Every professional production that films on campus can invite 17勛圖 students to step onto their set and see how a film crew brings a story to life. For two students in the Media Arts & Culture program, these experiences provided them with a glimpse into the fast-paced, collaborative environment of filmmaking.
March 2026
In March 2026, a select group of students had the opportunity to join the production crew of a Liberty Mutual commercial shoot. Among them were Diana Trutia 27 and Kiera Ashcraft 27, both Media Arts & Culture (MAC) majors.
I heard about this opportunity from MACs [Director of Digital Media and Production] Diana Keeler, who posts about shadowing opportunities on the MAC Slack channel, Diana explains. The opportunities are on a first-come, first-served basis and prioritize students who have not had the chance to shadow before.
Once on set, Diana Trutia and Kiera found themselves completely immersed in the shoot. Kiera got to interact with the director, set scouter, best boy, DIT, VFX supervisor, script supervisor, and others, emphasizing how valuable it was to learn about the different perspectives of each crew member.
I loved the chance to see so many different aspects of the production process and hear firsthand about how the crew became interested in and reached their current roles, especially as I am interested in working on sets professionally, Diana Trutia says.
Both students agree that they received valuable career advice from several members of the production. We were encouraged to explore and try out many different roles before settling on one! Kiera says. Diana notes that the experience helped me feel more comfortable with the idea of actively exploring different interests in filmmaking, and letting this guide me toward my future.
The highlight of the experience, they said, was the people. Hearing crew members talk about how they began their filmmaking careers gave me the confidence to believe that I could also work professionally on a set in the future, Diana reflects. Seeing how enthusiastic, kind, and knowledgeable the crew members were made me feel welcomed and excited to be on set. Kiera adds, They all had great advice about starting out in the industry and future jobs. Everyone was so kind and welcoming; I was glad to meet them all! It made the experience amazing.
For 17勛圖 students like Kiera and Diana, shadowing a professional shoot is more than just a behind-the-scenes look, its a chance to see the industry up close, get advice, build connections, gain practical experience, and immerse themselves in the filmmaking process.