RaMell Ross, the director behind the Golden Globe-winning, Oscar-nominated historical drama Nickel Boys, brought his unique approach to cinema to 四虎影视. Ross spent a day with students through a series of events across campus. Meeting with multiple groups throughout the day, Ross generously engaged students on a series of topics.

The Morganroth Auditorium buzzed with excitement from both students and faculty. Ross鈥攁 critically acclaimed artist, writer, director, and Brown University professor, and a distinctive voice in contemporary cinema鈥攕pent the day on campus as the featured guest of the 41st Annual Visiting Art Historian Lecture Series, co-hosted by the Liberal Arts and Film Departments.

The day鈥檚 events included meeting with students on the Film Soundstages throughout the day, giving students the opportunity to sit down with the filmmaker, who chatted candidly about filmmaking, his process, and life. In the afternoon, his film Nickel Boys was screened in the Morganroth Auditorium, followed by a talk and Q&A session.

As an artist, Ross deliberately centers Black experience and perspective in his work. His path to cinema was non-linear. Before becoming a filmmaker, Ross played professional basketball for a team in Ireland鈥檚 SuperLeague North Division. Following his basketball career in Ireland, he returned to the United States to teach, a role he continues as an associate professor in the Visual Arts Department at Brown University. He has had numerous art and photography exhibitions.

His documentary debut, Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018), earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature, along with a Special Jury Award at Sundance and a Peabody Award.

He then made the leap to narrative filmmaking with Nickel Boys, adapted from Colson Whitehead鈥檚 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, which received Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay nominations at the 97th Academy Awards.

Nickel Boys tells the story of two Black teenagers at an abusive Florida reform school during the Jim Crow era, inspired by the real-life horrors of the Dozier School for Boys, informed by the real-life testimonials gathered by Whitehead for the novel. What sets the film apart is its radical formal approach: shot entirely from the first-person point of view of its two protagonists, Ross鈥檚 concept of 鈥渟entient perspective鈥� or 鈥淏lack subjectivity鈥� asks audiences not to observe these young men鈥檚 lives, but to live inside them.

For students who spent the day with Ross, the visit felt like more than an inspiring lecture. Jayde Dauley, Film Senior and Black Student Union President, who also helped give Ross a tour of the film department鈥檚 facilities and showcased Black history in the surrounding area, reflected on the significance of the visit. 鈥淎s a film senior, I was ecstatic at the opportunity to meet and talk with RaMell Ross. Being able to hold conversation and ask questions about his life and work was exciting and entirely welcomed by my peers and I.鈥�

鈥淎s a filmmaker myself, I found it helpful to receive advice from an active filmmaker in industry whose work is intentional and cultured,鈥� Dauley shared.

Daniel Pacheco, who organized the recording of the lecture and Q&A and had the chance to speak with Ross afterwards, was struck by both the filmmaker鈥檚 generosity of spirit and the precision of his artistic thinking. 鈥淚 felt as if my consciousness expanded just listening to him. He鈥檚 not only a true artist in every sense of the word, but also a scholar and one of the most inspiring filmmakers I鈥檝e had the privilege of talking to,鈥� Pacheco shared. 鈥淟earning about his views on cinema and his own approach to art has had a profound impact on me, and I think it鈥檚 already changed my trajectory as an artist.鈥� One line in particular stayed with him: Ross鈥檚 observation that as an artist, 鈥測ou鈥檙e always trying to make something smarter than yourself.鈥�

鈥淚t was one of the best experiences I鈥檝e had at Ringling by far,鈥� Pacheco said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for Hector Sotomayor and all the people responsible for putting this together.鈥�

The Visiting Art Historian Lecture Series is now in its 41st year, continuing its mission of bringing transformative creative voices to campus.

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Race, who also received a total of four Gold ADDYs, earned her Best in Show recognition for Between Us, an infographic iPad application that visualizes data on loneliness with interconnected personal stories. She also received a Judge鈥檚 Choice award for Two Wheels @Houston, a campaign to promote bicycling as a lower-stress alternative to traffic-heavy commutes.

The other two Judge鈥檚 Choice awards went to Nathan Kipka 鈥�27, Motion Design and Brallan Ramirez 鈥�27, Graphic Design.

In total, 四虎影视 Graphic Design students took home 20 Gold Awards, one Best in Show, and two Judge鈥檚 Choice. Motion Design students won 55 Gold Awards, 12 Silver, and one Judge鈥檚 Choice. Film Students won five Gold Awards and one Silver Award.

The local ADDYs are the first step in a three-tier national competition presented by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). These winners can go on to compete in the district round, and district winners can then compete for a national ADDY Award.

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The certificate program offers a comprehensive introduction to the rapidly evolving field of virtual production, bridging the gap between conventional film production practices and advanced digital workflows. Through direct engagement with state-of-the-art LED wall technology, real-time rendering, and virtual production pipelines, students are prepared for emerging roles in the entertainment industry.

On December 3, we visited the class to observe students actively working on projects inside the soundstages. Throughout the day, students filmed scenes in front of large LED screens displaying virtual environments developed during the course, demonstrating how virtual environments can be seamlessly integrated into live-action filmmaking.

The Virtual Production I course is co-taught by Virtual Reality Development Faculty Ana Carolina Pereira and Film Faculty Mark Parry and is taught on the soundstages. The introductory course brings together students from multiple departments, ensuring that all participants鈥攔egardless of their academic background鈥攍earn both cinematic and real-time 3D workflows side by side. The curriculum covers the virtual production pipeline, including environment assembly, display configuration, and filming techniques specific to LED walls.

Collaboration is a central focus of the course. Students work together to develop a shared technical and creative language across disciplines while learning essential tools and workflows. The class culminates in individual projects where students design, operate, and film their own virtual production scenes from start to finish.

鈥淔or me, getting the chance to take this class and learn hands-on has been so helpful,鈥� said Danny Connolly 鈥�26, Film. 鈥淲e get to work from start to finish on designing scenes, putting them on the LED wall, and finally shooting and editing the scenes on set. I really feel ready to go into the industry with all the knowledge and experience I鈥檝e gotten from class.鈥�

Upon completing the Virtual Production Certificate, students demonstrate technical proficiency in real-time rendering, LED wall operation, and camera tracking; apply artistic decision-making that enhances storytelling and visual quality; and perform effectively in collaborative crew roles within professional virtual production environments.

The nine-credit certificate includes Virtual Production I and Virtual Production II, along with either a Film Internship or the Virtual Post-Production class. Together, these courses provide a focused pathway for students seeking practical experience and industry-relevant skills in virtual production.

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Directed by Benjamin Kegan, Seconds Away offers an intimate view of the close relationship between the Olympic-hopeful Belgian American runner Peter Callahan and his coach Patrick McHugh, who is diagnosed with cancer. Kegan鈥檚 work often explores how relationships to our bodies can reveal something deeper about who we are as a society and individuals, situating the body within a larger political, cultural, or social context. In the 2009 short film Team Taliban, he explored post-9/11 politics through professional wrestling and his 2020 documentary Expiration Term of Service centered on the labor tensions of aging soldiers caught in military bureaucracy.  

鈥淪tylistically, we wanted the film to feel more like a narrative feature than a traditional talking-heads documentary,鈥� said Kegan, shining light on Webley鈥檚 cinematography on the project. 鈥淒rawing from works like Chlo茅 Zhao鈥檚 The Rider and Kon Ichikawa鈥檚 Tokyo Olympiad, we leaned into v茅rit茅 intimacy and a cinematic, subjective style to immerse the viewers in the rhythm, breath, and inner world of our subjects.鈥�

A Forbes review compared Seconds Away to the renowned 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams, noting that 鈥淜egan and Webley captured a slice of life in a way that is not often presented on screen for professional runners.鈥�

The Voyage Out,听directed by Barlow Jacobs, follows professional hunter Mark Warnke, survival expert Callie Russell, and 28-year-old tech entrepreneur Mansal Denton on an eventful eight-day bow-hunting trip in the Sawtooth Mountain Range in Idaho. Webley shot the film using Super 16mm film. Executive producers Ley Line Entertainment also produced Best Picture Winner Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Jacobs described the logistical challenges Webley and the rest of the crew faced during the shoot: 鈥淚 knew we were going to be deep in the mountains and fully off the grid for eight to 10 days, shooting on film, with a three-man crew: cinematographer, an assistant cameraman, and a sound guy. I knew the logistics of that were going to be a massive challenge. Marc told me we would be hiking five to eight miles per day at around 9,000-11,000 feet elevation. And we would be doing that with all of our film gear, off-trail, traversing a raw and brutal landscape. The temperature fluctuates from 11 degrees to 78 degrees on any given day. We were sleeping on the ground. I could go on and on.鈥�

Webley previously served as the cinematographer for the 2020 Peruvian comedy La Restauraci贸n by writer/director Alonso Llosa and as director/cinematographer for the 2022 short film Beef.

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Beaver Fever follows an idealistic young man protesting poor customer service, only to be confronted by an unscrupulous mascot focused only on sales.

During the free, three-week workshop, part of an exclusive partnership between Booker and 四虎影视, Kauffman and Phelan worked on their sound mix for the seven-minute film under the guidance of Film faculty and Studio Labs sound designer Nick Palladino, with Studio Labs sound designers Troy Logan and Riley Cullather.

鈥淭his was another case of Ringling鈥檚 passion for helping our students, leading to something greater than they could ever have imagined,鈥澨齭aid听Booker VPA film producer John Timpe. “Our students are well-prepared for the step into college thanks to the workshop.”

In addition to the summer workshop, the partnership between Booker and 四虎影视 also includes scholarship opportunities, the chance to sit in on Film Department Head Patrick Alexander鈥檚 classes, and opportunities to hear from notable guest speakers on campus.

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After the internship, Bennett granted Callins permission to use his music in his Ringling Thesis Film, Contagious Swagger. That collaboration would become a pivotal moment for Callins, leading to a full-time position on Bennett鈥檚 team after graduation. As a content creator, he began developing new concepts for music videos, skits, and promotional materials. Efforts that not only elevated Bennett鈥檚 projects but also deepened Callins鈥檚 ties with the Bennett family.

The Ringling grad took his work with Chance the Rapper a few steps further, joining his creative team as a content creator. Callins now travels across the country capturing behind-the-scenes footage, music videos, and tour content at major venues and events鈥攊ncluding Chicago鈥檚 music festival Lollapalooza.

鈥淓very day there鈥檚 something new to work on when you鈥檙e working with a celebrity like Chance,鈥� Callins said.

As Callins explained, both Taylor and Chance are independent artists, which allows their team the freedom to stay authentic and innovative without the pressures or constraints of a major record label.

Callins鈥檚 first official assignment for Chance was filming his July 2025 performance at a Chicago Fire soccer game, followed by the rapper鈥檚 surprise set at Lollapalooza.

Since joining the team, Callins continues to push himself creatively. 鈥淗onestly, I was comfortable just being a behind-the-scenes videographer and editor,鈥� he admitted. 鈥淲hen the RIDE music video was being created, they asked if I could operate a camera, which I had little to no experience with. I wanted to say no. I didn鈥檛 think I was ready. But I trusted myself and the team, strapped myself in the seat, and made the magic work.鈥�

Chance plans to release several new music videos this year, including one filmed by Callins during the And We Back Tour this fall. For that project, Callins will be credited as camera operator, editor, and producer鈥攁 full-circle achievement for the Ringling Film graduate.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not always about the equipment you鈥檙e shooting with,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the story you tell.鈥�

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The Hollywood Reporter annually ranks film programs in the United States based on how well they prepare students for a future in the industry. The College has been consistently lauded for giving its Film students extensive hands-on experience while immersed in a world-class art school community. The publication has also praised the program鈥檚 high-tech facilities centered on the 四虎影视 Studio Labs, which is the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility of its kind in the state of Florida.

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The day marked the last of a six-week project for Studio Labs sound designer and coordinator Troy Logan 鈥�22, Film. The group, joined by Riley Cullather 鈥�26, Film, who supported Logan on the project, met in the Studio Labs鈥� Dolby Atmos theater to give the mix a final pass鈥攑unching out any wishlist items, fixing tech issues, and addressing the directors鈥� notes before delivering them a final product at the end of the day.

Jit follows Alex, a wannabe thug, and his older brother Dillon, freshly released from a brief jail sentence. After a night of partying at their local trap house, Dillon mysteriously disappears. Alex begins to investigate, trekking across a strange and hostile Floridian environment and encountering esoteric characters. Once Alex gets a new job at the strange retirement trailer park community called Friendship Terrace, the pieces begin to fall into place.

In March, Logan began cleaning up the dialog, balancing the music, and roughing in automation. He shared that working on this project required working in a narrative world of dissonance. 鈥淭hugs, house parties, lizard people, government surveillance鈥攁ll of these elements inspired a mix that could be described as cacophony, in a good way!鈥�

Towards the end of the project, Logan enlisted the help of current Film student Cullather to help record and piece in any missing foley, sound effects, or sweeteners. 

鈥淕etting to be one of the final hands to touch a project that was only words on a stack of papers when I was a student here feels like an incredible full-circle moment,鈥� Logan said. 鈥淚 got to see my peers after quite some years and witness the growth they had undergone as filmmakers and creatives.鈥�

span the length of a city block and house five professional, acoustically isolated soundstages and 5,000 square feet of post-production space. Students from every major have the opportunity to utilize Studio Labs. Through community outreach programs, local high school students also have the opportunity to attend week-long workshops at Studio Labs and learn new skills.

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The interdisciplinary project supports the development of professional skills for students from both majors. The Film students hone their pitching skills while also learning how to work with graphic designers to gather design assets for their films. The Graphic Design students gain experience working with real clients, who are deeply invested in the outcome of their projects. The promotional film posters that they create are used for years to come, as the films circulate the festival circuit.

The students create and participate in real-world creative industry workflows, encouraging collaborative problem-solving, visual communication, and the application of discipline-specific skills in a professional context.

Poster designer Isabelle Drischler 鈥�25, Graphic Design, described her experience working on the project: 鈥淗onestly, I didn鈥檛 have a lot of knowledge about film at all. It was truly a whole new world for me. I learned a ton working with Michaela Cowan on her film Tin Can Sailors,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got to talk to her about the process of making the film, see behind-the-scenes, and hear directly from her what made her film so special. I think my favorite part of the experience was just this deep appreciation between the designers and the film students. I knew I couldn鈥檛 do what they do, and it felt like they saw us in the same way. There was a very mutual respect, and I think it鈥檚 the biggest reason why we had so many amazing posters this year.鈥� 

Graphic Design students have the opportunity to work on a number of projects for real-life clients while they are at Ringling. Through the College鈥檚 in-house Design Center, students get credit or pay to work on real projects for the College or outside clients. Students delve deeper into their focused areas of interest through student groups, like the Screenprinting Club and the Type Club, which put together an annual typeface exhibition, Ligature.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 so special when you get to work on projects that truly mean something to someone,鈥� said Drischler.

四虎影视 Film students graduate with a strong foundation in creative collaboration. They work on 60 films during their time in the program, and learn every aspect of the process, including screenwriting, cinematography, producing, directing, production design, editing, and sound design. Their senior thesis films are produced by crews comprised of other senior Film students.听

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The Saturday viewing will feature five short thesis films from 2024 Film grads: Curtain Call, Culture War, Walk of Generations, Swan Song, and Best Kept Shut. Read more about the films:

Curtain Call, 2024

18 min. Directed and written by Wilderley Mauricette 鈥�24, produced by Zachary Rodriguez 鈥�24, and starring Jared Wofford, Tony J Scott, and Donavan Cornelius.

Jared Wofford (StartUP, Swagger, David Makes Man) and Tony J. Scott (Manhunt. The Equalizer) star in this American crime drama following Rashon, a young, intelligent drug dealer secretly pursuing his passion for theater. As he juggles managing a team of dealers under his powerful mentor, Kane (Jared Wofford), and leading a play at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, his double life begins to unravel. With opening night approaching, Rashon’s dedication to theatre causes him to miss critical drug meetings, drawing Kane’s suspicion. Confronted and warned by Kane, Rashon is torn between his two worlds. Ultimately, he chooses the stage over a crucial drug deal, leading to chaos in his criminal operations and an unexpected, transformative confrontation with Kane.

This film will also screen on Sunday, April 6, at 11 am at New College of Florida鈥檚 Sainer Pavilion as part of a series of Florida Narrative Shorts.

Poster designed by Sandra Lee 鈥�24, Graphic Design. 

Culture War, 2024

27 min. Directed and written by Celi Mitidieri 鈥�24, produced by Celi Mitidieri and Milena Montero 鈥�24, and executive produced by Patrick Alexander, Vivian Owen, Carmela French, and Susan Palmer. Starring Libby Harrity, Gaby Batista, and Kyla Baldonado. Cinematography by Alejandra Cintron Rivera 鈥�24, edited by Matthew Peterson 鈥�24, and production design by Carly Jones 鈥�24. Sound design by Nicholas Horne 1鈥�24 and composition by Katya Richardson 鈥�24.

A small Liberal Arts College in Sarasota, Florida, finds itself in a culture war against the government for the basic right of educational freedom. Now, the community must learn how to find resistance amid a reality they didn’t sign up for. 

This film will also screen on Friday, April 11, at 2:30 pm at New College of Florida鈥檚 Sainer Pavilion, as part of a collection of Florida Documentary Shorts. 

Walk of Generations, 2024

2 min. Directed and written by Delaney Mann 鈥�24, produced by Milena Montero 鈥�24, and starring Jamie Saunders, Tommy Bolanos, Morgan Elgarten, and Null Chirpich.

A young artist at a thrift store discovers a magical pair of Dr. Martens that connect her to the boots’ previous owners.

This film will also screen on Sunday, April 6, at 11 am at New College of Florida鈥檚 Sainer Pavilion as part of a series of Florida Narrative Shorts.

Swan Song, 2024

17 min. Directed and written by Matthew Peterson 鈥�24, produced by Nicholas Horne 鈥�24 and Matthew Peterson, cinematography by Beau Agrawal 鈥�24, and edited by Delaney Mann 鈥�24. Starring Noel Olken, Joanna Walchuk, Veronica Bernier, Tommy Bolanos, and Muna Nweke.

Andrew, a film student, must connect with his unresponsive father, Tom, who has Alzheimer鈥檚. When every attempt to relate to him fails, Andrew turns to filmmaking, the only medium Tom responds to.

Best Kept Shut, 2024

12 min. Directed and written by Gabriel Lopez 鈥�24, produced by Milena Montero 鈥�24, and starring Mandy Mills, Jordan Woods-Robinson, and Jim Edwards.

A young woman discovers a hidden, locked door in the house where her father has gone missing.

A second screening of 四虎影视 films will take place on Sunday, April 6 at noon. The films were all made as part of an Index initiative featuring Florida groups and organizations. Each of the six student-made short documentary films highlights the important work of local environmental nonprofits. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion.

FEATURED DOCUMENTARIES:

Computer Animation

Two animated shorts by 四虎影视 Computer Animation grads will screen on Friday, April 5, at 5 pm in the  Morganroth Auditorium as part of a screening of Animated Shorts. 

Hotel L’infini, 2024

3 min. Directed and written by May (Hsi-Chen) Lee 鈥�24 and Lindsay Browne 鈥�24

Jacque, a diligent bellboy of the extravagant Hotel L鈥檌nfini, is caught red-handed for possible murder by a brooding detective who chases him through the hotel.

The Mooning, 2024

3 min. Directed and written by Mason Klesch 鈥�24 and Vivian Osness 鈥�24, with voices by Jack Broadbent, Bethan Dixon, Carol Sparrow, and Brandon Jenkins.

An animated mocumentary that reveals the truth behind the 1969 moon landing.

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