The Department of Visual & Media Arts

Media Gallery

Student Work

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Documentary

Pearlswig Directed by Jesse Kreitzer Jerome Richard Pearlswig is the self-proclaimed “number one celebrity photographer and autograph hound in Boston.” As our character pours through old photo albums, we view an array of celebrities including Ronald McDonald, Sammy Davis Jr. and Jay Leno ’73. This quiet biographical documentary reveals the significant impact celebrity culture has on ordinary people and reflects on the ways in which memory changes through time.
Happy Hunting Directed by Nicole Prowell This personal documentary explores the nature of happiness through the eyes of a woman going through a self-described “quarter-life crisis.” Structured as a journey from Boston to Seattle, the filmmaker interviews people across the country about happiness. She also involves herself and her family’s background with a health trauma to open up the nature of the inquiry, revealing that the filmmaker has much more at stake in the journey than one might initially think.	Just As I Am Directed by Carolyn Polonsky This documentary looks at the contradictory role Christianity can play in the lives of gay and lesbian people. On the one hand, certain Christian churches can help people “overcome” their homosexuality while others can embrace it and welcome it into the ministry. This film reveals the sometimes-confounding interaction between sexual identity and religion showing that there are no simple answers when people with alternative sexualities are also people attracted to Christians faiths.

 

 

Experimental

Bulbing Directed by Daniel Mercadante Electric light bulbs come to life and crawl about in this surreal animated film. Using the gray scale of black-and-white film to great effect, director Mercadante explores the subterranean world of bulbing in a way that would make the likes of David Lynch and Jan Svankmajer proud.
Eye Cough Directed by Daniel Mercadante Watch carefully. If you blink, you might miss it.	Hello Directed by Kyle Glowacky A “moving wallpaper” evokes the work of noted American avant-gardist, Stan Brakhage. This hand-painted film dynamically expresses pure visual movement and energy.
The Storm Directed by Paris Pickard A young woman’s sexual awakening metaphorically corresponds to an oncoming storm outside her bedroom.  Through deliberately controlled set design, director Pickard transforms the bedroom into an expressionistic boat set adrift in a raging tempest. As sirens appear at the height of the rampaging winds and rain, it is unclear as to whether the main character will survive until the calm returns and stability seems apparent.

Narrative

No Wind, No Waves Directed by Julian Higgins A well-intentioned, middle-aged man named Chen leaves China for the first time to visit Justin, a young relative living in the United States. When he arrives, however, Justin seems to have mysteriously disappeared. Unable to speak English, Chen is forced to travel the city streets in hopes of finding Justin’s whereabouts. Along the way, he encounters a series of obstacles and pernicious xenophobia.
Becoming an Emerson Student Directed by Jesse Fleece This tongue-in-cheek parody of the well-known MasterCard television advertisement shows the comedic transformation of a first year Emerson College student. With a droll voice over narration, our freshman moves from an earnest clean-cut young woman to a punked-out, urbane cigarette smoker.	Drawn With Lines Directed by Sam Molleur An innocent line sketch on an artist’s desk comes to life and we enter the world of the “created” who walks about town and draws himself a companion. With a beautiful musical score, we enter the world of creativity and sweet romance.
Dry Sockets Directed by David Altobelli A rich, moody piano score underlies this family drama of anger, deceit, and break-up seen through the eyes of the son, Willy. Having to endure a wisdom tooth extraction at the hands of his oral surgeon father, the son uses his piano talent to comment on his family and express his inner emotions. The film’s hallucinogenic ending eerily depicts a deep rift between father and son.	Due Tomorrow Directed by Danny Madden A seventh grade student must present a visual project of a mammal of his choice. The problem is, it is “due tomorrow.” Because he has waited until the last minute to complete the project, our student must come up with some ingenious ways to complete the assignment.
Get Me Johnny Directed by Jesse Fleece	I'm Nostalgic Directed by Daniel Scheinert In this brief meditation, we see a young couple coming together, cultivating their love for one another, and drifting apart. Shot entirely on exterior locations at night, director Scheinert draws out two outstanding, intimate performances from Talli Medel and Zach Willis and explores emotional territory not often attempted in student work.
Talk Directed by Tim Earle and Jay Lewis After a heated break up, a young couple tries to live together in the same apartment. Struggling to make sense of where they are at, each uses word magnets to break the ice. Attempting to communicate through printed words on a wall, the couple slowly begins to find common ground and understanding.	Ugly Little Table Directed by Ilya Polyakov Amid the hustle and bustle of an urban sidewalk, a simple table mysteriously appears. People who routinely traverse the area notice the table and through a series of discreet moments, the table becomes the focal point for a community of people who also begin to recognize each other. This whimsical meditation on modern living places its faith in peoples’ humanity leaving us with an upbeat, spirited conclusion.