what it means to be a filmmaker. In the Spring 2017, I will be finishing my Media Production BFA degree in Emerson’s Los Angeles campus and interning at an audio post production studio before moving back to Seattle to freelance in post sound and location recording.

Filmmaking is changing more than ever. Technological advances have caused massive shifts in patterns of distribution and production, drastically altering the ways we create and consume media. These changes can be both frightening and exciting for students thinking about entering the industry. However, the concepts, tools, and techniques taught in Ballard High School’s Digital Filmmaking Program are necessary no matter what equipment, format, or platform you end up working with. Though I am still figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, I feel fulfilled and thankful for the life I’ve been able to live and I know Lawrence’s program has pointed me in the right direction.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Lucy Harstrick, Class of 2013

When I was in middle school I didn't know where I would possibly go after high school because I just hadn't found something that really grabbed my attention.  Sometime in 8th grade or so, my dad and I sat down to watch Evil Dead (1981).  My dad made a comment about how the movie was often studied in film schools, and I remember thinking it was the coolest thing that you could go to school for film.  I knew from then on out I would want to go into filmmaking, specifically cinematography.

I knew I loved seeing how light made me feel, and I wanted to study why certain imagery could make me feel a certain way. I also knew I wanted to tell stories by basically taking a narrative theme and translating it into images, because that's what really resonated with me. The filmmaking pathway at Ballard was the first place I got to even talk about movies and why I liked them. Getting to discuss how a certain shot made me feel or how I would shoot a certain scene was all I had been looking for. Once we started getting to storyboard our ideas and execute them, I knew I was in the right place. Learning the importance of story before all the technical ideas was perfect, because the first and most important goal of filmmaking is to tell a story that will reach people. 

In my last year at Ballard, I collaborated with my friends in class to put together a music video called Song for Anna that got recognition at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), as well as a Merit Award through the National YoungArts Foundation. My time at Ballard helped me to build a strong resume and portfolio, giving me access to financial support through academic scholarships once I reached Columbia. 

I started at Columbia College Chicago as soon as I could after Ballard. I was drawn to working with 16mm and 35mm film, something I knew I wouldn't be able to do much once I left school. Instead of lighting a scene and then just checking the monitor to see how it looks, I learned how to calculate the ideal lighting ratios and do the math to figure out how much light I needed. The beauty of film is how much time you spend on each shot, making sure every part of the frame will be exposed the way you want it. Once I started shooting films digitally I was paying much closer attention to the details of light, so I think shooting on film is an important experience to have. 

I was on set nearly every weekend at Columbia. I drifted more towards the camera department, and ended up pulling focus (1st AC) on a lot of projects. I love how in touch with a scene you are as a 1st AC; paying close attention to the spatial relationships between the lens and the action feels so involved and hands on. I graduated a year early from Columbia and took a job working as part time staff in the Advanced Camera Cage at Columbia, working with film and digital cameras as a technician and Teacher’s Assistant. I started getting work on indie films and advertisements near the end of my last year in school, which is another bonus of going to school in a big city like Chicago.

As of now, December 2017, I am fully freelancing in Chicago and working mainly as a 1st or 2nd AC. I hope to be in the union, Local 600, within a few years. Working as a freelancer means I don't have a rigid schedule and I might not know when the next work is coming, but once you get the first job the rest come much easier! I love what I do, and I feel very excited to see how this industry develops. Back at Ballard, Lawrence showed me that there are so many jobs in this industry and that it really is possible to do something if you just stick with it. 

 On being a woman in the industry

It's no secret that film is a male dominated industry, specifically on the cinematography side of things. Lighting and camera departments used to be all male, but I can say that in Chicago I have worked with a relatively even mix of women and men. At least half the working cinematographers in my class were women, and there were never any competitive or cutthroat vibes. We all helped to lift each other up and look out for each other, and I've met many amazing, hardworking people in this industry.

I will say, if you decide to go into this industry as a woman, be prepared to stand up for yourself. While most men you work with will be totally respectful, it's not unheard of to come across someone that sees you differently because of your gender. Luckily, especially lately, these kinds of problems are getting more (deserved) attention and people are increasingly intolerant of sexist behavior on set. It may be intimidating to show up on a new set and see that you are the only woman in your department, but those are the women that inspired me to work in this industry. Know your strength and remember that you are there for a reason. I truly believe that the future of this industry is female, and every time I see another woman in my department it inspires me.

P.S. Good note for guys - it's great to want to help out but if you ask a woman if she needs help and she says she's got it, let her do her job! 

 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Isaiah Hoban Halvorsen (class of 2013)

When I was a high school sophomore, I knew I wanted to go to film school for college. I also knew I wasn’t anywhere near ready. I made the dive and transferred to Ballard High School in order to join the Digital Filmmaking Program I’d heard so much about. In two short years, surrounded by creative and passionate classmates, and under the guidance of an incredibly supportive and knowledgeable teacher, I was able to not only build the portfolio I needed to get into film school, but also learn the skills and principles necessary to feel truly confident in diving right into student projects, jobs, and internships as soon as I arrived.

Right after high school graduation, Mr. Lawrence landed me my first internship on a professional film set, working for the locations department on Laggies, directed by Lynn Shelton. This not only taught me the ins and outs of a professional film set, but also helped my résumé to stand out. I entered my freshman year at NewYork University in 2013 to study Film & Television. My first semester, I got a job as a technical assistant at the NYU editing labs. The next summer, I worked with the same locations department, this time as a Production Assistant on Captain Fantastic, directed by Matt Ross. I am currently interning at Dimension Films, The Weinstein Company, doing coverage (reading and assessing submitted screenplays).

As I enter my last semester at NYU, I can’t help but think of my time making films at Ballard. Visual storytelling is the core foundation of film itself, so it is no surprise that it is the core foundation of the curriculum of both the Digital Filmmaking Program at Ballard and the Film & Television program at NYU. Throughout my experience at NYU, I have found time and time again that my foundation at Ballard has helped me to excel in the program. Most recently, my film The Champion was a finalist at New Visions and Voices, NYU’s junior level film festival. I have recently begun to focus on screenwriting, and am currently writing my thesis, which is a feature screenplay.

The Digital Filmmaking program at Ballard helped me to actualize my passion for film. From teaching me the principles of filmmaking to helping with my college essays and writing recommendations, Mr. Lawrence played a huge part in my acceptance into film school. By pushing me to run my sets as professionally as possible, from pre-production through production, the program also helped me to develop a strong sense of professionalism and responsibility, very necessary traits in the pursuit of any career. It is difficult to say what the future will hold. All I can say for certain is that I am doing what I love.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Vann Fulfs (class of 2013)

Growing up as an only child left me with a yearning for others that could never truly be filled.  During my schooling I developed a curious and wandering mind that helped me engage with other students. Unfortunately, that curiosity didn’t reflect in my grades or hobbies.  With no real talent in any sports or clubs and less than stellar grades I was pretty directionless until I was urged to join the Ballard High School Digital Filmmaking Program. There I was pushed harder and my creativity finally found a constructive place to grow.

After an all too brief three years in the program I graduated equipped with the portfolio necessary to apply to film school, as well as a variety of awards and honors for my films.  Still neither I nor my family could find higher education financially viable.  To my relief, the work I had produced in the Digital Film Program at Ballard allowed me to win the J-Dogg Scholarship, making it possible for me to attend the college of my dreams in Chicago.

Ecstatic to attend an art school I had a jam packed freshman and sophomore year at Columbia College Chicago.  All my free time was spent working on large scale student projects with crew sizes ranging from 40‐120 students.  The free time my scholarship afforded me to score two great jobs as a screenwriting Teacher’s Assistant and as an Arts and Culture Critic for the Columbia Chronicle.  This very quickly led to my internship with Kurtis productions working on the 9th season of American Greed.  As a Production Assistant I interviewed witnesses, put together graphics and acted in episodes 100 & 109.  During the summer of 2015 I volunteered with the National Parks Service and partnered with Ravenswood Media.  Under the guidance of Academy Award nominee David McGowan, I assisted in the creation of a series of productions sent to congress to educate on environmental issues including climate change, avian botulism, and habitat recovery.

As I saw my passions leading me towards journalism and online content I focused my Junior year on documentary production and worked to become the president of Viva Doc, our school’s documentary club.  I continued to work in smaller teams and was hired by our schools advertising department making

commercials and online content.

Thanks to the good preparation I gained during my years in Ballard’s stellar Digital Filmmaking Program, I was able to complete my college degree program in only three years and graduate with High Honors.  After a short stint as a freelancer in Chicago I was hired on by the UW Huskies as a content producer.  Here I lead in the development, creation, and editing of entire advertising campaigns that reach thousands of Husky fans.  Now in my free time I freelance with my mentor Chris Baron (the cinematographer for the award winning “Food Inc.”) and take on smaller film projects in Seattle’s burgeoning filmmaker community.

I’d like to say I was inspired by amazing film directors who have created small masterpieces in worlds they entirely control.  In retrospect, however, I realize my true inspirations are people who have looked at the world around them.  Those who make stories with little to no budgets seeking to find the truth and connect with audiences. Above all I am inspired by my teachers who are truly young at heart, who look to see the very best in everyone and the reality in everything. I hope to continue in that tradition and pass on that passion one day.  Until then, I learn and impart what little I do know through my movies.  You can see my work and check out current projects on my website at www.vannfulfs.com .

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Kaila Lafferty (class of 2012)

Growing up I had this creative energy that I could never figure out how to focus. I couldn’t draw or paint, but one thing I was really good at was telling stories. It wasn’t until high school that I realized that telling stories could be my future. I decided to join the Digital Filmmaking Program at Ballard High School, and from that point on I knew my passion.

Shortly after beginning my first production class I found that I had another passion: filming. I learned that there is no better feeling in the world than clean rack focus, or framing up the perfect shot. By the time I finished high school, my films had been nominated by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for Student Production Awards presented at the Northwest Regional Emmys, featured (three times) in the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (an international festival), and won Best Documentary at the national Derek Freese Youth Film Festival in Philadelphia. The knowledge I gained from the Digital Filmmaking Program at Ballard High School was invaluable, and gave me the tools I needed to find my path in life.

I graduated in 2012 and decided to take my passion for storytelling to The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, where I majored in Broadcast Journalism.  During my years there, I aced my classes involving filming and editing, and became a producer for Cable 8 Productions. My senior year I interned at KHQ Local News in Spokane, Washington and this is where I learned that being a reporter was my calling. As I was graduating with my bachelor’s degree in May of 2016, I found out that I had won a Northwest Regional Emmy for Best Overall Newscast for a show I had produced for Murrow News 8. 

I decided to accept a job as reporter and anchor for KLEW News in Lewiston, Idaho. Every day I get to meet new people and tell their stories, I get to film and edit and - best of all – pursue my passion for storytelling. I couldn’t have done this without what I learned from Mr. Lawrence and the Digital Filmmaking Program.