It is no secret that Chapman University is packed to the brim with talented filmmakers! In addition to the programs offered through Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, The Creative and Cultural Industries Minor, housed in the Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, gives students a different lens to look at the film industry. Film is a creative industry that helps to drive popular culture, shaping and reshaping audiences’ perspectives of the world. CCI looks at film as both a masterful outlet for artistic expression and a dominating commercial enterprise that includes millions of people. It takes the artful intersection of creativity, technology and business to bring the film industry to life.
Jackson Burns is a Film Production Major and Creative and Cultural Industries Minor preparing for graduation this May. Jackson shared some of his knowledge of his craft as well as his knowledgeable insights on film. Explore his interview below!
What made you pursue CCI as a minor?
I wanted a minor that fit in well with my program and wouldn’t be too stressful to complete. I liked that CCI was flexible and could be molded to fit my schedule. More importantly, I knew that I wanted my minor to involve something creative, so CCI felt like the perfect middle ground. It gave me opportunities to explore the fields I’m interested in, while also staying compatible with the time my major requires of me.
What has your favorite CCI class been and why?
My favorite class was CCI 304, CCI in Practice with Kelli Fuery. I have always been extremely passionate about all things film, so taking a class on thinking critically about film and learning how to put those thoughts on to paper was a ton of fun. I learned so much, and over the course of the semester I feel like I grew so much as a writer. I left each class thinking about something completely new and different, and I can’t thank Kelli enough for that.
*CCI 304 is a course that is designed to look at creative and cultural topics through different lenses. The section of CCI 304 Jackson took in SP2024 with Dr. Kelli Fuery was on the topic of writing for an undergraduate film journal."
What projects have you worked on recently?
Being on set is one of my favorite things to do, so I am essentially on set every Friday-Sunday each semester. This past fall, I shot both of my senior thesis’ (as a cinematography emphasis, I have to shoot two projects), one was a sci-fi courtroom drama, and the other was a dramatic dark comedy. When I’m not acting as the director of photography on set, I stick mostly to either camera operating or 1st AC work (pulling focus), so that’s what most of my recent work has been.
What drew you to filmmaking?
I think it's accurate to call film the most widespread modern art form, at least here in the states. And if you focus on the history of film, it is rooted in bringing affordable entertainment to the working class (Nickelodeons). Growing up, my parents shared their love for movies with me, and over time I have begun to understand that filmmaking isn’t just entertainment, but the sharing of empathy. The great Roger Ebert once said “…the movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us.”
What film has made the greatest impact on you?
Stylistically speaking, the movie with the biggest influence on me has been Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day. I first saw the nearly four-hour Taiwanese epic on the big screen at The Egyptian, and it was one of those theater experiences that you never forget. The way that the film uses layered lighting to create intense depth during the nighttime sequences has completely changed my philosophy on lighting. And not just that, but the movie uses the diegetic lights in the movie to further the themes of lost innocence and blurred political lines. The cinematography is so ingrained in the messaging of the film, it’s hard not to look at it with anything other than awe. And, on a personal note, my first and only tattoo is of a hand pulling a lightbulb on, which is taken directly from A Brighter Summer Day.
What film do you think has made the greatest impact on society today?
This is the question I have thought about the longest. The best answer that I can currently give is Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest. I wrote a paper for CCI 444: Media, Culture and Emotion on this film and its ability to point out that the scariest thing about the Holocaust is that the perpetrators were human. The film itself is a masterclass in implied imagery, but coupled with Glazer’s brave and controversial Oscar speech, I think that twenty years from now The Zone of Interest will be viewed as the most important and telling movie about the 2020s.
Thank you to Jackson Burns for sharing your experiences and providing visuals! Filmmaking has never been more important than it is today. Reflecting on the stories that shape us, not only allows us to learn more about ourselves, but gives us an opportunity to consider filmmaking’s impact.
If you would like to share your projects, insights, or experiences, please contact delany@chapman.edu to be featured!
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