Dear Faculty, Staff, Alumni and Friends,
Last Friday, a packed Brooks Center provided the venue for the premiere screening of Student Film: The Movie, Clemson’s first-ever full-length feature film, largely made by Clemson students with industry professionals in key positions to provide technical and artistic expertise. The evening was a gala affair with VIP red carpet, lights, cameras, food. TV News was reporting. Audience members had traveled in from far and wide. I spoke to someone from Idaho! Also present were our new Provost, Cole Smith, the Mayor of Clemson, Robert Halfacre, the Chair of the SC House Ways and Means Committee, Bruce Bannister, and the South Carolina Film Commissioner, Matt Storm.
The evening was a culmination of a series of remarkable events and developments that almost read like a movie script itself. None of it would have been possible without a jaw-dropping grant from the South Carolina Film Commission, and that grant would not have been possible without the vision, energy, industry know-how, and sheer can-do spirit of our new Professor of Practice, Sam Sokolow.
In 2020, when I started, the College already had a popular World Cinema program, focusing on film history, film theory and film criticism. Film criticism trains students to develop the tools necessary to read and understand the many layers that are at work in a great film. This is invaluable in helping students learn to read the world around them, pick up on social and context cues, navigate cultural differences, and connect with people on a deeper, more authentic level. This is not the place to talk about what life and professional skills this training provides, but it is significant.
Nevertheless, our very talented and ambitious film students wanted more. They wanted to add film production. Well, it was 2020, and not much was happening other than surviving COVID-19. As we began to crawl out of it, word came to me of a Hollywood producer who had moved back to South Carolina and was interested in maybe teaching part time at Clemson. A few days later, in walks this larger-than-life character right out of central casting — the embodiment of the Hollywood producer, right down to the accent and the mannerisms. Meet Sam Sokolow. I instantly knew he was the answer to what our students were asking for.
Within a remarkably short amount of time, we moved him from a part-time teaching gig to a full-time Professor of Practice. Shortly after that, Sam garnered the grant from the South Carolina Film Commission.
From acting in many of the lead roles to filling key directing, filming, audio, tech, wardrobe, makeup and other roles, students were involved with every aspect of the undertaking, working side by side with the best in the industry. Making the film was an experiential learning opportunity for our students, unlike anything our College has ever provided.
But this is only the beginning! Stay tuned for the next episode in our journey to build a first-class film program that will be the pride of South Carolina.
Let’s Go, Tigers!
Nicholas Vazsonyi
Dean
