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THE MCDANIEL fREE PHSS MAY12 2008 Spotlight on Senior Projects Four student filmmakers learn while the tape rolls· script at the end of the semester." shown beyond the Hill to other from the first day of sheering had music inside his head which ulti- Fellow filmmaker Eggers feels schools. to be thrown out because the wind mately results in the termination of showed me a good time," said Heb- that his 'documentary "The Green "I think it's important to get ruined [the] audio." his friendships. den. of McDaniel" will send a positive the word our that we are constantly Nasongkhla credits script While filming, Duffy enjoyed Sometimes the hard parry- message to rhecampus community making efforts to help the environ- writing, film analysis, and docu- the "ridiculous" improvisation that ing ways of the band created ob- about the Environmental Action ment," said Eggers. mentary production as the classes some of the actors provided, and stacles for Hebden because "SCOtt Club's (EAC) efforts ro make the Another filmmaker who hopes that contributed to his filmmaking even had to deal with an unexpect- wouldn't pick up his phone when I campus more environmentally that his film will be shown "every- skills. However, his love of film did ed challenge when the lead actor needed him," she said. friendly. where and anywhere" is Nasong- not start on the Hill. Nasongkhla's decided to dye his hair. This film about the life of a The film focuses on the EAC khla. passion for film didn't even stan Duffy's dream of having his heavy metal musician may never and director Conner Rasmussen's His fictional narrative "How behind a camera, but rather it be- film shown beyond the campus have been captured by Hebden's Involvement with RecycleMania, You Land" is about the struggle of gan when he was an actor. will nor be possible though. camera, because of her experience Earth Day, and Trash Quest, one man's decision to remain loyal "A dose friend of mine in high ~I don't have the rights to on the first day of her scriptwriting "The most enjoyable pan of to his low-life best friends, or to school asked-me to act in one ofhls a music crack in [the film} and it class. making the film was feeling like- I strive for a better life with the help .srudenr films. He introduced me to would result in a lawsuit anywhere "When I found out my first was a pan of the EAC," said Egg- of a girl he meets at work. the whole filmmaking process, and outside Academia," said Duffy. day of scriptwriting that we had [0 ers. Nasongkhla ran into trou- from then on I knew 1 wanted to All law suits aside, these four write an entire full length script in While filming; Eggers had ble on the first day of shooting be a filmmaker," said Nasongkhla. students credit McDaniel with one semester, I wanted to drop the scheduling conflicts due to his-busy though. Duffy's love of film started in fueling their love of film and hope class right then and there, because semester, and even some technical "Shooting outdoors was the high school too and led him to cre- that they will become the filmmak- I didn't think I could do ir," said glitches when using Final Cut, biggest challenge. Th~ microphones ate the film "Player's Thumb." ers of tomorrow. Hebden .... 1 stuck with it though, Apple's editing software. built into the cameras pick up all 1 Mter partaking in some "bad and I'm so glad that I did. It felt Despite those challenges, Eg- sounds, including wind," said Na- weed" the film's main character, so rewarding to have a full-length gers hopes ,.that his .film.· will be sdngkhla: "So-a lot of my footage Tom, begins to hear video game New;essay-based course evaluation (~rm approved. by faculty. at mee1J~g'-: ..' . =,JtUllan~G~=. discards the "ratings system" used Jasken,alsribn"~~eco~rri.i:te/· -'commini~,~hi~h~'as':~uttogether' 'that the' students "are now more ea ures 0- r in the old ro~m. AnOlherchange implemented by Dr. Thomas Falkner, provost in conrro] or how ro answer the Dr. Rebecca Carpcntcr thinb that . "I think somc faculry were in rhe new form is not asking rhe ; and dean .of/hc faculty, l1as pored _ qD.csQon and. can define it in their the old faculty evaluation form concerned {hat the forms didn't student if this course was a major .ove~ academic 'anicles and looked T terms. ... causeds~dents to rate teachers like solicit the informacion they really requirement, a competence re- exterisively at other school's surveys . "It's imporranr to have an hamburgers. wanted, both. in terms of what was quiremenr ....a BLAR, etc. Carpen- who have adopted this approach, evaluation that is unique to every "For classes, unlike some place ,working in th~ class. and in terms rer said they felt that' srudents feli panicularly Ursinus and Colby srudenr, not merely some cookie like-Applebee's, you can't use a 1-5 of what.areas could,b,e improved," more seljsconscious about what College. curter fabricition that for the most scale," said Carpenter, associate said Dc.julta [asken, assistant pro- they wrote because it may be easier "We wanted to' find ways [0 part did nor change from student professor of English. "You could fessor of English. co-figure Out who the student is. elicit written responses, and we to student," he Crutchley. A mem- say a hamburger can be rated from . Carpenter' said that some ; .'IThe first two questions on wanted the forms to be concise and ber of the SGA stated [hat topics 1-5,butaI4weekexperience?You thought the students may have the~ewformask,aDidyoucome informative to the instructors," discussed during meetings could probably have more to say." been giving a teacher they Iliked ro class prepared?" an'd "Did you said Steven Pearson, committee not be commented upon. Several years ago the faculty all "55" on the survey even if the work to the best of your potential member· and assistam professor of According 'to Carpenrer, the decided that changes needed to teacher has rhings to work on. in Ihis class?~ in order [,0 bener as- 'an and art history. comment they received most often be made in how the 'sch:ool 'evaiu; . • "f' really like that the new form sess the e!fort' that the student'put They then ran the forms by was that the time to take the survey ares teaching. After three commit- has more room for open-ended an- into the class.' students from che Student Govern- needed {o be increased to 20 min- tees and hours of8 a.m. meetings, swers. I always get the most valu- "Students influence [heir own mentAssembly (SGA) as well as rhe utes in order to adequately fill out brainstorming ideas and moving able feedback from students when experience," said Carpenter." "If I men's and women's track and field the nine narrative questions. through drafts, a new faculty eval- they are writing abour a course in teach really well, but you do none team in order to get input from a Dr. Henry Reiff, dean of Stu- uation form was voced on and all their own words instead of just of the reading you won't get much cross section of grades and majors. dent academic life, said he likes but unanimously approved at the circling numbers on a scale. The out of the course." Junior Cody Crutchley, a member the greater emphasis on narrative March faculty .meeting--one that new form accomplishes (his," said Over the past few months, the of the track and field team, likes answers, but has one issue with the end-of-semester evaluation form in general. "If you're looking for forma- tive assessment that can make a Regress to your difference in day-to-day activity. you can't wait until the end of the he said. adding that he semester," thinks a mid-semester informal childhood evaluation would be a great idea to the course. help with fine-cuning Carpenter rhought that sounded like a very good idea, although she doesn't think it should be mandat- ,d. Pearson feels this form meets the needs of a liberal arts institu- tion better than the old form and Carpenter agreed: "We've come up Siudents look a break from their studies and their stress Tuesday, April 15, from 6 to 9 p.m., by attending "Regress 10 Your Childhood" __an with a form that better addresses event that featured board games, coloring activities and old school the values of the college. music. Sponsored by Active Minds, a group dedicated to understand- "You can look at lesson plans ing and respecting mental health issues,"Regress 10 Your Childhood" and syllabi and testS, but the peo- inc1uded freesnacks __a sure lure for college students. For inform ati- non about Active Minds, contact Kate (kmm019) or Brittany (bre001). ple who are in the class every day Photos by Kate Maloney . are going to be able [0 say a lot more about a professor's teaching ability," said Carpenter.