Leila Jolene Cenk

Film and Media Arts BFA – Class of 2025

There is a moment, an irreplaceable point in time when I can feel the harsh lights from above beating down on my face, and the indistinct chatter of the crew around me. The final adjustments are made by hair and makeup, the sound is cued up, and in that moment, right as we launch into the first take, that is when everything we have worked for becomes real. This is the very thing that led me down the path of being a filmmaker. My upbringing was unconventional compared to most. I was homeschooled from birth; and granted the ability to take up many extracurricular activities. Through that I discovered my incredible passion for the arts. I studied acting, danced competitively, was trained to sing opera, and began traveling to New York to audition for roles in feature films and on Broadway. In 2013 I was cast as the leading actor on Netflix Series “Seven and Me.” Where we filmed 2 seasons over the course of 3 years with a total of 52 episodes. In no universe could I have predicted I would find myself packing up my entire life to move to Liege, Belgium, to be the lead in the new hybrid animation and live action series. My experiences there have been unparalleled by anything in comparison.  

A year following my graduation, I attended Interlochen Arts Academy for a fifth year of high school, specifically to pursue my passions in film. It was the first time I was able to experience what being a filmmaker was like. My friends and instructors are those who have inspired me most to pursue storytelling. It had introduced me to the possibilities, and shown me that film is a medium in which I do not have to choose a particular role, but use all the skills and abilities I have acquired from all my past arts to incorporate in the work I do today.

Now, I attend The University of Tampa, in pursuit of my Film and Media Arts BFA, with a concentration on film directing and producing. I am already leading and assisting with many film productions in my school and have been working on professional sets as a Production Assistant, primarily on minor feature films and TV series. My most valuable asset is recruiting all of my crew members and bringing all elements of a production together. Whether that is as the role of a Producer, Director of Assistant Director. One of the greatest things about being in film is the ability of have an incredible variety of roles, since being multifaceted an incredibly important aspect of being a director. However, I find myself overwhelmed by the many things I wish to pursue. It has been my greatest challenge to determine how to balance what role I take up behind the camera, or in front of it.

My pursuits following my time as a student, I will be founding my very own production company. Through that, I wish to recruit like-minded artistic individuals, to collaborate across a variety of mediums, with a concentration on film. An upcoming project I am looking forward to coordinating the production a film segment for a magazine in Tampa. It is an indescribable to be on the forefront of a new idea, and to be taking those leading steps with individuals who are working everyday in the industry. Whether it is just the aspect of being a part of something greater or the impact it can achieve.