From the director...
In January, a group of students and faculty from the Northwestern Media program attended the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. In addition to seeing films screened at Sundance, we participated in the Windrider Summit, a morning gathering of film and theology students and professors for stimulating conversations about faith, film, and the transformative power of story.
One morning, director and producer, Destin Daniel Cretton (The Glass Castle, Short Term 12, Just Mercy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), attended Windrider to discuss his film career and how his faith has been a part of his work. He confessed that, while his filmmaking career seems steady (with each film opportunity providing a larger budget and more acclaim than the last), “the space between each of those movie posters is full of failure.”
The Media Entertainment Lab (otherwise known as “the MEL” ) is a safe place for our aspiring storytellers to experiment, to push themselves, and to fail magnificently. We challenge our students to pursue Christ and to pursue craft in their filmmaking.
We hope the MEL’s next generation of storytellers will take advantage of their time at Northwestern to explore and grapple with the stories they are interested in telling. Despite the choices they will make regarding genre, message and theme and how their choices will make their creative visions come to life on screen, we hope that the one thing that will unify all our filmmakers is that they will grow into the storytellers God has created them to be. And we put it in God’s hands that their work will help audiences better understand the truths about themselves, each other and our Lord.
Ann Sorenson
Festival Director & Professor of Film
In January, a group of students and faculty from the Northwestern Media program attended the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. In addition to seeing films screened at Sundance, we participated in the Windrider Summit, a morning gathering of film and theology students and professors for stimulating conversations about faith, film, and the transformative power of story.
One morning, director and producer, Destin Daniel Cretton (The Glass Castle, Short Term 12, Just Mercy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), attended Windrider to discuss his film career and how his faith has been a part of his work. He confessed that, while his filmmaking career seems steady (with each film opportunity providing a larger budget and more acclaim than the last), “the space between each of those movie posters is full of failure.”
The Media Entertainment Lab (otherwise known as “the MEL” ) is a safe place for our aspiring storytellers to experiment, to push themselves, and to fail magnificently. We challenge our students to pursue Christ and to pursue craft in their filmmaking.
We hope the MEL’s next generation of storytellers will take advantage of their time at Northwestern to explore and grapple with the stories they are interested in telling. Despite the choices they will make regarding genre, message and theme and how their choices will make their creative visions come to life on screen, we hope that the one thing that will unify all our filmmakers is that they will grow into the storytellers God has created them to be. And we put it in God’s hands that their work will help audiences better understand the truths about themselves, each other and our Lord.
Ann Sorenson
Festival Director & Professor of Film
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
Matthew 5:16
Welcome
2022-2023 Northwestern Productions Executive Staff
Ethan Connor
Raeann Goetz
Elizabeth Niezgocki
Cade Stinson
Ethan Connor
Raeann Goetz
Elizabeth Niezgocki
Cade Stinson
Films
Animal Crossing Day
Molly Krueger & Ellie Fraser
Da Capo
Micah Clark
IMPROVE
Sebastian Luna, Rachel Sandifer, & Sally-Anne Hunt
Unsuitable
Ian Porter, Riles Hinson, & Landon Groen
Adrianne
Elizabeth Niezgocki
Wayfarer
Natasha Nolette, Elizabeth Weckert, & Sarah Kvam
Stewards of the Manifold Grace
Ethan Connor
Puppy Love
Seraiah Brooks
LUCAS.
Belle Waggoner
The Ice Cream Man
Josh Swanson
Molly Krueger & Ellie Fraser
Da Capo
Micah Clark
IMPROVE
Sebastian Luna, Rachel Sandifer, & Sally-Anne Hunt
Unsuitable
Ian Porter, Riles Hinson, & Landon Groen
Adrianne
Elizabeth Niezgocki
Wayfarer
Natasha Nolette, Elizabeth Weckert, & Sarah Kvam
Stewards of the Manifold Grace
Ethan Connor
Puppy Love
Seraiah Brooks
LUCAS.
Belle Waggoner
The Ice Cream Man
Josh Swanson
Audience Choice Voting
Text your choice to 22333, using the following codes:
Animal Crossing Day - ANIMALDAY
Puppy Love - PUPPYLOVE
Adrianne - ADRIANNEMV
The Ice Cream Man - THEICEFILM
Unsuitable - UNSUITABLE
LUCAS. - LUCASFILM
Da Capo - DACAPO
IMPROVE - IMPROVE
Wayfarer - WAYFARER
Stewards of the Manifold Grace - STEWARDS
Text your choice to 22333, using the following codes:
Animal Crossing Day - ANIMALDAY
Puppy Love - PUPPYLOVE
Adrianne - ADRIANNEMV
The Ice Cream Man - THEICEFILM
Unsuitable - UNSUITABLE
LUCAS. - LUCASFILM
Da Capo - DACAPO
IMPROVE - IMPROVE
Wayfarer - WAYFARER
Stewards of the Manifold Grace - STEWARDS
Awards Ceremony
Alumni |
Andrew Voelker ('07), Alumni Council President |
Actor |
Falicia Cunningham ('19) |
Sound Design |
Keegan Goldfarb ('22) |
Editing |
Jared Myers ('15) |
Screenplay |
Anna Carey ('13) |
Cinematography |
Jayden Peterman ('21) |
Music Video |
Josh Feland ('21) |
Narrative Short |
Monique Harbaugh ('22) |
Audience Choice Award |
Dr. Corbin Hoornbeek, President of University of Northwestern and Northwestern Media |
Closing
2023-2024 Northwestern Productions Executive Staff
Micah Clark
Raeann Goetz
Josh Swanson
Morgan Wiebold
Micah Clark
Raeann Goetz
Josh Swanson
Morgan Wiebold
Special Thanks To:
Melissa Clutter, Festival Coordinator
Mercy Honermann ('24), Festival Intern
Reagan Soper ('23), Festival Intern
Miranda Hobbs ('20), Stage Manager
Natalie Clutter, Festival Assistant
theMEL.fm radio
Morgan Wiebold
Northwestern Productions Marketing Team
UNW Public Relations workshop students
Department of Communication
UNW Event Services
UNW Facilities
Knight Performance Hall
UNW Marketing & Communications
UNW Admissions
UNW Alumni
UNW Art & Design
UNW Theatre
Half Price Books - Roseville
Super Target - Shoreview
Mercy Honermann ('24), Festival Intern
Reagan Soper ('23), Festival Intern
Miranda Hobbs ('20), Stage Manager
Natalie Clutter, Festival Assistant
theMEL.fm radio
Morgan Wiebold
Northwestern Productions Marketing Team
UNW Public Relations workshop students
Department of Communication
UNW Event Services
UNW Facilities
Knight Performance Hall
UNW Marketing & Communications
UNW Admissions
UNW Alumni
UNW Art & Design
UNW Theatre
Half Price Books - Roseville
Super Target - Shoreview
Festival Selection Committee:
Judy Axelson
Annalisa Buerke ('98)
Kendra Dodd
Nathan Farley
Mark Henderson
Judy Hougen
Ken Jones
Joel Light
Kirk Moss
Susan Payne
Jackie Sommers ('03)
Michelle Turner
Judy Axelson
Annalisa Buerke ('98)
Kendra Dodd
Nathan Farley
Mark Henderson
Judy Hougen
Ken Jones
Joel Light
Kirk Moss
Susan Payne
Jackie Sommers ('03)
Michelle Turner
Festival Judges:
Zac Anderson ('15)
Chris Behnen ('14)
Anna Carey ('13)
Tyler Clements ('09)
Terry Esau ('78)
Keith Eveland
Josh Feland ('21)
Ross Fleming ('12)
Keegan Goldfarb ('22)
Heidi Habben ('96)
Wes Halula ('15)
Rachel Hastings ('16)
Andrew Hatling
Jazmine Hoffeld ('14)
Jennifer Hunter
Tim Ingold ('09)
Brad Johnson
Eric Johnson ('15)
Krista Koester ('14)
Lucas Langworthy
Marlys Livingston ('08)
Kevin Manthei
Jared Myers ('15)
Barbara Shelton
Dan Stewart ('09)
Cynthia Uhrich
Greg Winter
Zac Anderson ('15)
Chris Behnen ('14)
Anna Carey ('13)
Tyler Clements ('09)
Terry Esau ('78)
Keith Eveland
Josh Feland ('21)
Ross Fleming ('12)
Keegan Goldfarb ('22)
Heidi Habben ('96)
Wes Halula ('15)
Rachel Hastings ('16)
Andrew Hatling
Jazmine Hoffeld ('14)
Jennifer Hunter
Tim Ingold ('09)
Brad Johnson
Eric Johnson ('15)
Krista Koester ('14)
Lucas Langworthy
Marlys Livingston ('08)
Kevin Manthei
Jared Myers ('15)
Barbara Shelton
Dan Stewart ('09)
Cynthia Uhrich
Greg Winter
Northwestern Production Students:
Josh Anderson
Micah Clark
Ethan Connor
Ruilin Duan
Haeven Ennen
Lindsey Fields
Raeann Goetz
Landon Groen
Riles Hinson
Tamryn Holdsworth
Ethan Hugger
Isaiah Johnson
Krister Kahl
Gilbert Kisamore
Alina Kosovan
Molly Krueger
Samantha Lee
Sebastian Luna
Tiffany Manning
Hannah Martin
Elliana Naegelen
Benjamin Nathe
Elizabeth Niezgocki
Ian Porter
Benjamin Radich
Hope Ring
Rachel Sandifer
Cade Stinson
Joshua Swanson
Riley Voracek
Nikeese Waters
Morgan Wiebold
Josh Anderson
Micah Clark
Ethan Connor
Ruilin Duan
Haeven Ennen
Lindsey Fields
Raeann Goetz
Landon Groen
Riles Hinson
Tamryn Holdsworth
Ethan Hugger
Isaiah Johnson
Krister Kahl
Gilbert Kisamore
Alina Kosovan
Molly Krueger
Samantha Lee
Sebastian Luna
Tiffany Manning
Hannah Martin
Elliana Naegelen
Benjamin Nathe
Elizabeth Niezgocki
Ian Porter
Benjamin Radich
Hope Ring
Rachel Sandifer
Cade Stinson
Joshua Swanson
Riley Voracek
Nikeese Waters
Morgan Wiebold
Opening Video Credits:
Director & Editor - Cade Stinson
Camera - Molly Krueger
Production Assistants - Ethan Connor, Hannah Martin, Raeann Goetz
Director & Editor - Cade Stinson
Camera - Molly Krueger
Production Assistants - Ethan Connor, Hannah Martin, Raeann Goetz
