From the Set to the Screen: Kristina’s Journey with the Montclair Film Program

As part of the Youth Arts Education Council, our students explore how their creative practice shapes who they become. In this feature, Kristina shares what it was like directing and co-writing an original short film, Buy Your Best Buddy, through the Montclair Film Program, and how the experience is shaping her path forward in filmmaking.

What have you been up to since participating in the Youth Arts Ed Council?
I have been participating in the Montclair film program. This July, I helped direct and co-write a movie called BuyYourBestBuddy.com at this program. The movie is about a person named Kiley who had agoraphobia and had no friends. Their online friend suggests buying a buddy to cure her loneliness and it’s amazing at the beginning but quickly goes south.

How did the program impact you personally or professionally?
This program impacted me personally by letting me find my voice in having women and girl leads in film. One film I made during an indie film program in Montclair, Melon, helped me realize I don’t have to stay in a box. They helped me make a film led by a girl and I hope in the future that I make more women led movies.

What skills or techniques have stayed with you?
The techniques of editing films stayed with me. How I can use J and L cuts in the editing, which can help conversations move along faster by switching to the other person when they’re almost done speaking. I also used different angles of the same scene while cutting in between to make it less boring in film, which I will use in the future for movies I’ll make.

Did the experience help you step outside your comfort zone?
Yes, it helped me step out of my comfort zone by making us solve hard problems, like time constraints. One problem we had on set was how much time we had to get it done in the span of 3 days. It was stressful to do in the beginning but we were able to get it all done.

What advice would you give future participants?
Be aware of time constraints. You will have to cut out certain scenes even if you really want them, you will have to edit last minute if you’re still shooting, but it will all be fun. Also, make sure you and your crew get along even if you are stressed out, because in the end the film will turn out great.

What’s next for you?
What’s next for me is I continue on planning to do film. I plan on making more movie scripts and editing and changing my ideas. I plan on shooting a film soon but am still in the works editing the script I’m making.

With your chosen art form, where do you see these skills playing a role in your future?
I hope to major in film in college and helping me get a career in film. I believe it will help me work with others to get our ideas out and connect with others. Film is always changing and I hope to bring new perspectives to people through the skills of film.