Film Project ‘Sides’ Celebrates Interdepartmental Collaboration
Shot on the Shenandoah University campus during the 2023 J Term semester, “Sides” represents an interdepartmental conservatory collaboration between acting, musical theatre, theater design and production, and music production and recording technology, as well as the university’s College of Arts & Sciences’ film department.
The feature-length coming-of-age story was directed by Visiting Associate Professor of Acting Cedric Hill, M.F.A. Hill, as well as the director of photography, hair and makeup, producers and lead actor, are all professionals from New York.
“Everyone who worked on this film brought their professional game to the project, and the students rose to the challenge of working side-by-side with professionals,” said Hill.
Featured acting collaborators include:
- Michelle Batista (professional actor)
- Lenita Atabe ’24 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting)
- Taylor Stevens ’23 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting)
- Amanda Leyva ’23 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting)
- Nathaniel Wright ’23 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting)
- Madison Johnstone ’23 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting)
- Arrow Zurschmiede O’Cully ’23 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre)
Featured crew collaborators include:
- Sam McQuiston ’24 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Production) – Costume Designer
- Andy Espinoza ’22 (Bachelor of Arts in Media & Communication) – Production Manager
- Elijah Immanuel ’23 (Bachelor of Arts in Media & Communication) – Production Manager / Assistant Director
- Michael Daly ’23 (Bachelor of Music in Music Production & Recording Technology) – Field Mixer
- Liam Heyl ’24 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Production)
- Nick Verner ’22 (Bachelor of Arts in Media & Communication) – 1st Assistant Camera
