film

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Music and the arts have always been a huge part of Marina Polonsky’s life. She was was born to a family of singers in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. Polonsky's brother is a singer and composer and her parents are singers who used to travel all over the USSR on live tours before they opened their own restaurant business. The family’s artistic influence led Polonsky to be passionate about stories, hoping that one day she would be able to inspire others with her creative talents. This week Polonsky will graduate in Media Arts from the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. Though it’s been hard living so far from family with the current tension going on between the Russian and Ukrainian government, she has enjoyed her time here at BYU and has appreciated the change she has seen in herself. BYU News’ Holly Kendall spoke with this artistic grad to get her story. Q: What was it like coming to BYU? Did anything surprise you? Marina Polonsky: Coming to BYU (BYU-Idaho actually, I transferred after a year) was one of the most positive life-changing events for me. First of all, it was my first time out of the country, first time on an airplane, and I definitely never thought I'd have to study in a different language. By the time I arrived in the states, I could understand around 70 percent of what the people were saying, but I had to take some time before responding since I had to translate my thoughts and try to put them into grammatically correct sentences. At first, the main struggle was seeing the differences in how people view their life; seeing how much people have. I feel like a lot of people here don't realize how much they have, most people don't take advantage of all these opportunities. I am able to do so many things here that I would never be able to afford on my own in Ukraine no matter how hard I would work. Q: How did you come to the decision to major in Media Arts? MP: Growing up I've always been into arts, at first I wanted to become a writer, then a painter, but my father always told me I'd be poor and unhappy if I did those things. I was always focusing on finding something else that I was talented in, that would bring me money and something I would enjoy. Eventually, I started studying 3-D modeling and animation, and that's how I came to BYU. Everything started while I was at BYU-Idaho though, when I got an email from BYU-Idaho Broadcasting and their supervisor told me that I'm the only person on campus that they know of who can do 3-D animation. So they invited me in for an interview. I was hired on the spot, but after doing it for money, I quickly realized that it was last thing I wanted to do. And so did my boss. He saw that, to put it lightly, I wasn't motivated. And to my big surprise, instead of letting me go, he put me on one of the cameras for the upcoming show. I have never operated a camera before but it has always been one of my dreams. When I was behind the camera for that BYU-Idaho show, I realized that it felt more right than anything I did before that. I felt like I belonged, and that was the moment when I realized that I could study that and do it for living. Nothing made me happier career-thinking wise. I knew BYU had a good film program, so after transferring, instead of applying for 3D animation program, I applied for Media Arts. It's been my second home since then. Q: Why were cameras of such interest to you? MP: To be honest, since I was little, the world of cinema was one of the most mysterious and magical things to me. I never even thought one day I could be running one of those incredible machines called cameras. I mean, think about it, you can capture a moment and then 50-60 years later you can watch it! How neat is that? The career of a filmmaker has always been something I could never even consider seriously. I thought of other filmmakers as some chosen people in a secret society. Q: What is your main focus in Media Arts? MP: My main official focus is narrative directing, but I've been studying and practicing everything from writing to post-production and about all the main areas of the craft. I don't want to be limited in my ability to create art that affects people's lives. Q: What led you to have a love for the arts? MP: The reason I love arts, especially film, so much is because I love stories. Storytelling is incredible. It's so powerful. Movies and all kinds of arts have always been inspiring to humanity. A film can let you observe and see something for yourself from a new perspective. It can teach you something, make you think, inform you, make you laugh, cry, etc. Movies impact who we become. So that's what I want to do, I want to help people all over the world to become better people, to become more connected, understanding, inspired, more aware and informed. We have a saying in Ukraine 'informed means armed.' I think the world would be a much better place if more people would be simply aware of more things about each other. Q: How would you describe your journey in achieving your degree? MP: I would describe it as a journey of finding myself and as a re-realization of everything I knew before. Every day, I learn or re-learn something about the craft and the human nature. Everything is interconnected. It's amazing. There has also been a lot of pain and struggle in my journey, which is exactly what brought all the great realizations and happy moments. I can definitely say I'm a very different person now compared to the person who came to the United States, daring greatly to try her luck and see what comes out of it. Q: What are some of your fondest memories from the time you’ve been at BYU? MP: The best memories were the moments of mutual vulnerability. In other words, the best memories were when I was understood in my hardest moments, instead of being judged by people who barely knew anything about me and my struggles. The moments when people really did care and showed it. The moments when people truly wanted to hear me out with an open heart. The moments when I would get support unexpectedly from some of my teachers. I can't thank them enough for their caring, their kindness, and their wisdom. Q: What do you want to do after graduation? MP: I want to make movies, whether fiction or non-fiction, that will drive people to tears of happiness and many realizations. I hope to shift someone's paradigm. I hope that when people walk out of my movies (whether I write them, direct them, or edit them) they call their old friend, their parents, someone they haven't talked to in a while and tell them that they love them. I want them to be willing to be more vulnerable, to be willing to get uncomfortable sometimes, to be willing to say sorry first, to reach out first. I hope I can convince them that life is beautiful and worth it. The world just needs more kindness and I feel like if the sky were the limit, I would like to reach out to as many as possible worldwide. But even if I succeed in changing one person’s life for the better - it would be just as meaningful. Source: BYU News

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A new database of student created films is now available for use by Brigham Young University students and fans alike, the Department of Theatre and Media Arts announced on Friday at the Franklin S. Harris Fine Arts and Communications Center 50th Anniversary Gala. Created to allow all to see the student work created here at BYU, the database already hosts over 150 films and can be accessed online at studentfilms.byu.edu. More films will be added each week by the TMA department and alumni who wish to submit their former work. “This website is an effort to help show people what the BYU Media Arts program has done in the past and what we are capable of doing now,” said Kyle Stapley, Media Arts Program Coordinator and lead for this project. “By focusing specifically on student work that has been done here at BYU, we hope that this project will also act as a recruiting tool to help bring in additional talent to our renowned programs.” Brigham Young University has a long, rich history in the creation and education of film. BYU was one of the first universities to create a formal department for the production of motion pictures, founded in 1953. Currently, the BYU Media Arts Program and the Center for Animation have won over 30 National and Regional Student Emmys in the past 12 years making BYU one of the most well-respected Film and Animation programs in the nation. Those who visit the new website will find that there are different types of films to enjoy such as fiction, non-fiction and animation films. In addition to these, a portion of the website is dedicated solely to BYU Final Cut Films. These films are deemed the best student-produced, student-created fiction films, documentaries, commercials, and animations are created here at BYU. According to Stapley, these films include Mr. Bellpond, which won two Student Emmy’s in 2012, and even go back as far as The Phone Call and Johnny Lingo, films done through the BYU Motion Picture Studio back when the Motion Picture Studio was connected to BYU. “Another exciting option for those who visit our new website is to view the work done with Aperture, our student-ran journal of media arts,” Stapley said. “You can go here to read papers about media art, film, sound, etc. In this way we are able to combine critical studies with the actual production of film.” “Getting this website up and running in the format and in the depth that we have now is a great start,” Stapley said. “But, with the potential for additional opportunities that we are now realizing, we see this project getting much bigger in the future. Just to give you an idea, I know our students are starting to get really interested in creating web series. So, in the future, we might be using this website to launch those kinds of projects.”

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Few universities enjoy the international name recognition of BYU, as proven by the recent triumph in the Hyundai Lens of Loyalty film contest in December 2013. This fall, Hyundai Motor Company challenged 25 universities ranging from the west to east coast including heavy hitters such as Oregon, Michigan and Florida to the film contest. After submitting a one-page treatment for a film, seven finalists were chosen to produce the final product, and were funded $10,000. Of the finalists, BYU was awarded the additional $10,000 prize by a panel of judges for its recent five-minute film highlighting BYU football fans around the world. The film was then created, produced, and edited by an innovative student team at The Laycock Center for Creative Collaboration. The team included students from all disciplines, including advertising, film and music. Students Dustin Locke headed the effort as advertising director, with Layne Russell as film director. The aim was for students to showcase football-related traditions unique to their school, according to a press release by Hyundai Motors. “We thought about it and unfortunately BYU can’t compete with tailgating,” explained Locke, advertising major. “But the one thing that sets us apart is reach and the fact that we bring a lot of people to away games.” The idea then developed to let the fans speak for themselves about their passion for BYU. “We have a uniquely true world-wide following here at BYU,” said Jeff Sheets, director of The Laycock Center. “We then cross-sourced and looked for the most unique and insightful fans to be featured.” Fans from as far away as Hawaii, London and South Africa were featured in the short film. One man, a foot cancer amputee living in Barcelona, Spain, proudly wears his BYU emblazoned prosthetic to show he bleeds blue. Another couple in Hawaii installed one of the first satellite dishes on the island in order to see the BYU football games. They then proceeded to invite their neighborhood to watch the Cougars fight their way to victory over the years. “It was a cool experience for us to go across the world and talk to BYU fans. I don’t get to play on the BYU football field, so it is cool to do something for the team,” commented Locke with a wry grin. Incredibly, the team put together the entire production, from recruitment of fans to editing in only two and a half weeks. Students worked night and day to put together the film, while scrambling to get homework done between traveling around the world. The dedication in these un-paid students embodies the mission of the Laycock Center to facilitate a collaborative environment for creative ideas and stunning talent. As Vanessa Mckenna, advertising major, excitedly exclaimed, “It’s all about collaboration!” and a literal love of the game on and off the field.

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by James V. D'Arc On Friday, Nov. 21, 'The Nun’s Story, ' a classic film starring Audrey Hepburn that was nominated for eight Academy Awards, will be shown at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University. Admission is free, but early arrival is recommended because seating is limited. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. No food or drink is permitted in the auditorium. Children ages 8 and over are welcome. BYU dress standards apply. James D’Arc, curator of the BYU Motion Picture Archive, will introduce the film. Taken from the best-selling novel by Kathryn Hulme, 'The Nun’s Story' is based on the true story of a young Belgian girl who enters a convent and then struggles with her conscience over the commitment that she made. Director Fred Zinnemann ('High Noon,' 'Oklahoma!') said that the story is about 'an individual who is trying to follow his own, personal conscience against all kinds of odds; it applies equally to a purely interior dilemma, where the conflict of conscience is not directed against an opponent, but rages within the soul of the individual himself.' 'Through the radiant-eyed Miss Hepburn, ‘The Nun’s Story’ firmly details and reveals the effects of this rigorous education on one sensitive young body and soul,' wrote critic Bosley Crowther in the New York Times. 'In the role of the nun, Miss Hepburn is fluid and luminous. From her eyes and her eloquent expressions emerge a character that is warm and involved.' Audrey Hepburn, in preparing for her role, was coached by Marie Louise-Habets, on whose life 'The Nun’s Story' was based. Hepburn received an Academy Award nomination for her performance, and both Zinnemann and the picture were nominated as well. The supporting cast includes Dean Jagger, Peter Finch, Peggy Ashcroft and Edith Evans. 'The Nun’s Story' was filmed on location by Warner Bros. in Belgium and in the Belgian Congo. 'The Nuns’s Story' is from the permanent collection of classic motion pictures in the BYU Motion Picture Archive, housed in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library. The screening is co-sponsored by L. Tom Perry Special Collections, the Friends of the Harold B. Lee Library and Dennis & Linda Gibson. Source: BYU News

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by Brady Toone Now in its tenth year, the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Motion Picture Archive Film Series promises a diverse offering of classic films at Brigham Young University. Screenings will take place in the Harold B. Lee Library auditorium on the library's first level. Each film begins at 7 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each screening. Admission is free and guests eight years of age and older are encouraged to arrive early to get a seat. The shows in the series are motion picture prints of films – not video – that come directly from the collections of film directors, actors and producers. These rare film prints have not been manufactured for more than 30 years, said James V. D’Arc, Special Collections curator of arts. “We’re here to share wonderful treasures in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections and to make them available to faculty, students and the general public,” D’Arc said. “Contrary to public opinion, these collections aren’t acquired to be locked up, rather, to be preserved for future generations and be reinvested into the intellectual and cultural community – to be used, appreciated, commented upon and written about.” Prior to each screening, an introductory lecture will give moviegoers the context of each film and the historical significance behind its story and production. Items from Special Collections pertaining to each film will also be on display. The films for this semester include: - 'Stagecoach' – Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. “Stagecoach” was the first of more than 40 films to be made in Utah’s Monument Valley. The copy of the film that will be shown belonged to producer Merian C. Cooper, whose papers are kept in Special Collections. Starring John Wayne and Claire Trevor. 1939. - 'Invaders From Mars' – Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. A cult classic, “Invaders From Mars” was one of the first films of the modern science fiction genre. Filled with paranoia, spaceships and giant green men, the film echoes growing concerns of the time surrounding the spread of communism. Starring Jimmy Hunt, Helena Carter and Arthur Franz. 1953. - 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' – Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. One of the most well-known adventure films of the 1930s, “The Charge of the Light Brigade” was among the first projects of celebrated film composer Max Steiner. In his honor, the film score has been re-recorded and will be released the evening of the screening. Starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. 1936. - 'The Nun’s Story' – Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. A compelling portrayal of faith on film, Audrey Hepburn’s performance as a young nun striving for a career as a nurse earned her an Academy Award nomination. Starring Audrey Hepburn, Peter Finch, Edith Evans and Peggy Ashcroft. 1959. - 'The Bishop’s Wife' – Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. Robert Nathan’s 1928 novel is brought to life by director Henry Koster, whose collection is preserved in Special Collections. The music and papers of Academy Award-winning film composer Hugo Friedhofer, who wrote the score for this movie, are also in Special Collections. Starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. 1947. For more information, contact Norm Gillespie at (801) 422-2985 or norm_gillespie@byu.edu. Source: BYU News

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