After recognizing BYU–Hawaii’s lack of a club focused on the dramatic arts, Melissa Collins, a senior from Italy majoring in interdisciplinary studies for theatre and film, said she met with Mark Maslar, senior from southern California also majoring in interdisciplinary studies, and the two of them banded together to create the Film and Theatre Club.
Nathan Stone, a junior from California majoring in humanities, said when he met Maslar and Collins, they were drawn to his experience in making short films. “[They were looking for] someone who was really passionate about it and has some experience who could help people out.” Stone said he joined the team and became the club’s vice president of activities.
Maslar, the vice president of service & career workshop, shared what really inspired them to take matters into their own hands was their theatre instructors, Aaron and Kristl Densley.
Creating big opportunities at a small school
Kristl Densley, assistant professor and faculty advisor for the Film and Theatre Club, and Aaron Densley, adjunct faculty, both in the Faculty of Culture, Language & Performing Arts, helped get the club kickstarted, said Maslar.
Maslar said, “The Densleys have always encouraged us to explore options and to create opportunities for ourselves while we’re here at school.”
Aaron Densley said he believes students can create possibilities for themselves where professors aren’t able to offer the necessary resources.
“There’s nothing stopping [them] … and with mentors like myself and Professor Densley, we can be here to guide [them] and we can help promote enough interest so that in the future there will be enough people coming back, or giving back so that maybe one day there can be more [academics surrounding] theatre and film creation.”
Maslar said he feels there aren’t enough opportunities for film and theatre production at BYUH. “The sad thing about being in a small school is certain departments don’t always get the chance to grow as others do. Theatre and film aren’t exactly big departments here at BYUH.”
Telling a broad scope of stories
Stone expressed his hope the club can inspire students to pursue storytelling, networking and “to share skills and learn from each other so [they] can better tell the stories [they] want to tell.”
Aaron Densley said film and theatre are valuable because it allows individuals to share their stories. “Storytelling is a part of life. It is something [people] do, and will always do, regardless of whether or not [they] study it.”
International students should be able to express stories about their heritage, he said, emphasizing how part of serving the international community is to give opportunity to tell the stories of storytelling cultures.
Kristl Densley said she thinks it is important for members of the international community, and specifically the BYUH target group of Oceania and the Asian Rim, to be represented authentically through theatrical productions.
She explained such representation fosters connections between the performers and the audience and allows them to see new possibilities in their own lives. “I'm interested in the connection people are able to make with each other when they view live theater, when they see themselves reflected on stage.”
She continued, “The Lord's dream for [people] is for those groups to be indistinguishable from each other, that every group is connected and theatre is a tool to remind [people] of [their] humanity … to not see [their] differences but to see [their] ability to be compassionate, empathetic, to hear other people's stories.”
The essential role of film
Collins said the club consists of roughly 60 members who are interested in filming and acting. Due to the high number of members, Collins said they have decided to divide the club into groups, with each group working on their own short film to possibly display at a short film festival. She shared they will try to enlist the help of the members of the theatre program to act as judges.
Maslar said his goal is to help members discover which roles in film and theatre production they like best. “For some people, it will just be acting, for some people it will be writing, others directing and others filming. ... If I can provide people with a pattern for them to access their own creativity and ideas, I know I will have done a good job.”
He said the purpose of the club is “to help people do what they want.”
Collins added with filming becoming vital in areas such as marketing and business, the skills of filmmaking are becoming increasingly essential to develop.
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