Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

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Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

THE MUSE

Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

THE MUSE

Hola, Nihao, Hello, Shalom
Hola, Nihao, Hello, Shalom
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Lining the bleachers in the gymnasium, sophomores cheer on performers during the Battle of the Bands competition.
Battle of the Genres
March 14, 2024
Vocal sophomore Levi Cowen plays the drums during the sophomores’ Battle of the Bands rehearsal. The sophomores had to perform songs from the techno genre.
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“On the Big Screen”

The film department showcases student work at Streaming Canvas film festival
On+screen%2C+theatre+junior+Ryan+Lamontagne+walks+to+his+car+as+part+of+the+film+he+starred+in%2C+%E2%80%9CWhen+I+Look+in+Your+Eyes.%E2%80%9D
Lexi Critchett
On screen, theatre junior Ryan Lamontagne walks to his car as part of the film he starred in, “When I Look in Your Eyes.”

Since the pandemic, seeing movies in the theater has become a rare experience. But on Friday, June 4, the film department put on its annual festival Streaming Canvas, which showcases films that students have made throughout the year.

Streaming Canvas is the result of a collaborative effort from the Film Association and film teacher Ruby Hernandez. This year, 23 films were shown in genres ranging from slapstick comedy, to documentary, to classic horror. The event, held in Meyer Hall – with moviegoers socially distanced and masked – allowed student filmmakers to walk a red carpet and see their art come to life outside of a Google Meet screen.

Digital senior Milan Tangirala and visual senior Morgan Jourdin pose for pictures on the red carpet. Photo by Lexi Critchett.

“Having [the showcase] in the theater makes it so much better,” communications junior Kamryn Bailey said. “Seeing your film on that big screen is one of the best feelings in the world.” 

Last year, the film department scheduled Streaming Canvas to be on Friday, March 13. That same day, the district ordered schools to close for two weeks due to concerns of the pandemic. They had to cancel the event, and were unsure if they were going to have it in-person this year. However, as the school started to allow more in-person performances, they were granted approval to hold the event. 

“I was so excited,” said communications senior and film association president Sonali Vijay. “I feel lucky that we were able to do something. Before Covid, I took going to events […] for granted. [Now] we recognize what we’ve lost and we’re trying to not take anything for granted.”

Students of all majors were welcomed to submit films to Streaming Canvas, though the majority come from film students who work throughout the year to build their portfolio. Submissions this year were delayed as students faced obstacles shooting during the pandemic. Once the films were submitted, Mrs. Hernandez picked which ones would be shown at the event.  

“Logistically, this was a nightmare of a year,” Mrs. Hernandez said. “I was worried coming in this year that we weren’t going to have a lot of films being made. But students were creative, so we have more films than I thought we were going to have. I’m very proud.” 

After the films had been shown, the two film association presidents, Vijay and communication senior Caleb Harris, got on stage with bouquets to show their appreciation for both Mrs. Hernandez and the department’s artist in residence and film association alumni Roberto Torres. Both students spoke about the impact being in the department had on their lives. 

“I would not be who I am today without Mrs. Hernandez,” Vijay said. “I owe so much to her. She was always someone I turned to, and she was a confidant for me – someone I always looked up to as a filmmaker and as a teacher and as a person. Allowing everybody else to hear how amazing she is was really important.”

Communications senior Caleb Harris talks on stage about how film teacher Mrs. Hernandez and artist in residence and film association alumni Roberto Torres have impacted his life. Photo by Lexi Critchett.

As students filed into the event, they laughed and embraced their friends as they took photos on the red carpet. Applause could be heard after the conclusion of each short film as family and friends appreciated the work done by the artists over the past year.

“[Streaming Canvas] is about celebrating everybody’s work,” Bailey said. “We all work so hard on our films and a lot of times it goes unnoticed. I’m happy this year they made it possible.”

Having an in-person event meant student filmmakers were able to see their films on the “big screen,” an experience that Mrs. Hernandez’s film students strive for.

“Having your film on a big screen is a different experience,” Mrs. Hernandez said. “Having surround sound and a huge screen changes the way you look at your film. You watch it on your phone and it’s small. Then you watch it on a larger screen, and it’s bigger than you – literally and figuratively.”

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About the Contributor
Jenna Lee, Print Managing Editor
Jenna Lee is a third-year staffer and print managing editor on The Muse. Apart from working on the publication, Jenna also competes in Public Forum debate on the Dreyfoos Speech and Debate Team, serves as the co-president of A.R.T.S. Club, and writes for the local magazine South Florida Insider. When she is not drowning in homework, Jenna likes to read books like Song of Achilles and watch her comfort shows. Jenna is extremely passionate about doing good journalism and telling the stories most important to our community.
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