In honor of the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Utah Asia Campus this fall, the third installment of student art in Provost Mitzi Montoya’s office features work from students at our Incheon, South Korea campus. The four posters were created by students in the UAC film program, which was formed in 2017 with U alum, Alysia Klein, as the sole faculty member. The program now has more than 100 students and five full-time faculty members who teach courses in film studies, film production, documentary and animation.
The four posters featured on the provost’s wall were produced in the FILM 3530 Directing course in the fall of 2022. In the directing course, all students direct short scene studies throughout the semester, then collaborate on a culminating final narrative film that is up to 15 minutes long.
The artists and directors shared more insights into their films and posters:
Chameleon – by Alisa Vvedenskaia
“Chameleon” is a journey of self-love and self-inspiration. Life during Covid was the main source of inspiration for this film. At that time, I was feeling lonely, especially during summer and winter breaks when all my friends had gone home for vacation. Thankfully, I was allowed to travel within Korea. I used that opportunity to explore the country even more. It was my first time planning my own trip and traveling solo, and it inspired my main character for the movie. I believe that each person is unique and can inspire themselves by looking at their own achievements. Sometimes, we all just need a third point of view towards our lives to realize what we have or can give to the world.
A Dream of Lettuce – by Doi Ahn
“A Dream of Lettuce” is about the filmmaking story my assistant director Haemin and I set out to tell about lettuce. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, and we had to stop filming. The lettuce, which was a big symbol for our story, started wilting. I got pretty down about it, but Haemin took charge of the situation and gave me the courage to continue. The big message I wanted to share with this movie is that no matter what, you can always push through. Making movies is tricky; there are always unexpected situations and stress. It’s not always perfect. When we were making “A Dream of Lettuce,” I had to change the script midway, and I was devastated. But then, I decided to be honest about how I felt, and surprisingly, it made the result even better.
Rice Cake and Cookie – by Eunhyuk Ahn and Dyne Suh
“Rice Cake and Cookie” is a movie about preconceived notions and misunderstandings in relationships. The movie poster was designed to convey the essence of the film with a simplistic hand-written font written by me, Dyne Suh. Despite experimenting with numerous fonts, finding one that seamlessly harmonized with the film’s theme proved challenging. Ultimately, I made the decision to handwrite the title, grappling with the choice between a cursive or print style. The final outcome featured a textured appearance reminiscent of crayon strokes, expertly combined with a polished handwriting style. As I immerse myself in a project, the commitment to exploring ways to enhance the work becomes a pivotal element of the creative journey. The act of investing time and passion inevitably leads to innovative ideas, and witnessing these ideas materialize within the finished work is a source of profound satisfaction. This iterative process not only refines the artistic vision but also serves as a catalyst for personal and creative development, underscoring the intrinsic connection between dedication, development, and the ultimate realization of a compelling piece of art.
Duck and Drake – by Dongeun Kang and Jina Yao
“Duck and Drake” depicts the background story of victims of war. I love the moment when, while listening to soundtracks of films or animations, an idea comes to my mind, and I record the idea in my notes. When I create my film, I love using music to maximize the audience’s impression of the visual effects. My favorite thing to hear is, “When I hear this song, I think of your film.” Since I was young, I have had an interest in film, but my vision begun when I submitted my film to a film festival in my high school. Even though writing a script, filming, acting, and editing, all these things were new to me, I finally made my short film because I had confidence and love for my film. After that, I had the vision that I wanted to dive into this field.