LMU Theatre Students Make Feature Film

LMU Theatre students had the opportunity to produce, film, and premiere a full-length feature film entirely on campus. The screening, in Strub Theatre, marked the conclusion of the Theatre Arts' Acting for Camera Practicum, an ambitious, semester-long project that was supervised by James Holmes, senior lecturer of theatre, and Eileen O'Connell, graduate co-director.

The practicum course offers students an immersive opportunity to trade traditional stage play for camera acting. By treating the classroom as a live production set, students could experience the environment they will encounter in their professional careers upon graduating. For the students - cast and crew - the commitment required discipline.

"Shooting this film took months," said theatre arts major Niles Cosey '26. "Days on set were much different than days spent rehearsing a play. There were multiple takes for one scene, so it was important to stay in character and make sure you were giving a good line reading to whoever was getting their coverage."

Performance wasn't the only important takeaway. The curriculum helped students acclimate to the complexity of filmmaking. This included students learning set design, physical space transformation, and sound engineering.

"This class helped us learn more about the process and logistics of making a film," said theatre arts major Andrea Moctezuma Martinez '29. "We saw the process of the classroom transformation, all the hours put into the film, the sound logistics, and connecting with the other characters. The teamwork was inspiring."

"I was deeply impressed by the students' performances throughout the project. They approached the work with remarkable professionalism, commitment, and generosity," said O'Connell. "Their willingness to fully invest in the characters and the story resulted in performances that were nuanced, authentic, and emotionally compelling. Watching them grow in confidence and skill over the course of the production was one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience and reinforced the tremendous educational value of experiential learning in actor training."

For the cast that had poured their energy for months into this project, the outcome was rewarding. "The final showcase, where we all watched the edited film together, was a great way to wrap the experience," Martinez said.