After almost a year of work, Middle and Upper School film students will premiere their work at the Texas Theatre on April 28th, showcasing projects from both the Foundations and Advanced classes in an evening dedicated to student storytelling.
Upper School film teacher Morgan Swartz said the festival highlights the structure of Hockaday’s film program, which operates during one class block but is divided into Foundations and Advanced levels.
“The Film Festival is an opportunity for film students to showcase their work,” Swartz said. “Some students will put in two pieces, others will only submit one and some submit collaborative works as well.”
In addition to individual projects, students are currently producing an all-class collaborative film led by two senior directors. According to Swartz, roles are intentionally divided so each student experiences different aspects of filmmaking.
“The roles on set and in the editing stage have been divided up so every student gets a taste of the different opportunities within the filmmaking world,” Swartz said. “They’re understanding what it’s like to work with a crew under the direction of the two senior directors.”
One of these senior directors is Isla McKenna, who has been in the film program since freshman year.
“My freshman year class was very small,” McKenna said. “That made it really helpful to get that personalized experience with Mr. Weiss, which made me a much better editor.”
Swartz said long-term involvement in the program allows students like McKenna to steadily build confidence and skill. Now serving as a director, McKenna said leadership has required both organization and mentorship.
“The advantage of having two directors is that we had the most experience in the group so we could split up the work while also mentoring effectively,” McKenna said.
For freshman Foundations student Katie Helfrich, working alongside Advanced class students has been one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.
“I’ve been most surprised by how integrated our class dynamic is,” Helfrich said. “Sometimes I even forget who’s in which class because we mesh so seamlessly.”
Helfrich said that senior guidance has helped her grow both technically and creatively.
“Every critique they have is based on experience,” Helfrich said. “By using their advice, I can learn how to frame emotional shots, write an impactful script and edit a film to bring out all the feeling that I want the audience to experience.”
This year’s collaborative project is a sitcom set at a girls’ boarding school. The group began by developing detailed character profiles before writing the script, focusing heavily on structure and resolution. Swartz encourages Advanced class students to dig deeper creatively.
“I usually ask students to bring three to five ideas to class,” Swartz said. “A lot of times their first idea isn’t as strong as it could be, so I challenge it and make them think about how the story will resolve.”
The class moves from outlining to peer editing before beginning production. Swartz said Advanced class students are given the freedom to experiment with themes that matter to them, and past films have addressed complex topics such as body image and abuse in thoughtful ways.
“I’m really glad that at Hockaday we have the space and confidence to bring up real world topics and address them in a mature way through our films,” Swartz said.
For McKenna, film has become so much more than just a technical skill.
“Film is kind of the intersection of everything,” McKenna said. “You’re writing, you’re thinking visually, you’re working with sound. It’s about communicating on multiple levels at once.”
While students use professional cameras and sound equipment, Swartz said the program’s greatest strength is its collaborative spirit.
“Obviously, having high-tech equipment is great, but what really stands out to me is how eager and willing the students are to teach each other,” Swartz said.
