FTC’s Collaboration Day connects students across majors
By Clarissa Biener
Photos by Grace Bonamico
Collaboration Day returned to Five Towns College after its initial success last semester. On Tuesday, January 20th, students gathered in the Upbeat during Common Hour to connect with people from all departments and majors to work with on upcoming projects.
Students set up booths to find collaborators among their fellow students, who browsed the tables. Creatives sought audio engineers, actors, musicians, and others to join them on their projects.
Theatre major Stacy Wiener is working on Evil Intern, an original series. “[Collaboration Day] really gives me the opportunity to bring this passion project that I’ve been working on for years to, you know, like, I actually get to take this and actually make it happen,” said Wiener. “Bring people in who are excited to work on this and really bring this to life with me.”
Students who brought their projects connected with others who offered their own talents. “There are a lot of small creators that are trying to get their movies out there and things out there, and they need actors, and I can help them with that as being a Musical Theatre major,” said FTC student Taylor Bell, who attended the event.
In tandem with Collaboration Day, the FTC Sound Stream’s Good Afternoon FTC held a live show onstage in the Upbeat. Hosts Adrian Kartalozi, Aaron Jones, and Tryston Bellon covered news on entertainment and sports, which had the crowd buzzing with excitement for this year’s Super Bowl performances. The program also featured several guests, with the hosts interviewing new Film and Television professor Romeo Tirone, Luminaries producer Ryan Daniels, and Film and Television major Kristie De Rose.
De Rose is looking for musicians for Dead Like Me, an original musical inspired by My Chemical Romance. “[Collaboration Day] definitely helps get the word out. I also participated in last semester’s event, and that’s how I found most of the crew who’s working with me now,” said De Rose. “So it’s definitely very helpful, and I think it’s a great addition for the community.”
Michael Cavalli, the Assistant Dean for Campus Life at FTC, heard the students’ call for more interaction across majors and helped to set up Collaboration Day along with the Film & TV division. “A filmmaker can find a theater student with acting talent, or a theater student can find a person who has backing music that they can provide for a track or a piece that they’re working on,” said Cavalli. “So this provides a lot of opportunities for students to get to work together in the ways that being within your individual program doesn’t afford you the chance to.”
Cavalli also ran a booth at the event, encouraging people to sign up for the annual Blood Drive. This year’s Blood Drive will take place from 10AM to 4PM on Tuesday, January 27th, in the Downbeat.
