Please tell me your name and what long term career path you want to pursue now that you’re graduates of Marshall University’s filmmaking program.
Hannah: I’m Hannah Grace, and my goal is working in post-production or producing and helping with logistics of production itself.
Trinity: I’m Trinity Love Rollins, and I intend to go into post-production and camera operation.
How did you get interested in filmmaking?
Hannah: I always loved filmmaking, and I started making films when I was eleven years-old with my cousin. Eventually, I found a mass communications class that would work on things like school news, and thankfully the teacher always let us do creative work whenever we wanted. From there my passion for filmmaking continued to grow, and I enrolled in Marshall’s to learn about videography and further explore the creative aspect of producing films.
Trinity: I actually started off as a traditional artist and was originally pursuing art education in college. However, Marshall offered something called The Foundation Program which allows freshmen to try out every visual medium. I fell in love with video production because it resonated with a lot of my interest like drone footage and music videos. My experience in that class inspired me to change my major and change my overall life path.
What’s next for you as you enter the workforce?
Hannah: I just picked up a producing job working on a short series called Creepalachia which you can find on our YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. I help produce and work out the logistics of doing interviews throughout Appalachia to set up our stories.
Trinity: I’m going to Pittsburgh for a fellowship with The Warhol Academy from February through June. I’ll continue studying and learning about post-production. Afterward, I’ll start looking for a job in the Pittsburgh area.
What are some jobs in the film industry that maybe people don’t know exist?
Hannah: There are a lot of jobs on production. On the creative team, there are roles like assistant director, producer, and the more commonly known jobs. However, there are also people who work on lights, build the sets, and find locations. There are people who conduct research to help build a story in a way that is accurate to the setting. There are so many niche aspects of production.
Trinity: It’s important to have one person assigned to be the script supervisor. They keep track of the smallest details that create continuity in the story. There are, for example, niche online communities who like to find inconsistencies in films, so the details really matter. That role isn’t something most people would think about, but it’s very important.
How could an organization like WV Women Work help someone start a career in the film industry?
Hannah: Absolutely! There is a huge need for someone with carpentry skills to work on things like set design, and those extra hands helping build a set are respected and appreciated. There is also a constant demand for someone to help with lighting. There are so many props and a lot of handmade things we use in filmmaking. So, yes, we need skilled tradespeople who can help with logistics and other critical aspects of behind-the-scenes work.
Trinity: Physical art forms—like constructed set pieces and props—are very present in digital art forms like filmmaking. It all has to come together to produce a great piece of work, and without traditional artists and tradespeople, you’re not going to have the same quality of work. That’s why we need workers with construction skills to do their part to make it happen.
Interview conducted, transcribed, and written by Marlynda Arnett, Program Innovation Leader for West Virginia Women Work.
