By James Paleologopoulos
Communications students who submitted their work and were accepted had the fruits of their labor on full display during Fitchburg State’s yearly “Visions” exhibition, with selected works remaining on view through June 29 in the hallway of Sanders Administration building.
Students majoring in film/video, graphic design, and professional communications had their “best original work” selected by a panel of communications faculty members; the works were presented to the campus and community on April 25 during a five-hour-long showcase covering a variety of mediums and subject matter.
“It’s different every time in terms of major diversity,” said Rob Carr, a communications media professor. “I was glad to see … a number of outstanding students participate.”
“Visions” 2012 took place in four separate sections, commencing with a brief introduction to the event by Dr. Randy Howe in Hammond and concluding with screenings of chosen student films in the Conlon Fine Arts building.
After his introduction, Howe led a Q&A session with several alumni on a post-graduate panel. Members of the panel explained the role Fitchburg State played in forming their careers as well as their gratitude toward the school as a whole.
“I think that I got a little taste of everything … but found sections that built off of my interests,” Deidra Scott, a class of 2003 film/video major, told the crowd of faculty and prospective students. “I was given the fundamentals of film here.”
The second act of the exhibit continued in Hammond with the “Visions” forum presentations, featuring a student-run discussion of analyses in three separate fields: Josh Hey’s “To Lead, or Not to Lead?” focused on the aesthetics and importance of various leadership practices in film directing; Kelsey Sterczala’s “The Evolution of the Home Theater” looked at the home video market; and Leah Bianchi’s “Serious Comedy” offered exploration and explanation of a comedy-based environment such as an improvisation club.
“I (felt) good about the presentations,” Carr said. “All of them did a great job advancing their ideas and fielding questions. They realized [their own] expertise, were honest about their views, and ready to speak as experts in their fields.”
Also opening at “Visions” was a gallery of work in the Sanders Administration building. Lining the hallways from Fitchburg State President Robert V. Antonucci’s office to the beginning of the Condike science department and labs were the polished products of the interactive media and motion graphics students, along with dozens of photographs, posters and album covers selected to remain on display in the hall through June.
Finishing the day of student accomplishments and presentations, “Visions” concluded in the Weston Auditorium with two hours’ worth of student films, including the comedic “Jukebox,” the inspiring short “Moving Road,” and a music video for the local hip-hop/reggae group The Alchemystics.