Emu '17 - Cullman Scholar at Stanford University

Dustin Meltzer '05
“This past summer, thanks to the Cullman Family, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Stanford University and study one of my greatest passions: film,” says Emu ’17 of her Cullman Scholarship experience. The Cullman Scholarship Program awards select juniors and seniors grants to travel off-campus or abroad to take part in independent learning programs. Any rising junior or senior is eligible to apply for one of the scholarships. Emu continues, “The program was through Digital Media Academy at Stanford, and focused on producing, filming, and editing a commercial for a real-world company. Each day was unique as I was constantly meeting new people, traveling to different places, and receiving advice and tips on the film industry.”

During the two weeks spent studying on Stanford’s campus, Emu’s experience was varied and robust. One day, “I got to try out different positions like slate, directing, and shooting with the actual camera,” she recalls. Other days were spent rotating “from working on set, behind the scenes filming, and social media,” and using “all sorts of cameras, lenses and angles. . . every day was unique and I learned so much; storyboarding, using advanced technology, working with talent, and editing down days of footage into a minute.”

Emu was grateful for the opportunity to work with professionals in the entertainment industry, including a producer for musical artists like Kanye West and Drake, as well as accomplished musicians. She recalls, “I was fortunate to work on set because our talent for that day was Madame Gandhi, a professional drummer who used to drum for the band MIA. They sang songs like Live Fast Die Young and Paper Planes. . . She was so personable and inspiring for me.”

Emu sums up her experience with the following, “My experience at Stanford was one I will truly never forget. I met people from all over the world with all sorts of backgrounds that I would otherwise have never met. I got to understand what it felt like to live on a college campus and participated in traditions like jumping in water fountains. I got to see a whole new and exciting side to the film industry and finally, I felt assured that, yes I want to pursue film, but I also want to lead others, input my creative ideas, and continue to learn and try new things.”

Thank you, Emu, for sharing your experience and stay tuned for more Cullman Scholarship news.
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