On August 3rd, the Class of 2024 successfully graduated from the MFA in Film, Television and Digital Media at the historic Tara Theater in Atlanta, GA. The cohort of 11 MFA graduates walked across stage for the program’s Convocation and got the chance to showcase their graduate thesis projects.
Marty Lang, the Program Director, opened the convocation with heartfelt remarks, and personal stories about each of the graduates.
Ashlynn Henderson, the student speaker, shared enlightening insights into her cohort’s growth and achievements. She spoke about the challenges they all had to overcome as a cohort and the great camaraderie they formed through the program.
The faculty of the MFA program also bestowed advice to the graduating students, and celebrated all that the students have accomplished.
After the convocation, the Student Showcase opened with on-stage scene readings of the Writer/Producer track students’ thesis screenplays. These students not only wrote the screenplays, but also produced the on-stage scene readings.
Amber Combs’ “Served” finds privileged socialite Penelope Burgess thrown into the gritty world of the restaurant service industry after a legal scandal puts her into the employ of a former childhood rival.
Chelsea Wilson’s “Work Friends” tells the story of a pivotal moment in the lives of a group of friends and nightclub co-workers, who decide to take control of their destinies by starting a podcast together. As they share their personal stories and navigate the challenges of life, they must confront the pressures of success and the impact it has on their friendship.
Leah Francois’ “Don’t Drown” focuses on brothers Tristan and Tyson Jones, who have dedicated their lives to competitive swimming. But after the drowning of their mother in Jamaica, they can’t bring themselves to get back in the water and compete with their two best friends.
Nicole Toren’s “Meraki” tells the story of a painting bought at an auction, which causes strange and deadly haunts to happen at an art museum. Ultimately, the museum’s curator must choose between her livelihood or her life, in order to stop it.
Each scene-reading showed off the strengths of the students’ stories, characters, and unique voices on the stage.
Matt Hudgins’ “Dingle Sad” follows William Doane, a newly-divorced dad living in Athens GA, whose whole life has been lived on other people’s terms. Now, William finds himself up against middle-aged life, a new home, new job, and most of all…getting back into dating.
The Screening for Thesis Films followed the readings. The Writer/Director students wrote the screenplays, directed the films, and edited them to be screened for the audience. Writer/Producer students produced the thesis films as well.
Davis Shaw’s “Buhurt” tells the story of Danny, a father and professional Buhurt player. Buhurt is a competitive medieval armored combat. His passion for combat sport conflicts with his familial responsibilities, and Danny must make a decision between the two.
Lauren Moss’s “Cataract” features a group of amateur ghost hunters investigating a haunted house. As they explore the house, they discover more than just the truth about a local crime case.
Ashlynn Henderson’s “Do Not Go Gentle” focuses on an amnesiac man living in a controlled government facility. Under the pretense of memory rehabilitation, he repeats his trainings day after day. When he rediscovers a piece of his past, it causes him to question his reality.
Sam Costantino’s “Love in the Time of Zombies” shares a slice of Audrey’s life, stuck in a safe house with her best friend. While zombies roam outside their fences, she longs for romance and will do anything to find it in the apocalypse.
Emani Saucier’s “Pyramids” tells the story of a reluctant descendant of civil right royalty. He finds himself at the heart of a city plagued by escalating racially-motivated violence. When he awakens his ancestral powers, he is forced to confront his legacy and become the beacon of justice his community desperately needs.
Rob Landau’s “Life Imitates… (Why Me?)” shows a self-obsessed man stumbling upon paintings of himself at an art gallery. As he tracks down the source of mystery paintings, he begins to question the meaning of his life.
The thesis films featured a variety of genres and visual styles, and were met with enthusiastic reception among family, friends, and cast and crew members.
Their time at the MFA program has prepared the newest graduates for the next steps of their careers. Congratulations, Class of 2024!
Photos by: ChenRui Bai