Get to know some of our College of Media students! Francisco Albarran is a Class of 2026 media and cinema studies major.
Why did you choose to major in media and cinema studies (MACS), and how did you decide that it was the right fit for you?
During the lockdown in 2020, I really got into watching movies and TV shows. I fell in love with the concept of putting my ideas onto the big screen, but I was also really inspired by [University of Illinois College of Media alum] Roger Ebert and his history with film reviews. When I started school here at Illinois, I knew it was the right fit since the college really felt like a village with everyone in MACS helping and learning alongside each other.
Talk about your internship at Flyover Film Studios.
During one of my MACS classes, we took a field trip to Flyover with senior lecturer Victor Font, where we toured the studio and learned about the internship, which was available in the fall semester. I got to meet the founders Sarah Sharp and Rob Stern, who talked about Flyover and the internship program they offered. I was one of the first recipients of the internship, which was really exciting.
That summer and fall, I worked on films like Chili Finger, Moses the Black, and even The Bear. I typically worked in construction for the movie sets, as a driver for cast members, or as a production assistant. Each day on set felt like a different adventure. It was an amazing experience to have celebrities give words of encouragement and advice on filmmaking. While working on these sets, I got to meet a lot of the cast members, including Bryan Cranston, Wiz Khalifa, and Deontay Wilder.
Are there any other opportunities at the College of Media that helped you grow in media and cinema studies?
Currently, I am in the process of starring, writing, and directing a Mexican immigrant boxing film titled Where You Land. This film was a huge step out of my comfort zone, and I was incredibly nervous to start, but I hope I can send my message to other young Mexican immigrants. It’s a great opportunity to be able to work on something I’m passionate about, and get to do things I’ve never done before, like acting.
What course within the College of Media would you recommend to other students?
I would highly recommend both MACS 480: Advanced Filmmaking and MACS 481: Advanced Filmmaking Studio. Since the College of Media is small, I had a community of film students who were just as passionate as me. At first, I didn’t get involved, but getting to know other students in these courses helped me learn from so many new people.
What advice would you give to incoming students majoring in MACS?
If I could go back to my freshman year, I would tell myself to start putting out work early, such as submitting projects to film festivals. It’s such a great benefit to do as a freshman compared to doing it later. Some other things I would encourage incoming students to do is to get out of their comfort zone and believe in themselves because there is no such thing as failing, only experiencing and learning for later on. As a student in class, or in a film studio, you will learn something new every day—from something or someone you would never expect to learn from—which is the beauty of the filmmaking process.
—Interview by Paulina Alvarez, New Voices Intern
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