Silent Film Full uniform. Camouflage with a classic, British WWII helmet. Rubber boots. Olive green pants. A prop revolver. The camera started rolling. I sprinted through the creek but stopped dead in my tracks. I realized I was splashing through standing water. For most actor-directors, this water would be no problem. But for me, a deaf person who wears cochlear implants, the water could mean absolute destruction of my ability to hear. I had to remove my implants--my only way to hear the camera operator yell “action.” Unwilling to slow down production of my self-written, acted, directed, and edited film, I came up with a quick fix: my camera operator would drop a rock behind him to signal “action,” a rock that was in my line of sight. This is one of many challenges that someone like me has to overcome in order to engage in activities that others wouldn’t have to think about. As a deaf individual, I never really had a connection with auditory aspects in life such as music. Instead, I have always been drawn to the creativity behind visual aspects that capture the audience’s eyes rather than their ears. For that reason, I never wanted to create music, but rather, to create movies. While the fame and stardom have been directed towards actors and actresses, my attention has always been drawn toward the creative process behind the camera. Lighting, camera angles, special effects, scriptwriting, and a great story create a foundation for an amazing visual experience. My passion for filmmaking started with the acquisition of hearing aids at age 4. I was mesmerized in theaters and knew from an early age that this was something I needed to pursue. At age 14, I went through surgery for cochlear implants. For two weeks after the surgery, I lived in complete silence as part of the recovery and healing process. As a child, I adapted to reading lips at an expert level but during this time, I was frustrated and scared. I expressed my feelings through poetry, painting, and cooking. Upon activation of the implants, I had to adjust to a new reality. Everyone sounded like Mickey Mouse until my auditory nerve reprogrammed itself. The new school year started one week after activation and I was forced to adjust on the fly. At age 15, Covid-19 ended our school year early. I used this time to write a script and create a set for a World War II-themed movie. With the uncertainty and restriction of the pandemic, this film needed to be shot outdoors in a nearby location. I wrote, directed, edited, and starred in the film with friends from school which took months to create. The film was a tribute to all veterans, especially those in my family who served. While this created memories I’ll never forget, it also displays my dedication to the craft. I have never let my hearing disability get in the way. My deafness has made me more attuned to and appreciative of the visual arts. I’ve always tried to be true to myself and not waste time trying to be something I’m not. I am deaf. It is a condition but it does not define me. I will continue to work hard and learn every aspect of film and video production. I wish to pursue my passion and educational path at the university level because I believe that it will provide the tools and experience necessary for a career in visually creative arts. This scholarship will help me achieve these goals. Thank you for considering my application.

Silent Film I was in full uniform. Camouflage with a classic, British WWII helmet, rubber boots olive green pants and a prop revolver. The camera started rolling. I sprinted through the creek but stopped dead in my tracks. I realized I was splashing through standing water. For most actor-directors, this water would be no problem. But for me, a deaf person who wears cochlear implants, the water could mean absolute destruction of my ability to hear. I had to remove my implants--my only way to hear the camera operator yell “action.” Unwilling to slow down production of my self-written, acted, directed, and edited film, I came up with a quick fix: my camera operator would drop a rock behind him to signal “action,” a rock that was in my line of sight. This is one of many challenges that someone like me has to overcome in order to engage in activities that others wouldn’t have to think about. As a deaf individual, I never had a connection with auditory aspects in life such as music. Instead, I have always been drawn toward filmmaking that captures the audience’s eyes rather than their ears. Lighting, camera angles, special effects, scriptwriting, and a great story create a foundation for an amazing visual experience. My passion for filmmaking started with the acquisition of hearing aids at age 4. I was mesmerized in theaters and knew from an early age that this was something I needed to pursue. My love for motion pictures began when I saw James Cameron’s Titanic. I’ve always had an interest in history. Titanic’s historical accuracy, centered around a Romeo and Juliet-styled love story, inspired me at age six to work behind a camera and turn stories into visual art. At age 14, I went through surgery for cochlear implants. For two weeks after the surgery, I lived in complete silence as part of the recovery and healing process. As a child, I adapted to reading lips at an expert level but during this time, I was frustrated and scared. Upon activation of the implants, I had to adjust to a new reality. Everyone sounded like Mickey Mouse until my auditory nerve reprogrammed itself. One week after activation, my new school year started and I was forced to adjust on the fly. At age 15, Covid-19 ended our school year early. I used this time to write a script and create a set for a World War II-themed movie. With the uncertainty and restriction of the pandemic, this film needed to be shot outdoors in a nearby location. I wrote, directed, edited, and starred in the film with friends from school which took months to create. The film was a tribute to all veterans, especially those in my family who served. While this created memories I’ll never forget, it also displays my dedication to the craft. I have never let my hearing disability get in the way. My deafness has made me more attuned to and appreciative of the visual arts. I’ve always tried to be true to myself and not waste time trying to be something I’m not. I am deaf. It is a condition but it does not define me. I will continue to work hard and learn every aspect of film and video production. I wish to pursue my passion and educational path at the university level because I believe that it will provide the tools and experience necessary for a career in filmmaking. Thank you for considering my application.

Silent Film I'm in full uniform. Camouflage with a classic British WWII helmet, rubber boots, olive green pants and a prop revolver. The camera started rolling. I sprinted through the creek but stopped dead in my tracks. I realized I was splashing through standing water. For most actor-directors, this water would be no problem. But for me, a deaf person who wears cochlear implants, the water could mean absolute destruction of my ability to hear. I had to remove my implants--my only way to hear the camera operator yell “action.” Unwilling to slow down production of my self-written, acted, directed, and edited film, I came up with a quick fix. My camera operator would drop a rock behind within my line of sight to signal “action." This is one of many challenges that someone like me has to overcome in order to engage in activities that others wouldn’t have to think about. As a deaf individual, I have always been drawn to the visual arts that capture the audience’s eyes rather than ears. Camera angles, special effects, and a great story create an amazing visual experience. At 14, I underwent surgery for cochlear implants. For the next two weeks, I recovered in complete silence. As a child, I adapted to reading lips but now I was frustrated and scared. Upon cochlear implant activation, I had to adjust to a new reality. Everyone sounded strange while my auditory nerve adapted. One week after activation, my school year started. I have never let my hearing disability get in the way. I am deaf. It is a condition but it does not define me. I wish to pursue my passion of filmmaking at the university level because I believe that it will provide the tools necessary for a career in visual arts.

Silent Film I'm in full uniform. Camouflage with a classic, British WWII helmet, rubber boots, olive green pants, and a prop revolver. The camera started rolling. I sprinted through the creek but stopped dead in my tracks. I realized I was splashing through water. For most actor-directors, this water would be no problem. But for me, a deaf person who wears cochlear implants, the water could mean absolute destruction of my ability to hear. I had to remove my implants which was my only way to hear the camera operator yell “action.” Unwilling to slow down production of my self-written, acted, directed, and edited film, I came up with a quick fix. My camera operator would drop a rock behind him within my line of sight to signal “action." This is one of many challenges that someone like me has to overcome in order to engage in activities that others wouldn’t have to think about. As a deaf individual, I never really had a connection with auditory aspects in life such as music. Instead, I have always been drawn to the creativity behind the visual aspects of film that capture the audience’s eyes rather than their ears. Creating film is my way of giving back to those who are visually inspired. I am deaf. It is a condition but it does not define me. I wish to pursue my filmmaking passion at the university level because I believe it will provide the tools and experience necessary for a career in visually creative arts. The arts have always given me an outlet beyond hearing. I can the use my passion toward visual arts to give back and inspire those who are deaf as well as entertain. Thank you for considering my application.