Film students tout ‘hands-on’ experience gained before graduation day

Ashland.news staff report

Ashland-based writer-director Gary Lundgren will mentor student-filmmakers at Southern Oregon University this spring during the Digital Cinema Department’s innovative “Crew Experience” course, according to a SOU news release.

“Crew Experience,” launched in 2022, has given SOU’s Digital Cinema students a chance each year to work on and complete a full-fledged film project. The course allows students to assume professional film crew positions under the guidance of professional mentors in the production of a short film. 

Lundgren will mentor students while bringing his new short film project “An Extraordinary Year” to the big screen, according to the release. The class is being guided by Megan Isser, an experienced producer and instructor in SOU’s Communication, Media and Cinema department. Oregon Shakespeare Festival actors Chris Butler and Barret O’Brien, past collaborators with Lundgren, have also joined the film’s cast.

“I’m so excited to work with this impressive faculty to mentor film students,” Lundgren said, in a news release. “I’d love to help demystify the filmmaking process. As an aspiring filmmaker in L.A., I learned the most from being on set or in edit bays watching filmmakers make decisions.

“The fact that SOU is allocating resources to give their students an opportunity like this while they’re still in school feels exciting and unprecedented. In 10 weeks, we will cover the entire process, from script to screen and complete a short film together.”  

“I am beyond thrilled to be working side-by-side with Gary and I’m so excited for our students to learn from him and from each other,” Isser said. “I have worked with many directors in my filmmaking career, and it is rare to find someone who is not only as wildly talented as Gary, but who is also willing to take the time to mentor future professionals. And the cherry on top is that we’re all going to walk away with a fantastic film.”

Digital Cinema student Dillon Potter served as a production manager/production coordinator for the short film “In a Pickle,” written by Monica Lynn Cortez, coordinating extras on the set and handling much of the logistics in November 2024. 

Potter said Gary Kout led “crew experience” last year and, at the time, he anticipated another professional coming in this spring — recently announced as Lundgren.

At the time of the interview, Potter described “crew experience” as “fantastic” for Digital Cinema students.

“It’s just like the real thing,” Potter said. “It’s very realistic.”

Logan James, also a Digital Cinema student, held the slate as key production assistant on the set of “In a Pickle.” 

James told Ashland.news in November that the crew experience class is similar to sets like “In a Pickle,” where the hierarchy of roles are established with everyone playing an integral role. The “crew experience” prepares students like James for roles such as key production assistant, a role tasked with keeping scenes in order, in coordination with others, on the short film. James worked 10- to 14-hour days at times, getting a realistic experience of the industry that was similar to the “crew experience” at SOU.

“With the crew experience, it actually is pretty realistic to that sort of thing,” James said. “We had some 12-hour days.” 

At the time of the interview, James said after graduation this spring, he would like to do some film work locally and eventually pursue a career in lighting and/or a camera role for a production company making feature films. But he’s glad he’s getting his start at SOU, where he can gain hands-on experience to prepare him for a future in film.

“There’s still a reason for film school as long as you go to the right one,” James said, and he believes he has found it.

“One of the biggest praises I can give for it is it feels like the professors actually want you to succeed,” he said.

James said professors are always encouraging students, including freshmen, to seek out internship opportunities in the industry.

“They’re pretty accommodating for transfer students,” James said, himself a RCC transfer

Watching the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy with his family initially piqued his interest in pursuing film, prompting him to look into what was available locally at SOU. James said he thought about attending Portland State University’s film program before opting for SOU, but has found the program to be more “hands-on” than other schools.

Aside from meeting cool people and gaining valuable opportunities, though, he also expressed enthusiasm about having the chance to meet actor Bruce Campbell through the program.

“I don’t think I ever would’ve done that,” he said.

While on set of the filming of “In a Pickle,” Potter also shared about the benefits of SOU’s Digital Cinema program and how it’s helping students like him pursue a career in film.

Originally from Portland, Potter attended Portland State University and transferred to SOU for track on a scholarship. 

He eventually threw all of his efforts into the film program.  

“The program’s really helped me kind of flourish as a person and understand the industry,” Potter said. 

“It’s really awesome because you get to work with the top-notch people in the valley, because it is so tight knit.

“It’s a great chance to develop skills that you otherwise might not have,” he added. 

“It’s a great opportunity to learn as a filmmaker.”

At the time of the interview, Potter shared hopes to get into the industry in L.A., Chicago or Atlanta.

“I never imagined how good the program would be,” Potter said. “By far, it’s the best in the state and probably rivaling a lot of schools in Washington, too.”

He believes the faculty that make up the Digital Cinema program help guide students to meet their goals.

Vaun Monroe, assistant professor for SOU’s Digital Cinema, is among them.

Monroe teaches storytelling, screenwriting, and film analysis and is in his third year at SOU, he told Ashland.news in a phone interview in November 2024.

He emphasized the importance of student involvement in professional productions like “In a Pickle” in addition to student productions while at SOU.

“When you work on a big project, you are challenged in different ways,” Monroe said. 

“You have to learn how to perform under pressure,” he added. “Sometimes there’s location pressure, sometimes there’s time pressure, sometimes there’s availability pressure. 

“So for our students to have the opportunity to get themselves familiar with that type of pressure and know that they will be able to perform is invaluable.”

The Digital Cinema program was recognized by MovieMaker Magazine in 2024 as a “Top 30 Film Program in North America,” in large part due to innovative course offerings like “The Crew Experience.”

Editor’s Note: James, one of two SOU students working on the set of “In a Pickle” in November 2024, is Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth’s nephew. 

Information obtained from a SOU news release. Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth contributed to this report.