Noah McNair, Film & Media Arts, Junior/Senior, Spring 2021, https://fmx298.santiago.bz/nmcnair/

Since before High School, I have considered myself a ‘Renaissance Man’ or a ‘Jack of All Trades, Master of Some.’ My artistic palette is ever expanding. I am improving on my complimentary eye, as my critical eye currently dominates how I see artwork, that is, my own as well as others’. My high school film instructor, Mr. Richard Jansen, was the most influential figure in my film education, and taught me most of what I knew going into the university setting, and even today.

Of course, my various college film professors have taught the same ideals, but few helped me grow as much as Jansen. Dr. Dwayne Meeks, the Dean of Students for the College of Communication at Palm Beach Atlantic University, taught me everything I know about Editing Theory, the exact effects of specific juxtapositions, and even the history of film as a medium.

It was not until I transferred to University of Tampa that I realized how revolutionary film has been globally, thanks to the guidance of Dr. Cohen. The enlightenment from that only fueled my passion for filmmaking. This fuel will last me for the entirety of my journey across the expansive realm of storytelling. My passion drives story into the frontlines of production, and sends petty entertainment onto the back-burners of storytelling, so as to pave the way for a new wave of audiovisual expression.