This summer, a group of Clemson students not only visited one of the biggest film production studios in the world, they also produced a movie there. And they did it in just two weeks.
“This was a rigorous trip,” reflected Sharbel Feghali, a senior World Cinema major. “Every day was packed, whether it was touring studios, working on sets, lectures, or networking over dinner.”
Feghali was one of ten students who participated in the first “Maymester” at the Trilith Institute as part of Clemson’s World Cinema program. The Institute is the educational arm of Trilith Studios just south of Atlanta.
If you haven’t heard of Trilith Studios, you’ve probably heard of some of the movies produced there, which include three of the ten highest-grossing films of all time: Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. It is the largest film production facility by square footage in North America.
The Maymester represented Clemson’s first steps in its partnership with Trilith and a significant leap forward for the World Cinema program’s delivery of the No. 1 Student Experience.
Hands-On Learning
As much as there was for the students to see and hear at Trilith, their visit had a clear goal: to complete “Unstuck,” a short film about chance holiday encounters on an elevator. Production of the film offered students the opportunity for experiential learning at its finest.
“The most important thing that I learned from the experience was that you have to be able to bet on yourself, as a person and as a worker,” said senior World Cinema major Cole Jersek. “While on set, if you can’t trust yourself to complete a task, then it’s just as helpful to quickly find someone else that you can trust to do it.”
Working directly alongside film industry professionals behind and in front of the camera, students quickly learned the expectations of a professional set. They rotated through different positions on the crew so that they could gain an understanding of what each role brought to the production. To complete the film, students had to navigate the challenges of shooting a scene in tight spaces on a set — the elevator — that doesn’t stay still.
“I can be timid to try new things, but with switching jobs every day, I learned to embrace not knowing everything and just try my best and learn from my peers,” said senior World Cinema major Hannah Noe.
“Previously, I had just kind of guessed on what I would like, but now I feel confident in knowing what areas I am most interested in pursuing,” she added.
Jersek pointed out that the most memorable part of his trip was the safe learning environment that allowed them to ask questions and experiment.
“The experience challenged me to be more communicative so that problems could be solved quicker and the production could move along,” he said.
Building Connections
The students completed “Unstuck” on time, but Feghali said the most memorable moment for him happened not when their project premiered in the screening room, but moments before.
“One by one, every student in the cohort was given a moment to speak about their experience at Trilith: how it changed us, how it made us feel, how lucky we were to be there,” he recalled. “The passion in that room was practically tangible as it truly set in how much this experience has impacted us as students, as friends, and as people.”
The experience is truly unforgettable, and I will be forever grateful.
Hannah Noe, World Cinema Major
Noe shared a similar sentiment, noting that her classmates not only bonded throughout the experience, but that she learned the importance of those bonds for the future.
The Maymester at Trilith is just the start of Clemson’s partnership. Currently, the College of Arts and Humanities is moving toward a Semester at Trilith, planned to launch in Fall 2027, with Clemson becoming the Trilith Institute’s accrediting partner. If this first partnership with Trilith is any indicator, the initiative will be an invaluable experience for students.
As Feghali said, “It was so incredible to work so closely with my peers — turned friends — in a finely-tuned, collaborative experience tailored specifically for us to be better filmmakers and more well-rounded people.”
