The Film and Media Studies department is often and easily overlooked at Hopkins, a school known for its overwhelming number of pre-meds and International Studies students. But the small department gained huge benefits when it was asked to tour the studio of the CW's new hit show Gossip Girl during the first week in April.
A group of around 15 undergraduates embarked on a trip to New York City that was organized by associate director of Film and Media Studies Linda DeLibero, the Hopkins Office of External Affairs and the president of Motion Picture Enterprises, Neal Pilzer '78. The original goal of the trip was to introduce current Hopkins film majors to alumni who are in the film, television and media industries. While the visit to New York accomplished this through a cocktail party where students met and talked to alumni, it also offered students a much broader glimpse into the industry.
Students found the party a good way to get a new perspective of the industry. Freshman Mac Schwerin commented, "I was encouraged by the number of very enthusiastic JHU grads we met; it's nice to know that there's a thriving network of interesting and successful people in the business, especially considering the department's small size." Students were actually able to tour the set of Gossip Girl while shooting was taking place and had the opportunity to visit the set of the BBC's What Not to Wear as well.
Thanks to the generosity of assistant director and Hopkins parent Vebe Borge, students were welcomed graciously on location in Queens, N.Y. on the set of Gossip Girl. Arriving right off the bus from Baltimore, students were quickly ushered into seats on the sidewalk outside where the crew was shooting a scene inside a café, and a TV was set up to watch what was being shot inside.
The set of the show was bustling with production assistants, cameramen, hair and makeup artists, costume designers, set dressers, grips, actors and, of course, paparazzi. Though for the time being the majors were not actually inside watching the actors, they got a first-hand glance at the production side of things (an aspect many are involved with in their classes at Hopkins).
Members of the production team, including Borge and second assistant director Brian Kenyon, spoke to students about their personal involvement in the industry. From many of the production assistants' points of view things seemed bleak. Students were told that it's hard to get a break into the business and even when you're in it's a lot of tedious, small jobs until you even get close to "making it." Most weren't disillusioned though and realize what it takes to be in the film and television industry.
Even for those students who don't watch the show, which seemed to be the majority, the experience was still thrilling. The Hopkins students had a first-hand opportunity to learn about the technology used to create the show. Director of Photography Ron Fortunato spoke to some students about filming the show and gave them a tour around the tent where he oversees the film production process.
The knowledgeable majors were amazed by the completely digital and high definition technology used on a television show that is mostly aimed at young teenagers. Though the content of the show may not have been to everyone's taste, students came away from the experience realizing that the work that goes into making such a show spectacular.
Freshman film major Aljosa Zovko said, "The best part was seeing the collaboration of such a large crew, from production assistant to sound engineer, working simultaneously and synchronously to create a professional production such as Gossip Girl."
One of the greatest experiences while on set was when students were allowed into the "café" where the shooting was taking place to watch the actors rehearse their lines and stage their actions. Of course the glamour of the movie stars, including Blake Lively, Michelle Trachtenberg and Penn Badgley, and being mere feet away from them left the students somewhat starry-eyed. But keeping their cool, many of the majors were also enthralled by being inside the set and seeing the cameras used.
After leaving the set where the shooting was taking place, a quick bus ride brought students to Silvercup Studios, where the rest of the sets for the show are. Students were given a tour of each of the different rooms used in the show, including (for those who are familiar with the show) the Humphrey's apartment, Blaire's room and bathroom, the Waldorf's apartment, Rufus's studio and the characters' high school. Though there was no live shooting, this aspect of the trip proved to be just as exciting.
"The indoor studios were really interesting, especially the wall-size high resolution photographs of Manhattan, which are used as background to create the impression of an on-location shoot," Zovko said.
The personal tour of the set gave students a view of television they don't typically receive in the classroom. It gave them a chance to see firsthand what they hope to do in the future or to decide that this aspect of production isn't for them. The two-day trip ended with a tour of the reality show What Not to Wear in Manhattan. Similar to their tour of the Gossip Girl set, students were shown around the studio, saw the production side of the show and talked at length with both a production assistant and Pilzer. Even Cameron Granger, a senior soon to graduate from the Film and Media Studies program, found that the trip showed her new things about film production.
"I was impressed with the camera magic they can do with a small shooting space to create a large on-screen environment. The What Not to Wear set was smaller than a lecture hall, but you never notice it on TV," Granger said.
Pilzer seemed like a beacon of hope to students as he spoke of widening the relationship between Motion Picture Enterprises and its contacts with the Hopkins students. Not only was the trip a rewarding experience for students to get a first hand view of different sets and how production works, but also broadened the Film and Media Studies department's liaisons, which will hopefully help students in the future.
