UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A visit to the Sundance Film Festival this week represents a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for one Penn State student, and he’s not alone.
Senior film major Liam Nee helped coordinate the annual visit by members of the Student Film Organization to the festival in Park City, Utah. A contingent of 10 students — the group’s largest ever — will make the trip and have the opportunity to meet alumni in the industry, network with filmmakers from across the world and, of course, watch films.
“I’ve been doing research about what’s screening and the best ways to make use of my time out there. Everyone else has been doing the same,” Nee said. “We want to make the most of the trip.”
Nee, from Scranton, Pennsylvania, serves as president of the Student Film Organization. He chose Penn State because of its size — a big university with plentiful options as well as the personal feel he found with the film-video program housed in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
“When I looked at the program it seemed like the best fit for me. It had a lot of opportunities and it was not crazy-far from home, while at the same time still giving me some independence,” he said. “I’m extremely satisfied with my time at Penn State. Not only in my academics, but also in my progress toward a professional career. I’ve been able to make a lot of connections with people on campus and off.”
The students will find many alumni at the Sundance Film Festival as well.
For example, Rose Corr, who earned her film-video degree in 2008, served as an editor for the film “Giving Voice,” which is screening at the festival. Alumnus Tyler Walk, an Emmy Award-nominated editor who earned his film-video degree in 2006, served as editor of the documentary “Welcome to Chechnya,” also screening at the festival.
Corr and Walk coordinated a Penn State alumni and friends meetup/networking session Jan. 28 at the festival. The festival concludes Feb. 2.