EMBEDDED RESEARCHERS
Students can apply to be an embedded researcher for more advanced study and access to new media equipment or work on community partnered projects.
BRETT DUNLAP (he/him)
RESEARCH TOPIC (SPRING 2023):
Remote control and programming of LED lights using DMX protocol
BIO:
Brett is a Wilmington-based camera assistant, cinematographer, and gaffer interested in both independent and commercial filmmaking. As a film studies equipment rental assistant, he gained insight into the technical side of filmmaking which continues to inspire his process-based approach. Brett has accumulated valuable experience on over a dozen graduate and undergraduate student films, focusing on camera assisting, grip, and electric. Set to graduate from UNCW in May 2023, he hopes to hone his skills working full time across all facets of the Wilmington film scene.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO WORK WITH THE IFML?
I was drawn to work with the IFML because of its ongoing work to make expanded media and new production technology more accessible to students in a program largely focused on traditional narrative and documentary filmmaking. The IFML creates a flexible learning environment that gives artists of many identities opportunities to experiment and explore their curiosity outside the confines of the standard curriculum. For me, the lab was a creative safe space where I was encouraged to learn new skills from the ground up, giving me the opportunity to search for resources to problem solve on my own while still having faculty support when needed.
BEN HOLLAND (he/him)
RESEARCH TOPIC (SPRING 2023):
IFML Marketing & Website Development
BIO:
Ben graduated from Guilford College in 2021 with a degree in Experience Design. Since graduating, he has decided to follow his passion for cinema and is currently pursuing an MA film studies degree from UNCW. His cinematic fascinations include Classical Hollywood, New Taiwanese Cinema, and film noir.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO WORK WITH THE IFML?
I was initially drawn to the IFML by its powerful mission statement which advocates for “equitable access, training, education, awareness, and representation for marginalized identities and voices in media.” Through many a night watching Classical Hollywood fare, and subsequent days spent appreciating the works of artists like Julie Dash, I have developed a keen understanding of what media looks like without diverse representation, and, in turn, the vital importance of giving marginalized voices a platform — not only for the advancement of the art form but for the betterment of humanity. My goal in working for the IFML was to further my understanding of this issue and aid in their efforts to make media a more inclusive space.
WHAT OTHER COOLS THINGS ARE YOU WORKING ON IN THE DEPARTMENT?
Currently, I am working on an historiographical essay that reappraises the importance of New Taiwanese Cinema within the context of Taiwan’s own cinematic landscape. Through this essay, I also hope to question the contemporary canon and the tendency to valorize cinematic movements — like the French New Wave and Italian Neo-Realism — which fared poorly in their respective countries’s domestic markets. This summer, I plan to live in Maryland and work in arts administration where I will have the chance to curate a film noir series at a nationally recognized art venue.