Student Film: The Movie (Feature Film)
In 2025, a bold university initiative redefines film education by turning students into filmmakers on a real feature film set—merging Hollywood talent with academic innovation in the heart of South Carolina.
SYNOPSIS: Set in the creative corridors of Clemson University, Student Film: The Movie chronicles the launch of an unprecedented film production course developed by the World Cinema Program and backed by the South Carolina Film Commission. Led by Emmy-nominated producer and Professor of Practice Sam Sokolow (Genius), the course places students in the center of a live feature film production—from script to screen. Under the direct mentorship of acclaimed Hollywood professionals and education consultants, students serve in key creative and technical roles while collaborating on a micro-budget, digital new media project based on a screenplay by Gaffney native Julia Fowler (Country Comfort). With a diverse ensemble cast and a powerhouse behind-the-scenes team, Student Film: The Movie is more than a film—it's a blueprint for the future of experiential education in cinema. The project embodies Clemson’s commitment to hands-on learning, preparing students to enter the ever-evolving world of film, TV, and digital storytelling with real credits and confidence.
TITLE: Student Film: The Movie
TYPE: Feature Film (Education-Industry Hybrid Project)
STAGE: In Production (Course & Film Funded by South Carolina Film Commission)
GENRE: Coming-of-Age Dramedy / Meta Film
CAST (STUDENT + PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION): Finesse Mitchell (Saturday Night Live), Tim Stoltenberg (Failure to Launch), Brett Rice (Forrest Gump, Remember the Titans), Julia Fowler (Modern Family), Matthew Settle (Band of Brothers, Gossip Girl), Jayson Warner Smith (The Walking Dead), Alex Ellis (Hot in Cleveland), Katherine Bailess (One Tree Hill, Hit the Floor), Delaine Yates (Law & Order) —with student actors performing alongside them.
DIRECTOR: TBD (Course-led collaborative effort)
WRITER: Julia Fowler (Original Screenplay)
EDUCATION CONSULTANTS/CREW:
Nicholas Levis (High Strung), Geoff Herbert (The Irishman, The Hunger Games), Mark Cochran (Cross Wars), Andrea Brotherton (The Six Triple Eight, Catching Fire), Quintessence Patterson (Mockingjay, Furious 7)
PRODUCERS: Sam Sokolow, Nicholas Levis, Julia Fowler (Educational Mentors & Producers)
COMPANIES: Clemson University World Cinema Program, BrandCinema, South Carolina Film Commission
