Behind the Lens with NYU Film & TV Essentials Student Cooper White

When student filmmaker Cooper White embarked on his latest project, he started with a simple concept – a young person who feels forced into their parent’s career. But as with any good film, there is a twist – the career path is contract killing!

We won’t give away the ending but Cooper’s strong storytelling and cinematography skills are evident throughout the short film.

Cooper used the NYU Film and TV Essentials online course to learn about the process of filmmaking, especially the steps of pre-production, a part of the process he says he struggled with before. “It helped me understand how to make a storyboard, how to make a shot list, and how to plan for the best shoot possible,” he said.

Cooper uploaded his film, Pictorem, to YouTube and was honored as a finalist in the Independent Shorts Awards.

You can watch it here:

 

We asked Cooper what’s next in his filmmaking journey. He plans to attend film school and hopes to become an award-winning director and producer. We think he’s well on his way!


Cooper also wants to extend his gratitude to those who helped bring his vision to life. “I would like to thank everyone who made this film and the award possible for me, including the amazing faculty of the NYU Film and TV Course, as well as my encouraging parents, grandparents, and brother.”

To learn more about the online NYU Tisch Film and TV Industry Essentials course, enter your email address below for a course sneak peek. Students earn a certificate from NYU Tisch upon completing the course.

 

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