Journal of Undergraduate Research

James Alexander and Professor Thomas Russell, Theatre and Media Arts The short film Shaving is an adaptation of a simple yet powerful short story of the same name by the Welsh author Leslie Norris. Upon first reading it, this story resonated with me; its beautiful message about preparing for and coping with loss is important and […]

Ethan L. Vincent and Professor Stan Ferguson, Theater and Media Arts Research and writing “Cora Chattering” was an interesting process. Terrie Petree’s seven page short story “Eating the Old Thoughts” offered enough material for a 21 page script, translating into approximately 20 minutes screen time – the ideal length for a student short film. Although the […]

Alisha Watts Christiansen and Drs. Robert Nelson and Tim Slover, Theatre and Film In October of 1995 I approached Robert Nelson and asked him to be my faculty mentor as I applied for this ORCA (Office of Research and Creative Activities) grant. I proposed to him that for my creative project I would like to […]

Allan R. Staker and Professor Stanley Ferguson, Theater and Media Arts When I applied for the ORCA Grant last year, I wanted to distribute a film project outside the boundaries of BYU and the University’s “FINAL CUT Student Film Festival.” In order to do so, I began to adapt the ideas pre-selling feature films to major […]

Wendy Simmerman and Dr. Eric Samuelsen and Professor April Chabries Haws, Theatre and Media Arts This project was divided into two areas of emphasis: first, a research project examining the possibilities that the Book of Esther was written and included in the Bible as a dramatic performance text, and second, the development of a script […]

Mary Ann Perkins and Professor Cathie McClellan, Theater and Media Arts When I submitted the proposal to catalogue the Theater and Media Arts Department collection of historic clothing, I had no idea what was ahead of me. Of course, I didn’t know the size of the collection, the content, or the relative value of the pieces […]

Lance Kammer and Professor Stan Ferguson, Theater and Media Arts The goal of my project, funded by the ORCA grant, was to produce a short motion picture film entitled Of Separation. In the beginning I had only a script written, that I submitted to ORCA, from which I was to make the film. I also had […]

Jacob Schwarz and Professor Thomas Russell, Theater and Media Arts I am so glad that I was given an ORCA grant because it gave me an opportunity to create a very original and new piece of film within our film department. The film, which is still finishing in its post-production stage with visual effects, became much […]

Taylor Rose and Professor Jeff Parkin, Media Arts New Media technologies are changing consumer engagement expectations. As media author and researcher Mimi Ito observed in the Transmedia Hollywood forum, the Pokemon audience—who grew up engaging with highly social, customizable forms of media—has now reached adulthood and has very different media expectations than previous generations. In addition, […]

Rebecca Potter This year I was awarded an ORCA grant to make a series of commercials promoting family history. The commercials are targeted to teenagers and young adults in hopes of showing them different ways they can use their skills to take part in the vital work of family history. From film, to blogs, to […]