By Editorial Co-Heads Rachel Lambert & Siena Richardson.
Many incredible artists will be featured in this year’s Fusion Film Festival screening and competition. We reached out to the finalists from all 12 categories to get to know more about who they are, what inspires them, and how they feel about being a part of Fusion.
UNDERGRADUATE HOUR PILOT SCREENPLAY:
Jennifer Helen Coates
Major in Dramatic Writing, Minor in Producing – Tisch School of the Arts
Class of May 2016
Hometown: Germantown, Maryland
Screenplay: Wasteland
Danielle Kampf
Major in Film & Television – Tisch School of the Arts
Class of 2017
Hometown: Syosset, NY
Screenplay: A.C.T.
Anna Rich
Major in Dramatic Writing, Minor in Creative Writing – Tisch School of the Arts/College of Arts and Sciences
Class of Fall 2016
Hometown: Virginia
Screenplay: Chosen No More
How did you decide to become a writer/filmmaker/animator/etc.?
Jennifer: I owe everything to J.K. Rowling! When I was younger, I’d write my own Harry Potter books while I was waiting for the new ones to come out. I loved the world that she created, and I wanted to be able to create worlds of my own someday.
Danielle: I first decided to study film when I was a junior in high school. Prior to that I was on a science based track.
Anna: With a family that communicates in movie quotes and cartoon impressions, there was little hope for me but to join the entertainment industry.
What inspires you?
Jennifer: Really innovative stories. I love going to the movies to see stories that are outside the realm of what happens in my daily life.
Danielle: Even though I’m aspiring to be a filmmaker, science is always something that will inspire me.
Anna: I find inspiration in nature, the latest scientific break throughs, and dragons.
Why did you submit to Fusion?
Jennifer: It’s important for women to have their voices celebrated, especially in an industry that doesn’t offer many opportunities for women outright. Fusion has done a great job at creating opportunities for women to collaborate and celebrate filmmaking across different platforms.
Danielle: I submitted to Fusion Film Festival because I have a large respect for the platform and the community it creates.
Anna: Having interests that lie in typically male dominated genres, from animation to science fiction to anything with explosions in it, I thank the Fusion Film Festival for reminding the world that female filmmakers exist in all disciplines and genres, and they’re done waiting in the wings.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you?
Anna: I am currently working on a web series set for production in May, and I have a new musical running in the 50th Anniversary Forum in Educational Theater this April (I wrote the book).
The screening of Fusion Film Festival finalists and the awards ceremony will take place at 6:30pm at Cantor Film Center on Saturday, March 5th.