Student Summer Documentary Experiences
MDOCS student project support doesn't end with the academic year; it continues through the summer by encouraging students to pursue independent and collaborative projects off campus and beyond. Through the Summer Experience Award, Storytellers' Institute and use of of production gear available for long-term loan, the program positions students to embark on new experiences and develop substantive stories throughout the summer months.
Below are brief descriptions of some students that the program was able to support with funding and equipment this summer, with links to their reflections on the experience.
Mary Brimmer '19 joined MDOCS for the Storytellers' Institute in June, pursing a personal documentary
                                       project exploring the impact of one person's illness on a family. After the Institute
                                       she interned for Saratoga Springs filmmaker Jon Dorflinger at the Saratoga Film Academy. At the academy Mary was able to continue her filmmaking practice by inspiring young
                                       grade-school students as they took on some of their very first film projects. Mary
                                       assisted in guiding students through pre-production and production, sharing their
                                       energy and passion for telling stories on film. Read more about her experience.
 Clara-Sophia Daly '20 worked as a field reporter for KPFA Radio in Berkeley, California. Clara-Sophia quickly
                                       learned what a day in the life of a field reporter was, receiving her assignment early
                                       each morning before traveling through the city of San Francisco to collect the story
                                       through interviews, sound clips, investigation and research. Working with a small
                                       team and small budget meant she got real experience and responsibility right from
                                       the start, quickly learning professional interview etiquette and meeting some important
                                       people in politics and social movements. Learn more about her travels, and hear some of her work.
 
Maddie King '18 takes viewers on a journey through her mother's childhood home, now empty of objects
                                       but still full of memories. Digging up archival materials such as photos, home videos
                                       and documents and pairing them with her own documentation of the space allowed her
                                       to recreate some of the scenes and memories that happened in the house and uncovered
                                       family history in a way many of us neglect to acknowledge. Read more about her personal reflection on production.
Simon Klein '17 also began his summer at the Storytellers' Institute, then took to the road on an
                                       expedition into the U.S. world of supermarkets. Simon photographed more than 120 supermarkets
                                       with the goal of capturing the regional difference in our food aisles. American mass
                                       food culture was forever changed in the 1950s, when convenience took the forefront
                                       of function for food and changed the way we would shop and cook in the home kitchen
                                       forever. His compelling photographs depict not just the differences of what lies on
                                       the shelves, but the difference in space and architecture on the outside as well.
                                       See some of his work and hear about his trip.
 
Emily Rizzo '18 extended her semester abroad in South Africa through the summer to intern with a documentary
                                       film company and work on her own audio documentary about comedians in Cape Town. The
                                       internship allowed her the opportunity to work on and experience the power of social
                                       justice films as well as learn the ins and outs of film production. Learn more about her experience working in film overseas.
