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OU Film & Media Studies

@ou_fms

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LEARN FILM HISTORY • MAKE FILM HISTORY 🎬
OU Film and Media Studies is a department within the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences.

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Acclaimed Kiowa and Choctaw filmmaker, screenwriter, and multidisciplinary visual artist Steven Paul Judd spent time with a handful of FMS classes this past week. His credits include Marvel's Echo and AMC's Dark Winds.

He showed some of his short films and television shows and answered questions from our students during various Q&A sessions. These photos are from his visit with Professor Emilie Upczak's Screenwriting course.

We'd like to thank Judd for his time, and we'd like to thank our students for welcoming him with open arms.

Our department strives to bring in working professional filmmakers as we feel they are some of the best guides when it comes to creative life after college. We hope you enjoy the efforts, and we're excited for what's to come this year!

#oufms taken in Old Science Hall by @ou_fms

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17 days ago

OU Film and Media Studies would like to congratulate recent FMS alum Justus Denson for being selected for the Norman Film Foundation's inaugural screening this past Friday, 9/25, at Mainsite in downtown Norman. His student-produced short, Pillars of Society, played before Broadcast, the 2016 feature from Mickey Reece, who will teach Film Directing at FMS this spring.

Pillars of Society was produced as part of Justus' participation in several independent studies led by FMS professors Emilie Upczak (script and production) and Carolina Rueda (post-production).

"My experience working on the film was a long process that taught me a lot. From writing to final edit, it took me a full two years to complete. This film really emphasized to me how much a person has to love what they are doing to see the filmmaking process through until the end, because it is so easy to find a reason to quit."

Justus recently graduated with a BA from our department.

"My time at FMS was very fruitful! I met fantastic people who believe in me. FMS allowed me the freedom to explore my cinematic interests and the knowledge necessary to make my ideas come to life. Coming from a small town, I would not have been able to make movies without FMS. The department provided me with all the resources I needed to become a successful filmmaker. I will forever be thankful for everything FMS has done for me."

We are all very proud of Justus and his team!

CREW
Justus E. Denson — Writer / Director / Editor / Executive Producer Sofia Menniti — Producer Kaden Wittig — Producer Truman Stephens — Director of Photography / Colorist Natalie Giorgetti — 1st Assistant Camera MvHvya Gravatt — 2nd Assistant Camera Carter Sewell — Gaffer / Sound Mixer / Boom Operator Gage Looney — Grip Calvin Stephens — Grip Seth Buraglio — Grip Niya Lashae — Grip / Extra Elizabeth Blice — Sound Mixer Ava Pierce — Sound Mixer Sam Lee — Sound Mixer / Boom Operator Colter Newkirk — Boom Operator Jacob Hollis — Boom Operator Diego Villanueva — Boom Operator / Location Scout Jacob Lozano — Production Assistant Jack Snedden — Composer by @ou_fms

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20 days ago

The new semester is well underway, and Professor Emilie Upczak’s Intermediate Production class is already taking a deep dive into the technical side of the filmmaking process. This past Tuesday, the class hosted audio specialist Joseph Fisher, who took the time to cover microphone selection, capturing sound in challenging environments, and how to properly operate a boom pole. He also walked students through the technical side of using field mixers and recorders, including configuring proper sample rates and setting optimal audio levels to avoid clipping. The lab aimed to demystify an area of production that can be notoriously tricky for new and seasoned filmmakers alike.

Fisher will return in October to lead an audio post-production workshop to round out what was learned this week. FMS would like to send a huge thank you to Joseph for his time!

If you’re looking to expand your technical skills, keep an eye out for Intermediate Production when the opportunity to enroll comes. The course is designed to build directly upon the experiences learned in Narrative Production Foundations.

Enjoy some of the images from last week’s lab below. Production is hard, but rewarding work! taken in Old Science Hall by @ou_fms

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a month ago

Congratulations to the FMS students and alumni who worked on Murder in Chinatown, which picked up three wins and three second-place finishes at this year's 48 Hour Film Project!

The film won Best Acting in a Supporting Role, Best Special Effects, and Best Use of Line, and took second place in Best Film, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. It also earned nominations for Best Acting in a Leading Role and Best Hair and Makeup.

Special congratulations goes to recent FMS alum Kaden Wittig, who directed, to Jason Ngo, who wrote the screenplay and handled the behind-the-scenes media, and to FMS lab assistant Sully McCollum, who produced.

Congrats to the entire cast and crew on a terrific showing!

CREW
Kaden Wittig — Team Leader / Director
Abigail Hutchcraft — Executive Producer
Sullivan Lane McCollum — Producer
Sam Lee — 1st Assistant Director
Jason Ngo — Story / Screenplay / BTS / Graphics
Erik Phan — Screenplay / Gaffer
Parker Holman — Director of Photography
Mason Prince — 1st Assistant Camera
Miles Balkman — Digital Image Technician
Tanner Clark — Key Grip
William Little — Grip
Ethan Swartz — Sound Mixer
Riley Berridge — Art Director
Hannah Condley — Hair & Makeup
Kensington Jolie — Costume Designer
Payten Kline — Production Assistant
Jacob Lozano — Production Assistant
MvHvya Gravatt — Production Assistant
Kyler Wittig — Production Assistant
Ryan Park — Editor
Shane Little — Composer

Special shout out to Jason Ngo for the excellent BTS photos!

#oufms #oklahomafilm #48hourfilmproject taken in Junior's Supper Club by @ou_fms

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a month ago

FMS hosted its soon-to-be-annual Back to School Film Social last Friday, and we wanted to share some thanks and a few pictures from the event. It was a chance for different departments to come together with FMS and celebrate the upcoming year with food, beverages, and crew bingo.

The social was also an opportunity for students to talk through their film projects and network with people outside their own program (as well as to get to know each other better). Thank you to everyone who came out. We hope you had a terrific time!

#oufms taken in Old Science Hall by @ou_fms

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a month ago

OU Film and Media Studies would like to congratulate Professor Emilie Upczak and her collaborators on their latest premiere. Leo Sacer – a film directed by Upczak and her former University of Colorado-Boulder colleague and fellow documentarian, Professor Eric Coombs Esmail – will be premiering at the Charlotte Film Festival in September, followed by screenings at the Buffalo International Film Festival in October.

Per the team, the film is an exploration of the reactions of members of a small mountain community to the killing of pet dogs by a neighboring mountain lion.

The film was funded in part by the Center for Documentary Media and the Office of Research and Innovation, University of Colorado Boulder, and the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.

Film and Media Studies would like to congratulate Emilie and the team, as well as the project editor Sarah Jane Biagini, who created the provided image.

#oufms by @ou_fms

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2 months ago

In addition to our full time faculty, FMS frequently works with professionals currently working in the film industry to teach our students in specialized areas. This past semester, art department specialist Madeline Markcum joined our faculty as an adjunct instructor to teach a Production Design course. She has served in various roles on recent films, including production designer, art director, and set dresser among other positions.

For this course, Madeline taught the basics of the art department itself, ranging from set decoration to graphics to props. As shown in these photos, students learned how to space plan by designing a miniature set inside of a shoebox, which encouraged them to think creatively about the shape of the space and to consider how sets represent story and character. These skills were then applied to the final project, as a crew of the class designed and dressed an office set inspired by the script of the feature film "Seven."

We hope you enjoy these photos, and we hope they inspire you to enroll in the class when it comes up again. Thank you, Madeline, for creating such an engaging class! We are lucky to have you.

Feel free to send a tag request for your work!

#oufms taken in Old Science Hall by @ou_fms

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3 months ago

The NBA Finals are over (congrats to the NY Knicks!), and while the Thunder didn't make it this year, a few of our FMS students got to take part in the Finals festivities through Jimmy Kimmel Live!

This is the second year running that our students have worked on the show, and this time around, Peyten Kline and recent graduate Kaden Wittig made the trip to San Antonio to help out with some live segments.

Kaden was one of our more active students during his time here, but for Peyten, this was only her second time working on any film set! "I learned so much and met so many incredible people...so just learning all the different components that go into crew work was amazing." Kaden had a terrific time too, and said, "It was amazing getting to know both the crew and the NBA fans of San Antonio over my time working on the show."

We're very proud of these students for their hard work, and the producers wanted to extend their gratitude and said they hope to work with FMS again next year. We hope you're all enjoying your summer!

#oufms #jimmykimmellive taken in Frost Bank Center by @ou_fms

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4 months ago

These halls are quite empty without you guys.

It’s peaceful, but we’ll miss those of you who have graduated and moved on to the next phase. We hope you’ll remember this once-daily sight and think back on your time with us.

From the classes you took, to the movies you made, to the relationships formed… and yes, even the wagons of gear you moved up and down the elevator.

We hope you enjoyed your stay.

Learn Film History. Make Film History.

We were happy to be part of your journey. You will always be part of ours.

“Good night, and good luck.”

#oufms taken in Old Science Hall by @ou_fms

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5 months ago

OU Film and Media Studies recently welcomed acclaimed Macedonian-American director Milcho Manchevski for the fifth installment of the prestigious Ned Hockman Speakers Series this past April.

A Golden Lion winner and Oscar nominee with more than thirty years of experience, Manchevski delivered a truly rare masterclass in craft and vision. The visit opened with a screening of his satirical meta-drama Bikini Moon at the Sam Noble Museum, followed by an engaging Q&A. The following day, he joined students, staff, and faculty for an intimate lunch before leading an intensive, hands-on masterclass on directing actors in the Gilson Studio Theatre — a real, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students to work directly with one of world cinema’s most distinctive voices.

It was a genuinely inspiring and transformative experience, and we are deeply grateful to the Hockman Family Filmmakers Fund, as well as our dedicated FMS faculty and staff, for making this event happen for our future filmmakers!

For those moving on from us this weekend, we hope you enjoyed your stay with FMS! We’ll miss you!

#oufms taken in Old Science Hall by @ou_fms

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5 months ago

Tonight (Tuesday 5/5) at 8:15pm, students in Professor Emilie Upczak’s Experiments in Film Production course showcase their work on the south side exterior wall of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (adjacent to the Catlett Music Center on Elm, on the north end of the Rupel J. Jones Fine Arts Center) for a public projection screening.

Over the course of the semester, these students have immersed themselves in the practice of experimental filmmaking — exploring the craft through a series of micro-experiments and short art films, delving into the creative possibilities the form allows.

Tonight’s projection marks the culmination of that work, bringing their final experimental pieces out of the classroom and onto the side of one of OU’s most iconic buildings.
(Photos below from yesterday as we prepped for the screening!)

Bring your lawn chairs and join us for an unforgettable evening! Congrats to all of the students involved, and thank you to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, FMS Production Manager David Burkhart, and Professor Emilie Upczak for coordinating this event!

#oufms #fjjma taken in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art by @ou_fms

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5 months ago

OU Film and Media Studies would like to congratulate all of the participants of the 2026 Redbud FMS Student Film Showcase. Now in its second year, the event highlights student work from throughout the year and gives parents, family, and friends a chance to share in the experience.
For many students, it was an opportunity to showcase their hard work. For others, it served as a capstone to their time in the department — an early farewell before the next chapter begins.

The evening also included the presentation of FMS awards and scholarships, recognizing outstanding student achievement across the program.

A special thank you to Sofia Menniti for leading the event and bringing it all together. Thank you as well to department chair Man-Fung Yip, administrator Jenny Chuong, and Production Manager David Burkhart for their support in helping make the evening a success. We would also like to thank Professor Elijah Felkins and Production Lab Assistant William Little for their live event assistance. And last but not least, Professor Carolina Rueda and Lizzie Esther for hosting our awards and discussion segments.

Several weeks remain before summer break officially begins — time to buckle down for final papers and projects. Best of luck to everyone in the home stretch!

FMS would like to congratulate the following award recipients:

Al La Valley Memorial Writing Award: Sofia Menniti
Andrew S. Horton Screenwriting Award: Jolseff Corley & Sofia Menniti
Ned Hockman Filmmaking Award: Noelle Aafedt & Justus Denson
Kaid/Karriker Film and Media Studies Scholarship: Noelle Aafedt & Joseph Carlson
Jeanne Hoffman Smith Endowed Scholarship: Breckan Cooper, Jesse Addison Davis, Alexis Etherton, Niya Rhodes, Sofia Menniti, and Mason Prince

#oufms taken in Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History by @ou_fms

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6 months ago