Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

UC Riverside alumni launch film production company, outreach to UCR students

kelvin — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:05:48 +0000

UC Riverside alumni launch film production company, outreach to UCR students kelvin Thu, 03/12/2026 - 10:05 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications March 12, 2026

Theatre, Film, and Digital Production graduates Saul Guardado (2024), Mary Gutierrez (2025), and Gianna Cosenza (2025) hit the ground running following graduation last spring, launching a production company called Camphor Pictures, targeting smaller, independent filmmakers. Guardado directed Camphor Pictures’ first short film, “Bienvenido.”

“It's fully in Spanish, and I wrote it in the beginning of last year, and I was only finally able to shoot it during the summer,” Guardado said. “It is on the festival circuit right now. The application has been sent. We have not been picked up by any festivals yet, so fingers crossed we'll be playing in festivals soon.”

However, it was during the final quarter of 2025 that the company really began to ramp up its work, producing two shorts directed by Cosenza. “Bless This Mess” was released on Dec. 23, 2025, and the second piece, “Love Me Not” — written by Gutierrez, who also served as the Director of Photography (DP) — is currently in post-production. Though they are new as a company, the group began working together as students at UCR and has learned much about teamwork as they create together.

“Gianna let me DP it for the first time, and that was very brave of her,” Gutierrez said. “I'm very grateful for her to do that. So it's nice that we can all trust each other to bring our projects to life.”

Each member of Camphor Pictures attested to the mentorship provided by the film department faculty, including Stu Krieger, recently retired professor of screenwriting, Patricia Cardoso, professor of filmmaking, and Christophe Katrib, assistant professor of teaching.

“[Krieger] was an amazing mentor in his class,” Guardado said,” ‘A Day in a Filmmaker's life,’ where he had people from the industry come in and give their tales of how the industry works, how certain people fall into working in the industry. It was also very eye-opening.”

“Cardoso is one of them,” Cosenza added. “She was one of, if not the only, female professor in the film department; there are other theater professors, but she was more centered on film. And a lot of what she taught was stuff that I implement now.”

Staff and faculty in the department have inspired their students so effectively through both educational and personal guidance. Katrib, who Gutierrez considered one of her mentors, did this especially well.

“He has classes that make you do work,” Gutierrez said. “It's not just, ‘Do this and that.’ He really gets you to actually do stuff, and just be like, ‘Hey, tell the stories that matter. There's a lot that needs to have a light shone on it and have humanity put to it.’ I think he really makes you do the small steps that you might not want to do, but it makes you better in the long run. And he has that great energy of just being a good person. I feel like that’s good to be in filmmaking, too.”

As a supporter of independent filmmaking, the company directs its outreach toward surrounding communities and student filmmakers. Camphor Pictures recently directed a crew call for a new short film open to all UCR students via UCR’s film club, R’Shorts. Their current project, “Chismografo,” was advertised in joint posts on the Instagram accounts of both organizations.

“Because we're so close to the area, it is very nice to work with people at UCR, like R’Shorts members, because we were once R’Shorts members,” Cosenza said. “But we're definitely open to anyone near us willing to work on a set with us.”

Beyond clubs or community, the members of Camphor emphasize the importance of finding like-minded people in order to move forward in the film industry, and say it is important that current students learn how to do so.

“Find people,” Gutierrez said, “not only your friends and those you get along with, but those you work well together with, and you have similar creative visions, and you have trust in each other when it comes to creative projects. That's also how you get asked to be on more sets, too. Networking — that's what film is. That's what this industry is, is that you have to know the right people, and you have to network. But it starts with college filmmaking, right from the start. I like to think of it as just making friends.”

FEATURED PHOTO. Mary Gutierrez '25, director of photography for Camphor Pictures' third short film, points something out to the crew. Photo by Gianna Cosenza

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College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Acting professor Bella Merlin brings back one-woman show, reflects on journey

kelvin — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 07:01:50 +0000

Acting professor Bella Merlin brings back one-woman show, reflects on journey kelvin Fri, 02/27/2026 - 23:01 More Press Releases By Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications February 27, 2026

Bella Merlin, Distinguished Professor of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production, has been working on her passion project, a one-woman show called “Tilly No-Body” since 2009. The show follows Tilly Wedekind, wife and muse of German playwright Frank Wedekind, and her emotional journey from youth to old age.

“‘Tilly No-Body’ is a one-person show with five cabaret songs, original cabaret songs, and it's set in a magical space,” Merlin said. “So a young woman who is on the brink of collapse in a coercive relationship swallows poison, and the play takes place in the three days that she is recovering.”

“Tilly” is a story about autonomy and the reclamation of power — and is also deeply socially relevant today. Much like TFDP’s production of “Fuenteovejuna,” this show explores the role women play and their interpersonal relationships. Merlin believes that relationships always have the potential to lead to a power struggle, and that will never be irrelevant.

“All relationships are complicated,” Merlin said. “But these power imbalances, little by little — if we're not careful — can lead to coercive, abusive environments, relationships. And we're never going to get away from that until all different gender identities start understanding how we can mutually respect each other.”

Merlin has brought the show around the world since its first production in 2010, though after closing, it was on hiatus until 2022. She recently returned to teaching for the winter quarter following a summer stint in the United Kingdom. There, she presented “Tilly No-Body” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival — a British theatre festival celebrating small productions — where it was awarded with an “Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre A.” The festival involves over 3,500 participating shows, forcing each company to compete for even a small audience. Even then, “Tilly” found success.

“The audience is vital,” Merlin said. “We took the show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this past summer, which is the world's biggest live performance festival. I played to audiences that had four people in them and I loved it. It was so intimate, and it felt like such a vibrant dialogue.”

Merlin first heard about Tilly in her 20s while in a production of Frank Wedekind’s “Lulu.” The real Tilly had published a book about her experiences as an actress for her husband, which — as it was written in German — Merlin spent 10 years translating by hand. As she learned more about Tilly, Merlin found she related to her deeply.

“I kind of love her,” Merlin said. “I think I'm a bit in love with her. As I was translating it, I was getting more and more into her mind, into her emotions, into her romances, and her family life. And I felt a certain responsibility at the end to honor and respect her. We were also invited to South Korea, and we had a question and answer afterwards; and on both occasions, daring to share my connection to Tilly's story ignited a freedom in people to start to share their stories, and it was very humbling, very moving, and very empowering.”

“Tilly No-Body” will be performed at the UC Riverside Studio Theatre on Friday, March 6th at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 7th at 2 p.m.

FEATURED PHOTO. Bella Merlin, dressed in a red coat, strikes a strong pose in a scene in "Tilly No-Body".

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CHASS Newsletter

College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Christopher Murillo receives Scenic Designer of the Year award

kelvin — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:18:29 +0000

Christopher Murillo receives Scenic Designer of the Year award kelvin Tue, 10/21/2025 - 17:18 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications October 21, 2025

Chistopher Murillo, assistant professor of teaching in theatre, film, and digital production, was selected for the award by Steven Stanley of StageSceneLA. Murillo also serves as the department’s scenic designer — a role he also plays for theatre productions outside of UC Riverside. The award was a category of the Scenies, an annual celebration of southern California theatre led by Stanley.

According to Murillo, he received the award in recognition of six productions that he had designed, which Stanley had been able to view, though he worked on nine total over the past 12 months. The shows were all performed in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas.

“Many of the plays I designed scenery for this year were brand new works for the stage,” Murillo said. “It is always great when an audience and, even more so, a critic or reviewer comes to see a production and enjoys the story being told visually. I also appreciate StagesceneLA and Steven Stanley and their efforts to highlight the positives of LA THEATER. He really amplifies LA THEATER and encourages people to see local productions- even if they are brand new works of the stage.”

FEATURED PHOTO. Christopher Murillo presents his design for IAMA's production of "The Very Best People."

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Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Christophe Katrib receives CHASS Teaching Award, two fellowships

kelvin — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:08:20 +0000

Christophe Katrib receives CHASS Teaching Award, two fellowships kelvin Tue, 10/21/2025 - 17:08 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications October 21, 2025

Christophe Katrib, assistant professor of teaching in Theatre, Film, and Digital Production, is one of two recipients of the 2024-25 CHASS Teaching Award. The award recognizes outstanding teaching achievements and honors faculty members for their exceptional teaching quality and their ability to positively influence, motivate, and inspire students, often through innovative techniques, effective assessment, or creative curriculum development. Candidates are nominated first, and then a subcommittee from the CHASS Faculty Executive Committee carefully reviews the files to select the awardee(s).

In addition to this honor, Katrib also received two fellowships: the Regents' Faculty Fellowship and the Center for Ideas and Society (CIS) Quarterly Faculty Fellowship. The former recognized Katrib’s efforts to establish more resources in analog film for UC Riverside students. His proposal for the fellowship included attending several professional development workshops in New York, which allowed him to develop new skills to share with students at UCR.

Katrib applied for the CIS Quarterly Faculty Fellowship to support his presentation at the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) conference in Washington D.C. in November. The fellowship will provide Katrib with some funding and a course release to grant him time to research and prepare his panel discussion.

“Getting an award is very validating,” Katrib said. “A lot of our time as faculty members is spent working hard, and juggling multiple things at the same time, very often in the shadows. So the recognition of these awards — it kind of recharges you, and it reminds you you're doing something right. It motivates me to push more boundaries and create more opportunities and inspiring work, whether it's with my students or in my own creative practice.”

Katrib has also been recognized for his most recent short film, “This Dissonance,” which has been selected for screening and has been nominated at several film festivals in the U.S. and abroad. More information about this can be found here.

FEATURED PHOTO. Professor Christophe Katrib sits with his coffee. Photo by Meg Rorison.

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CHASS Newsletter

College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

TFDP professor’s short film screens around country, awarded at UFVA conference

kelvin — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:37:36 +0000

TFDP professor’s short film screens around country, awarded at UFVA conference kelvin Tue, 10/21/2025 - 16:37 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications October 21, 2025

Theatre, Film, and Digital Production assistant professor of teaching Christophe Katrib has seen recent success for his work on his short film, “This Dissonance.” Its list of recent honors are as follows:

The film was awarded Best Experimental Award at the University Film and Video Association (UFVA) conference in July, but also acquired a list of further accomplishments. It was chosen out of 3700 submissions from 125 countries to be part of the over 130-film Official Selection of the New Orleans Film Festival, which will be held in October.
It was nominated for the Best Documentary Short award at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver, Canada in May.
It was selected to screen in the ULTRAcinema Film Festival in Mexico in October and the Colorado Diasporic Film Festival at the end of August.

Katrib will be traveling to attend both the New Orleans and Colorado festivals. He has also been elected as a board member at large for the UFVA after only two years of membership.

“My film is kind of a poetic, experimental approach to documentary,” Katrib said. “So you can consider it a documentary film, but you can also consider it an experimental film. And it’s interesting because it’s been nominated for both of these classifications in different festivals.”

The film focuses on the tragedies the Palestinian and Lebanese people face, to whom Katrib has familial connection. The logline, or a brief summary of the film, reads, “American landscapes roll ominously while Palestinian and Lebanese voices permeate with poetry, hope, and pain.”

“I've been having great difficulty functioning, and I am not able to pretend like everything is normal,” Katrib said. “So I've been wanting to do something about that to not just witness and suffer and mourn, but to also use my voice, use my skills to do something about that.”

In August of 2024, while he was in New York, Katrib saw a call for film submissions by Mono No Aware, an analog film non-profit, which he felt was an opportunity to create something to release the mounting angst he had been feeling. With a deadline of October 31, Katrib only had about three months to work on the film. As such, he utilized footage that he had already filmed.

“I had been shooting a lot of film in those years, and also before,” Katrib said. “So, I started working with that footage, which ranged from recent to almost 10 years old. I started editing, and I made the visuals first. I was thinking about the sound as well, and I wanted to represent that idea of dissonance, which is what I was feeling living in a place that normalizes atrocity while watching it happen. So I wanted to create the sound separately to underline that dichotomy.”

Katrib created his soundtrack with audio from social media posts as well as recordings of his own music and ambient noises he made on his phone. The film was ultimately selected, and premiered at the Mono No Aware Cinema Arts Festival in December of 2024 as an “expanded cinema performance.”

“It starts in the dark,” Katrib said. “It starts with the sound of Israeli drones, and I perform a poem that I wrote, in the dark, with the sound of Israeli drones. Then the film starts, overlapping with the drones and the end of the poem. Toward the end of the film there's a second projector that's triggered and a woman comes up to the stage, and you see her shadow on the screen, and she plays the violin. She plays the very traditional scales that are from that part of the world — from Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria — improvised. And then another woman comes from the other side, and you also see her shadow on the screen and she recites a poem she wrote about the connection between Lebanon and Palestine and what's happening.”

The film was shot using a Bolex brand 16mm film camera. Katrib enjoys the physicality and the preciousness of film, as well as the consideration it requires. He believes that there are many things that students can learn from shooting with analog film.

“You can almost touch it,” Katrib said. “You can hear it, and you can touch it. The visual aesthetic of that image, how it flickers differently on the screen, the transitions between the shots in the camera, all the things that are part of it. For students, I think it can teach them to be more disciplined and more confident, more intentional, and to also prepare better. To be more focused and to care for every frame they shoot.”

This film represents a culmination of Katrib’s work, and a bridge between his creative practice and his pedagogy. He has given several workshops on the subject of analog film in the past, and has been applying to grants and fellowships to build it as a subject at UC Riverside to offer students new skills and possibilities.

Update: On November 7, Katrib won the Best Documentary Short award at the Beirut Shorts International Film Festival. This is an Academy Awards qualifying festival and category, making the film now eligible to be submitted for consideration for the 2027 Academy Awards.

FEATURED PHOTO. Professor Christophe Katrib shoots with his Bolex film camera. Photo by Nathan Baglyos.

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CHASS Newsletter

College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Alpher finds community, explores creativity through theater and film

kelvin — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 08:22:48 +0000

Alpher finds community, explores creativity through theater and film kelvin Tue, 06/17/2025 - 01:22 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications June 17, 2025

Fourth-year theatre, film, and digital production (TFDP) major Josiah Alpher has been driven by his passion for acting since middle school. Alpher spent his teenage years committed to a career in the theater/cinema industry, supported by his parents who would regularly drive him over 300 miles down to Los Angeles from Northern California.

“When college applications started coming up, I really decided to just dive head-first into acting, into theater, in any capacity,” Alpher said. “I thought to myself, I might regret it in 10 or 20 years if I didn't go into the arts. And so I really just wanted to take that leap.”

As a high school graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alpher was initially reluctant to attend UC Riverside. While originally intending to go to a community college closer to home, a combination of cabin fever and passion drove him to UCR.

“UCR has truly been a hidden gem,” he said. “The people here are really, really talented, and they're so passionate. I think what makes this school and TFDP so different is that the people are passionate about what they do, and they do it well. You can tell the difference.”

In addition to his family, Alpher has been the recipient of consistent support from staff and faculty within the TFDP department, as well as many of his peers. Alpher says that Professors of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production Rickerby Hinds and Kimberly Guerrero have been a constant presence since his freshman year. Alpher first met Hinds when he was speaking at a session of TFDP 099, and would later begin working with him at his company, Hindsight Productions. Hinds, through the production company, was able to fund Alpher’s short film, “Four,” which was screened at the TFDP Film Showcase on May 20.

“Both of them have guided me and mentored me from my beginning and early years at UCR up until now,” Alpher said. “Both of them have delivered — in watching my self-tapes and in helping me with auditions and submissions. Obviously, working with Kerb on his production company has been one thing. Continuing to build my mentoring relationship with Kimberly has been so amazing.”

Alpher cites the many events hosted by CHASS and TFDP as encouragement to keep moving forward.

“They have events like The Audacity of Failure — which they do every year — which encourages students to learn more about the industry, and the flip side of success and failure,” he said. “It's about failure, but it really feels like you're encouraged afterwards. For CHASS to be able to support TFDP and TFDP to support me, really feels like a beautiful timeline and like a snowball effect. There's always something going on in CHASS.”

After graduation, Alpher intends to continue his work with Hindsight Productions, as well as begin exploring a professional career in acting in the film industry. While he has worked as a production member in past projects, Alpher is an actor first and foremost.

“I love telling stories, whether that be the stage or the screen, and so, as I continue my acting career, I would love to explore what it means to be an entertainer and a host,” Alpher said. “Long term, I’d love to create art that will last long after I’m gone, and sure winning an Oscar doesn’t sound so bad”

Alpher encourages students to continue to use their voice in any capacity. He explains how fear can often cause things that are wrong to go unnoticed.

“Sometimes it's okay to do something and still be scared,” he said. “You can be scared and still do something. I'm scared every single time I go on stage; I still do it. I encourage students to have a voice, and if they're scared to do something, to do it scared. Because the beauty of doing something scared is it lets you continue to grow, and doesn't let you stay in one place.”

For those interested in collaborating with Alpher, contact him on Instagram @josiahalpher.

FEATURED PHOTO. Josiah Alpher stands in a sunlit courtyard, graduation gown slung over his shoulder.

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Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Bridgewater speeds through undergrad, juggles academics and work

kelvin — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 08:14:02 +0000

Bridgewater speeds through undergrad, juggles academics and work kelvin Tue, 06/17/2025 - 01:14 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications June 17, 2025

Senior theatre, film, and digital production (TFDP) major Mckenna Bridgewater is graduating after only two years at UC Riverside. This was possible only through her perseverance and hard work, allowing her to work through freshman year.

“Before coming to UCR, I had done dual enrollment in high school with my local community college, as well as multiple AP classes,” Bridgewater said. “I already had nearly 60 transferable units. I then maintained a consistent 14-17 units per quarter, and I took 16 units during the summer after my first year. In my second year, I did 12 units my first quarter, and 22 each for my two remaining quarters.”

Because she was graduating early, Bridgewater struggled with feelings of isolation, and a need to push herself.

“I was so shy my first year that I hardly applied for anything — and I didn’t talk much to my professors — but once I started to break out of my shell, I got so many opportunities within my major and my college,” Bridgewater said. “Especially at TFDP, professors are so accessible and willing to talk to you. Whether it's to take a class you may not have all the prerequisites for or to see if you can help in the next production, I say talk to them! You pay the tuition, you should be utilizing it to its full potential!”

Since starting school, Bridgewater has taken full advantage of the resources available to her. UCR and CHASS both have ways to assist students consistently. Of these, Bridgewater’s favorite has been the R’Pantry.

“They’re this amazing resource that acts as a free food pantry for all students, open weekly,” Bridgewater said. “R’Pantry is super open and welcoming, and they also have healthy food options for students, regardless of income.”

In her two years at UCR, Bridgewater has worked for CHASS Marketing and Communications as a content creator and social media manager. In this position, she creates short-form content for Instagram and TikTok using photos and videos taken by other members of the team. Aside from being a paid position, it has also allowed her to attend events and meet new people..

“The team over at CHASS Marketing are some of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” she said. “They’ve been so caring and thoughtful about what we can contribute to the team and how to let our individual skill sets shine. Through CHASS, I got to meet my amazing coworkers and build with my social team (shoutout Michelle and Joyce). I’ve gotten so much marketing experience and opportunities to work with amazing people like our dean, Daryle Williams, and even former Dodger player Joe Kelly. I think it really gave me a sense of purpose and belonging, and though I haven’t been here very long, it's been the best job I’ve ever had.”

According to Bridgewater, the key to balancing work with one’s education is having a good boss. An efficient supervisor is one who can recognize the needs of their employees and work out the best option for the whole team.

“Melanie [Ramiro] has always been so understanding of the fact that we are students first,” Bridgewater said. “She’s been amazing at realizing when our plates are full and dividing the work among others, so work never feels overwhelming. I know that if I ever needed to step back or take a breather, Melanie would understand, and because of that, I feel comfortable in my work-school balance.”

An aspiring filmmaker since seventh grade, Bridgewater’s social media job has allowed her to supplement her videography skills.

“I remember being in my English class and my teacher, Mr. Hanks, had made us watch ‘The Princess Bride.’ I recall sitting there and thinking, ‘Yeah. This is what I want to do with my life.’”

After graduation, Bridgewater plans to take a gap year to work and save money for graduate school. She intends to work toward a master’s degree, and will be applying for graduate school in the fall. For now, she will also be using her free time to improve her portfolio and grow her experience in the film industry.

FEATURED PHOTO. Mckenna Bridgewater sits on the steps of the Arts building, graduation cap in hand.

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Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

What the Los Angeles Opera can teach about the value of attending live performances

kelvin — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:14:14 +0000

What the Los Angeles Opera can teach about the value of attending live performances kelvin Tue, 06/10/2025 - 17:14 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications June 10, 2025

CHASS Dean Daryle Williams is sponsoring the CHASS Night Out series, an opportunity for performing arts students to view live, professional shows. On March 4, students from the Departments of Music and Theatre, Film, and Digital Production (TFDP) traveled to the LA Opera to watch a tech rehearsal of Mozart's “Così Fan Tutte.”

Music professor Dana Kaufman has been organizing these field trips on Williams’ behalf. This CHASS Night Out series expands on Kaufman's previous field trips, which started in 2018. According to Kaufman, attending professional performances is an invaluable experience for students who intend to work in the performing arts. Watching a live rehearsal allows students to witness authentic career building and compare their own experiences to those of a professional.

“Seeing live professional performance is so important because it helps us aspire to professional goals,” Kaufman said. “It helps teach us about career paths, but there’s also a human element. There are times when they will need to redo a certain portion of the rehearsal. And that’s so exciting because it shows us that the rehearsal process is real. We go to these shows, and they seem so magical, but we also see the hard work that goes into it.”

One attendee to the show, political science major Alex Mejores, had difficulty expressing how much he enjoyed the show; after taking time to gather his thoughts, he decided he had fallen in love with the production elements.

“My favorite thing about the show was its set design,” Mejores said. “I feel as though the scale of the set itself is my favorite part. When you're sat in a seat with these towering monstrosities, you can’t help but be in awe of the production.”

Each trip involves a different performing art, allowing students to observe their differences. On Feb. 9, students went to the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles to watch the touring Broadway cast of “Sondheim’s Old Friends.” Another trip is scheduled for May, bringing students to see a rehearsal by the LA Philharmonic. Currently, trips are centered around the Los Angeles area, but the program may expand to other local regions in the future.

“We are open to suggestions and want to go see whatever interests students,” Kaufman said. “So if any students have any suggestions or want to see anything specific in LA, we certainly want to hear it. We are also open to Riverside performances and performances in the surrounding area. We went to the National Association of Music Merchants conference in Anaheim in January; there are all kinds of events that we are interested in exploring.”

FEATURED PHOTO. A group of TFDP and Music majors huddle outside of the bus before near the entrance to the LA Opera.

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Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Aronne Chan ‘24 pursues journalism and freelance photography

kelvin — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 05:29:11 +0000

Aronne Chan ‘24 pursues journalism and freelance photography kelvin Mon, 06/02/2025 - 22:29 More Press Releases By Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications June 02, 2025

Aronne Chan is a recent graduate from the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre, Film, and Digital production with a concentration in filmmaking and a minor in marketing. Chan spent his undergraduate experience at UC Riverside as an active and consistent participant in the community, holding several positions through which he could improve his skill set and build his professional portfolio.

“UCR provides a lot of resources and I felt like networking and knowing people through professors really helped out,” Chan said. “I have done tons of short films — directing, filmmaking, and writing scripts. I had a little taste of everything, in the process from pre- to post-production. It really gave me a taste of what life is like as a cinematographer. In marketing, I was able to create ads, strategize, and produce for social media. I was able to land a lot of jobs — and I was able to search for opportunities where I was able to get more experience, build a portfolio, and just get better at what I love to do.”

Chan worked as a photographer for UCR Athletics, the Highlander Newspaper, as well as CHASS Marketing. Chan emphasized the benefits of networking as a student, in addition to the benefits of having a job during college.

“It's important to network with the students around you, and the professors, because they have so much experience,” he said. “Meet people, try to do projects together, do stuff for free even. I didn’t always think of money; I just wanted to collaborate, work with others, and build my portfolio. Time is limited, and you’re not gonna be here forever. Lastly, it's important to find something you want to do and find a job. It's really important to — at least for me — work while you’re in college. It's great to gain that experience, learn more, make some money, and get better at what you do.”

As graduation approached, Chan was certain of his future. He wanted to start professional work as soon as possible and did not consider graduate school to be an option. Beginning in December of 2023, Chan applied to as many jobs as he could before finally landing a position with media company ABC 7.

“I'm just really fortunate to be able to be chosen,” he said. “As an intern, I was able to create stories. I interviewed and wrote articles of local artists around LA doing murals, creating art, and telling a story. My work was showcased on live television several times. My articles have been seen in many places. I've been to many cool events: cultural events, marathons, races, concerts, and sports at the LA Rams game.”

With his position with ABC 7 having recently ended, Chan has begun a career in freelance photography and videography. Every job presents an opportunity to gain new experience, which lends itself to one’s portfolio. In his work taking food photos for a restaurant, he then gains future credibility as a food photographer. This practice is also helpful for people who wish to learn photography, Chan said. According to Chan, practice makes perfect.

“If you want to be a photographer or videographer, first you need to build a portfolio,” Chan said. “I would recommend trying out many types of photographs, figuring out what you like and what you don't like, what you're good at, and learn from there. Honestly, just bring your camera everywhere. That’s what I did at UCR.”

Chan, who currently works as a content creator and influencer, publishes his work on several social media sites. Connect with Aronne on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook , and LinkedIn.

FEATURED PHOTO. Aronne Chan gestures as he answers questions from an interview held in the HUB above the Commuter Lounge.

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College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production

Eleventh-annual Smartphone Film Festival demonstrates possibilities of filmmaking

kelvin — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 00:05:44 +0000

Eleventh-annual Smartphone Film Festival demonstrates possibilities of filmmaking kelvin Fri, 04/04/2025 - 17:05 More Press Releases Jeremy Gutierrez, Student Writer/CHASS Marketing and Communications April 04, 2025

For 11 years, UC Riverside’s Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production has supported student filmmakers. On Jan. 15, the 2025 Smartphone Film Festival invited students to submit an original film that was recorded entirely on a smartphone. Taking place in INTS 1128 on Feb. 5, the screening of this year’s films, as well as a vote, Q&A session, and award ceremony, were held. Professor Stu Krieger, a faculty sponsor of the event, has been supporting the festival — and its students — for many years and has witnessed the success of many student films.

“These films just had their premieres at the festival a few weeks ago, so regarding where they go from here, we'll just have to wait and see,” Krieger said. “In past years, some of the films have gone on to be shown at film festivals around the country.”

At its core, the festival serves students as a learning opportunity. Festival Director Kori Chaney, a second-year graduate student in screenwriting, believes that the festival gives students the chance to learn about the rapidly changing industry. She says that filming on a phone gives students a sense of freedom and creativity that is not possible on a traditional camera. Smartphone films have also begun to gain traction professionally.

“It's very useful to know how to film on the phone,” Chaney said. “A few major films right now were filmed on phones. So seeing people do that was, you know, it's relevant.”

The film festival has had great success in its 11 years, with participating students going on to achieve great success in the industry. Nate Hochstetler Ford, the student who founded the festival, has worked as a professional cinematographer for the past seven years, including travel pieces for “National Geographic.” According to Krieger, the important thing to know about filmmaking is that you have to continue to perfect your craft.

“If you want to be a filmmaker, make films,” Krieger said. “TV Series are getting bought; shows are moving from YouTube to HBO because people are producing work — getting it out to the world via social media and other channels and careers are being made. Plus, every time you create work, you're learning, growing, and hopefully getting better to prepare yourself for your next project.”

This year’s Smartphone Film Festival was Krieger’s last year as a faculty sponsor. Assistant Professor of Teaching Christophe Katrib will replace him for future festivals. Students interested in participating in the festival must wait for applications to open in the fall or winter quarter of this coming academic year.

FEATURED PHOTO. The directors of the nominated films sit for a Q&A session.

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