FTVM Hosts "A Day in Film, Television, and Media"
On May 18, 2022, FTVM hosted select community college and high school advisors and instructors for "A Day in Film, Television, and Media" -- an outreach luncheon and information session.
During their visit, guests engaged in discussion with Department Chair Yeidy M. Rivero, LSA Asst. Director of Transfer Initiatives, Michael Hartman, Director of the Screenwriting Program Jim Burnstein, and Assoicate Chair David Marek about the various components of FTVM's program and the unique opportunities the major offers to students.
Guided by studio staff Rob Gingerich-Jones and Al Young, guests also had the opportunity to tour our production studios and facilities before concluding their afternoon with a visit to FTVM 375: Television Theory, hosted by FTVM faculty Mark Kligerman.
Shiawassee Scholars Visit FTVM
The Shiawassee Scholars Program provides resources and support to academically talented high school students to reach their full potential and is a partnership between the Cook Family Foundation and the Shiawassee Regional Education Service District.
On Monday, June 6, 2022, the Shiawassee Scholars visited FTVM during their UM campus visit to explore opportunities in the field of film, television, and media. Department Chair Yeidy M. Rivero introduced the scholars to the program, studio staff Rob Gingerich-Jones, Eric Weseman, and Al Young conducted tours of studios A, B, and C, and production faculty David Marek taught students how to use professional grade cameras via an energetically competitive scavenger hunt.
Thank you to Susan Perreault, LSA Director of Student Recruitment, the UM peer mentors, and the scholars and chaperones! We truly enjoyed having you visit us - and we hope to see you again!
Wolverine Pathways & FTVM Summer Film and Media Camp
Designed to provide the Wolverine Pathways scholars with rigorous, engaging, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive educational exposure to knowledge and craft that is central to fields of film, television, and media, the FTVM Summer Film and Media Camp includes exposure to media studies, screenwriting, and production.
FTVM's summer camp is situated within a broader Wolverine Pathways goal to expose scholars to U-M’s schools and majors and to cultivate their excitement about studying at the University of Michigan.
FTVM Summer Film and Media Camp 2023
In July of 2023, a group of rising 11th grade Wolverine Pathway scholars attended FTVM's Summer Film and Media Camp. Under the guidance of FTVM faculty Dan Shere and Carleen Hsu, the scholars were introduced to the art of screenwriting and the process of capturing and editing their own short video projects. Through class discussion, lecture, and film clips, Dan Shere taught the scholars a condensed version of his Intro to Screenwriting course (FTVM 310) and then helped students tell their own stories in the form of short screenplays. Instructor Carleen Hsu and studio engineer Rob Gingerich-Jones introduced students to live multi-camera television production in the FTVM studios. The young scholars not only learned the technical skills of a studio television crew but also were tutored in the development, writing, and shooting of a live show. By the end of the program, students created two hilarious comedy skits all of their own design and making.
FTVM Summer Film and Media Camp: The Virtual Edition 2020 & 2021
In July of 2020 and of 2021, under the guidance of FTVM faculty Mark Kligerman, Dan Shere, and David Marek, Wolverine Pathway scholars explored the genre of horror movies, the art of screenwriting, and the process of capturing and editing their own short video projects.
The 25 scholars in the 2021 program and the 16 scholars in the 2020 program also engaged in two Friday Zoom visits from top professionals working in the industry: ABC Signature's Vice President for Comedy Development, Kellyn Parker (at far left) ; Senior Manager of Comedy at Hulu (at middle), Kelci Parker; and Screenwriter/Producer LaToya Morgan [Parenthood, Shameless, TURN, Into the Badlands] (at far right).
Wolverine Pathways Professional Industry Zoom Sessions, 2021
Wolverine Pathways Professional Industry Zoom Sessions, 2020
As a grand finale for the 2021 camp, the faculty added an Awards Show in which instructors highlighted exceptional work produced by scholars during the term. Instructors spoke about what made each award winning work shine and shared examples from outstanding scripts, videos, and critical writing assignments.
In 2020, Robyn Citizen, PhD in Cinema Studies from NYU and Senior Manager of Festival Programming at TIFF, visited the scholars while in their studies class. Robyn (second from right, center row) joined the class to discuss her role as a film festival programmer and to facilitate the conversation about Get Out. She contributed a chapter on the film to the anthology titled Jordan Peele's Get Out: Political Horror.
FTVM Summer Film and Media Camp 2019
Wolverine Pathways Scholars
North Quad, July 2019
Photo credit, Paul Sutherland
In 2019, under the guidance of FTVM faculty Sarah Murray, Dan Shere, and David Marek, 38 rising 11th grade scholars were introduced to the digital media industry, the art of screenwriting, and given hands-on experience regarding how to navigate the basic concepts behind film and television production. See the scholars in action in the video below.
A special thanks to the FTVM office and studio staff for helping to make this program such a success.
Wolverine Pathways Scholars in Action
Virtual Wolverine Express 2021
The Virtual Wolverine Express is dedicated to providing high school communities with online resources to aid with their college search and career aspirations. FTVM Production Faculty David Marek contributed the video "Never Underestimate Yourself" to this virtual space, wherein University of Michigan faculty and staff talk about diverse academic fields, resources, and pathways to college.
Wolverine Express & FTVM Faculty High School Visits
In the fall of 2019, FTVM joined the Center for Educational Outreach on the Wolverine Express in promoting higher education to under-resourced high schools through sharing their stories of aspiration, education, and career experiences.
photo credit, Amanda Hudek, CEO
On October 24, 2019, Associate Professor Colin Gunckel took the Wolverine Express to Jackson High School to speak with Ms. Dailey’s Social Media students (grades 9-12). Gunckel told students about his own journey through higher education and the circuitous route that led him to a career in the Department of Film, Television, and Media. He emphasized the importance of higher education as more than a means to an end, but rather as an experience that can give students a full sense of the wide range of career and life options that exist. Gunckel also encouraged the class to constantly challenge themselves, to step outside their comfort zones, to always continue to learn and grow, and to find their passion and pursue it in every way possible.
On November 1, 2019, Production Faculty David Marek travelled to Cesar Chavez Academy to speak with the students from Ms. Mosko’s Spanish Language through Culture and Media class (grades 9-12). Marek shared his unusual journey through community college to his undergraduate and graduate studies. He discussed how his decision to pursue higher education led to discovering his passion for storytelling and filmmaking, which, in turn, opened up a world of personal, creative and professional opportunities. He screened some of his creative work with the students and shared the FTVM promotional trailer, along with information on the Department. While answering questions about higher education and the FTVM Department in particular, he shared images of FTVM's 3 world class TV Studios and behind-the-scenes photos of FTVM students working on their film, television and media projects.
Visits made possible with support from the John and Patricia Mitchell Family Community Outreach Fund
