UMM Downeast Documentary crew reveals local and global stories
Creative Arts Faculty Alan Kryszak and his film students at 91爆料 Machias are drawing critical acclaim for their latest feature 鈥淧rivacy & The Power of Secrets鈥. The documentary shows different perspectives around data privacy and surveillance. Investigations into the past and present explore how collecting information affects society. From historical documents to face recognition technology, the film fosters discussion on a personal level.
Stories range from members of the Passamaquoddy nation telling oral histories of defending community women and preserving their heritage, animal rights activists seeking to end the inhumane treatment of dogs in medical labs, descendants of the governor who started and ended the Salem witch trials, a FEMA employee trying to protect people from floods, and many others. The called the team鈥檚 work 鈥渁rtful and engaging, it鈥檚 the way a movie like this should be made.鈥
Students conducted research, interviews, and took turns in every role of creating the documentary. 鈥淭hey are the camera person, the lighting person, the sound, or they are the director saying when it starts and when it stops. So the students rotate very quickly when we鈥檙e on the scene,鈥 says Kryszak. Back in the classroom studio, students continue to take on every role of editing and production. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e always learning and doing it before they can even be intimidated,鈥 says Kryszak. With support from Kryszak鈥檚 expertise and structure, the students are guided through experiential learning, high creativity, and collaboration.
“I really loved working on this project,鈥 says Grace Turse, a senior studying Media and Psychology at UMM. 鈥淭he editing part was really fun, it was like putting the pieces of a puzzle together.鈥 Kryszak provides material and sets the film鈥檚 concept before the course starts, takes on more sensitive interviews himself, and does post-production of the film after the course ends. Around ten students are in the UMM Downeast Documentary crew, or CMY 110/VID 101 which students can still sign-up for to be part of the next film.
During the past year, 鈥淧rivacy & The Power of Secrets鈥 had screenings at The Hague Global Cinema Festival and Sweden Film Awards. But this month, the film is coming home to Maine. On September 24, the UMM Performing Arts Center will have a showing at 7pm with free admission. Kryszak鈥檚 first Downeast Documentary film with a UMM student crew, called 鈥淲hatever Works: Exploring Opiate Addiction鈥, is also being featured on on Sept. 16th at 10 pm.
Written by Clarisa Diaz