Costuming, set design, storyboarding; filmmaking is a lengthy process that includes many steps, but one that senior Tracelyn Witsell has fallen in love with.
“I was always weird about watching movies growing up, but I loved the behind the scenes work,” Witsell said. “I started filmmaking when I was 7 or 8 and had access to an iPad. [I] loved to use iMovie to make trailers and short films with my toys.”
Finding their passion at a young age, Witsell experienced an immediate connection to the step-by-step process of filmmaking. They joined their school’s news team in fifth grade and explored the intricate operation of making films, often making short films on their phone for practice. Witsell continued on the school news team in middle school and high school, growing their understanding of filmmaking from home projects to actual short films.
“I actually understand terminology and what I’m doing now. My equipment has gone from a tiny iPad or iPhone to actual digital cameras. I can draw a lot better and I’m much more creative. I use actual sets and actors rather than my room/backyard and toys,” Witsell said.
Among the many areas of filmmaking, Witsell works in creative direction, focusing on the complex but essential facets of film such as set design, character creation, and script writing. Balancing all these responsibilities can prove chaotic and stressful, requiring close orchestration of each element.
“You have to find a good place to film for a few hours, schedule the best date and time for everyone working, cast characters, write and draw the script and storyboard, get props/clothes, and make sure we have all the technical equipment,” Witsell said. “A lot goes into making a film.”
As each part of filmmaking brings its own challenge, working alone is not an option, but working with a group is not easy either.
“When I started high school classes, the biggest struggle was the people. It took me a while before I found good film friends that enjoyed doing the same things as me, but even then there could be some clashes,” Witsell said. “Not everyone you work with is going to have the same opinions or thought processes, so there’s a lot of compromise.”
Regardless of these obstacles, Witsell has never wavered in their love for filmmaking. While their work focuses on creating films for others to watch, what happens behind the camera is what they enjoy the most.
“There’s two things I love about making films. First is the creative aspect, I think it’s so interesting to make characters or worlds, build or work on colors and shots. It’s another form of telling a story,” Witsell said. “The second thing is working with my friends. I love my friends, and making these projects makes our bond stronger, it gives me a reason to go out and makes my hobby enjoyable.”
Taking the hobby beyond home projects, Witsell works with a team of other students to create short films, which they submit to various film contests such as the STN Horrorfest. In a recent film titled “It Lies Silent,” Witsell was able to work as assistant director, overseeing each step of the process.
“My group got to work on an actual set at the mall and it was awesome. I got to storyboard and draw character designs, along with creating, filming, and watching edits…overall an amazing experience,” Witsell said.
Intending on pursuing film after graduation, Witsell plans on continuing to submit films into contests to build their portfolio. They hope to attend UCF and major in film.
“Making movies is expensive, time consuming, and stressful. You have to have a lot of passion to continue. It’s fun and easy to watch movies, but the behind the scenes can take weeks [or] years. Motivation can be hard to find but you need to have it, and you have to have it with passion,” Witsell said.
