Welcome to a class where the process is the story.

This collaborative ePortfolio documents our Spring 2026 filmmaking partnership with Next Generation Storytellers. Supported by the ODU Office of the Provost, the College of Arts and Letters Dean’s Office, the Monarch Humanities Internship Academy, and the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, the project archives our films while highlighting student learning, creative collaboration, and professional growth.

Storytelling and Film Senior Experience seeks to provide students with practical techniques of the filmmaking process, with an emphasis on hands-on experience through work-based learning. Under the mentorship of industry experts, students led pre-production, production, and post-production phases while creating final products to be entered in regional and national competitions.

Students will actively engage in all stages of the filmmaking process, ranging from script development and analysis, production planning, shot composition and framing, and working with actors and crew. The course integrates industry-relevant practices, providing opportunities to work with film industry professionals.

Lights. Camera. Learning.

How these Three Components Build
Career Readiness in Filmmaking

The Storytelling & Film: Senior Experience course is designed with career readiness at its core. Each element of the course, the professional film project, the Making Of mini documentary, and the communal course ePortfolio, directly aligns with the NACE Career Readiness Competencies valued by employers across industries.

1. Hands-On Filmmaking with Next Generation Storytellers

Teamwork & Collaboration: Students take on crew roles, learning to communicate, problem-solve, and work effectively under production pressures.
Leadership: Directors, producers, and department heads step into leadership positions, guiding peers through the creative process.
Professionalism: Students adapt to real-world expectations and deadlines, mirroring industry practice.

2. Behind-the-Scenes “Making Of” Mini Documentary

Communication: Students practice articulating their process, challenges, and achievements through interviews and reflection on camera.
Technology: Students engage with digital media tools, from filming to editing, while exploring visual storytelling techniques.
Critical Thinking: By documenting the filmmaking journey, students analyze decisions and evaluate how collaboration impacts the final product.

3. Communal Course ePortfolio

Career & Self-Development: Students curate digital artifacts, highlight transferable skills, and connect academic experiences to future goals.
Equity & Inclusion: The communal ePortfolio emphasizes collective reflection, amplifying diverse student voices and perspectives.
Digital Literacy: Students learn to present professional, shareable evidence of their work in ways that resonate with employers and audiences.

Together, these three components create a signature ODU work-based learning experience that blends creativity with career readiness in the Department of Communication & Theatre Arts. Students leave the course not only with a completed film credit but also with the professional skills, reflective practices, and digital materials that position them for success in the creative economy and beyond.