Malachi Sanchez

Film and Media Arts BFA

Graduation: Spring 2025

At an early age, storytelling was always something I adored. Whether it was filling up my notebook or telling stories to my siblings, I had grown to cherish the craft of storytelling. Coming into the University of Tampa, I was still determining if I made the right decision to major in animation. Though I appreciated the art, narrowing myself to one medium seemed wrong. Professor Taylor Curry helped me see that writing stories and bringing them to life was my true passion. It was easy for me to idolize her. Her powerful personality and confidence in her abilities made me want to pursue the same in my work. Professor Cynthia Savaglio inspired me to write what I enjoy, encouraging me to embrace my craft and pursue my dream. These interactions led me to switch my major to Film and Media Arts to expand my range. My interactions with Professor Warren Cockerham have impacted how I approach my work. He challenged me to look at my work outside of the box. Lastly, my interactions and knowledge of Professor Santiago Echeverry have inspired me to speak up about topics I’m passionate about and not just restrain myself to the confines of the industry. This allowed me to challenge myself in my work and helped me understand my true goal in life and what I want out of the content I produce.

One of my biggest strengths is my writing. No matter the genre and media, I write the ideas that come to mind. My creativity and visual thinking allow me to excel in my writing, wanting to transform my literature so everyone can enjoy it. On the big screen, through television, books, and animations. I want to provide engaging stories with a lasting impact for years to come. Besides writing, my other strengths are my determination, competitive nature, and authenticity. These strengths push me to want to achieve my dreams while also wanting to make my peers tackle whatever task to the best of their abilities. Another strength of mine lies in my ability to write, read, and speak Spanish. With this, I can expand my audience and media.

My weaknesses reside in my visuals, on-set experience, and camera technicality. With more experience on sets, I can improve my set design, sound mixing, and camera operation techniques. My visual techniques are amateur in producing posters, resumes, and editing in Premier Pro. Becoming more hands-on and engaging in using these tools can help me advance my skill and knowledge of post-production software and photo editors. Another notable weakness is being able to speak in front of an audience, whether it’s a small group or a crowd; speaking aloud in front of a room has always made me nervous. Though I’ve gotten better with it, I still have a lot of work to do in that department.

After graduation, I plan to continue on my path as a writer, working on solo projects and freelancing to build up my experience and resume for a more consistent position. I will also continue to work on the two books I have started and my graphic novel series. I plan to do short film projects to gain more behind-the-scenes experience. In this, I hope to strengthen my experimental and narrative film catalog. I aim to become one of this generation’s greatest writers and directors. I want my work to have a lasting impact on my audience. Another goal is to start a production company where artists can unite, learn, grow, and allow dreams to become reality. My goal is to transform the world of literature and film.