Welcome Aurora's Fall Semester Interns

At our events you might notice a rotating team of young faces that assist us each semester, but what you don't see is their kick ass help during office hours, or behind the screens as we like to call it.  These volunteer interns are future media arts professionals and media artists, and we are so appreciative of their help in keeping our small but mighty engine tuned up and moving along.  From administrative duties, research projects, education assistance and screening management, these young professionals are learning the ropes to help them succeed in their future endeavors, while also being an important backbone to Aurora's operations today.

This semester we are pleased to welcome the following interns:

Tyler Thomas is a Houstonian native and is 24 years old. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in Radio/Television/Film. Tyler is interested in experimental and video art of all varieties and considers it a great honor to be involved with Aurora Picture Show. While away from Aurora, he occupies his time with professional cat herding and selling endless amounts of romance novels to customers at Half Price Books. His interests outside of the work sphere include coffee consumption, playing lovely music on the bass, swimming, and collecting records. 

Zondra Victor is a 20-year old senior at the University of Houston. She is majoring in Media Production and minoring in French. She hopes to use the knowledge she is learning from her studies to become a successful screenwriter in the future. In her spare time, Zondra dances, listens to a variety of music genres, and volunteers. She was attracted to Aurora for many reasons, but the main one was that they both share the spirit of giving back to the community. More fun facts about Zondra: her favorite color is purple, she’s a chocoholic, and prefers dogs over cats.  

My name is Malik Waldon, I’m 18 years old and currently studying film at the Art Institute of Houston. I love film photography, anime and experimental film. I’ve loved movies for longer than I can remember. In high school I won the emerging filmmaker award. I started interning at Aurora while I was at Hightower Highschool. This is my second internship here and I’m ready to learn more. I had a film shown in the Houston is So Hot screening here at Aurora. It was the first time I had seen anything that I had done on the big screen. I want that feeling again - it was great.

The internship program at Aurora Picture Show is an important part of our Education and Outreach initiatives.  By working with university students and aspiring film/art professionals, Aurora aspires to inspire and engage future arts leaders in the community. The Aurora internship program helps young professionals gain hands-on experience to help foster their future careers.  This Summer we welcome four new faces to our home. These young professionals will be part of the backbone of our office and programs.  You will see them at our events helping with event set-up, check-in and screening management.  Please say "howdy."  We adore them - and know that you will too!

NATHALIE PHAN
SUMMER FILMMAKING APPRENTICE
Nathalie Phan is a full-time adventurer, part-time goof, determined ruler of the world, and repeat offender of enjoying life a little too much. College poor and personality rich, she resides in Austin, Texas where she attends St. Edward’s University as a Digital Media Management and Communication student. She is happiest when her creative capacities are used at a maximum level. Coming into college, Nathalie started a campus radio station (because why not?) and won various scholarships and awards for her leadership and community-oriented ambition. She commits to a values-led philosophy of life and strives to connect with others through her art and work. Some of her favorite things in life include ice cream, Houston, hypoallergenic cats, sweaty yoga, and micro-blogging.



BRANDON ZECH
OFFICE INTERN
Brandon Zech is a 19 year old student studying Art History at the University of Houston. He fell in love with video art after seeing Michael Robinson’s Light is Waiting and has wanted to learn more ever since. Brandon is highly involved with the Houston arts community and can regularly be found perusing museums and gallery openings. As an avid printmaker, he aspires to assist in a print studio later in his life. He can normally be found eating pizza at either Barry’s or Café Brazil.


CAITLIN LITTLE
OFFICE INTERN
Caitlin Little is an 18 year old born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas. She is currently a sophomore studying at Tufts University and The School of The Museum of Fine arts in Boston. She plans to earn a degree in Fine Arts (film and photography) and Sociology with a focus on media and society.  Caitlin is intrigued with people and how they function in society. She likes to mix her keen interest in people with her films and photography.

 If there is an adventure or exploration offered you can find Caitlin to be signed up and excited to experience any thing new that may occur. One of her nicknames growing up was “The Go Go Girl” because she was always game to go somewhere, when they asked who wants to go, she always said “I’ll go, I’ll go!”

 To describe Caitlin in three words is a challenge but; imaginative, sociable, and explorer would help you understand her. Caitlin also enjoys collecting magnets, drinking chocolate milk, and eating all types of food!

KATRINA VAN LAAN
VIDEO ARCHIVE INTERN
Raised in Houston,TX , Katrina became interested in art at a young age which she pursued in high school interning and working at the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston, and leading clubs at the Awty International School. Once
entering college, Katrina expanded her interest to film by taking cinema studies and production courses.  Currently a sophomore concentrating in Modern Culture and Media at Brown University,she has since served as a production assistant on two Brown produced student films, and works part time as a Media Production Assistant on campus. Her interests outside art include cats, novels, and green tea.

Intern Insights on Director Bill Plympton from Malik Waldon

My name is Malik Waldon and for the past seven months I have been an intern at Aurora Picture Show. Throughout my time here I have learned so much starting with learning how to use Final Cut X and editing Q&A video to organizing the video library and cataloging DVDs. While cataloging the DVDs I watched over 50 different film shorts. One of the directors that stood out to me the most was Bill Plympton, his films "Hot Dog" and "Guard Dog" are two of the funniest animated shorts that I’ve ever seen. The animations were spectacular, his skills with storytelling with dialogue-less film is what kept me interested.  While at Aurora, I was around cool people who knew a lot about old film. I’ve really enjoyed my time interning here, it’s been a good experience and I really appreciate them for letting me help out around the office.

Malik Waldon is a senior at Hightower High School taking part in their Digital Media Academy internship program.  Interns in this program are all seniors who have completed 3 years of training in media production and are able to go to internships as part of their curriculum bi-weekly. 

Intern Insights on "Mr. Foley" from Jonathan Correal

Aurora is launching a new blog feature from Aurora interns where they will be asked to contribute written reviews and insights into video works from the Aurora Video Library.  Our first insight comes from Jonathan Correal whose favorite film from the library archive was screened as part of "Percussive Illusions" partnership with Musiqa on January 12, 2013.




While working on the video database library at Aurora, I found a short film that really captured my attention. It was clever, funny and original, and lasted only 5 minutes. This film is called "Mr.Foley" and is written and directed by D.A.D.D.Y. Its based on a hospital patient Mr. Foley who has recovered from surgery and wakes up to a crowd in his room. An orchestra performing a dramatic piece, and two sound engineers producing foley effects, such as walking. He begins to panic and is rushed onto the rooftop of the hospital. I thought it was interesting how they used the theme of sound and moving images in this short film. What I realized is that a story so short and with a simple topic can be so energetic and entertaining. It inspired me to use a similar concept in my own new short film. Most people don't realize the value of audio in films, but if you were to watch your favorite movie muted you will notice things you never noticed when you watched before. Music and sound are very important to me and I will try to incorporate it into my films. -Jonathan Correal

The First Interns of 2013

The internship program at Aurora Picture Show is an important part of our Education and Outreach initiatives.  By working with university students and aspiring film/art professionals, we hope to inspire and engage future arts leaders in the community. The Aurora internship program helps these young professionals gain hands-on experience to help foster their future careers.  This Spring we have more interns than ever with SIX total. These young professionals will be part of the backbone of our office and programs.

Please take a moment and meet our amazing volunteers:

My name is Jonathan Correal and I turned 21 in November. I'm currently interning at Aurora Picture Show in Houston. I have been studying for the past two years in Tallahassee, Florida and will be graduating from my associates by the end of this spring. I'm from Miami, and my nationality is Colombian. My dream is to one day become a director of the big screen. Since I was ten I've always had a passion for film, and I would go out with my friends make short movies. Today I'm an inspiring filmmaker who only wishes to learn and use the craft of filmmaking to tell my stories. I've been playing the guitar since I was 15. I enjoy watching all types of films, and learning new things about film. When I have time I like to sit down and write short scripts and stories. Overall I really enjoy Houston, but I'm planning on going back to Miami in March. So I hope to learn new things and experience new things as much as possible while being at Aurora. 

Stephanie Coloma is a 23 year old, Island Born, Texas Raised, Everything Enthusiast. Stephanie knows where she came from, knows where she is, but enjoys the fact that she doesn't know where she is going. She is currently studying Photography and Digital Media at the University of Houston and has already earned several prestigious awards throughout her career as an artist. These awards include the 1996 Best Thumb Art Drawing in Mrs. Warner's Class Award, both Overall Most Creative and Most Outgoing from Sugar Grove Elementary School in 1997 and Second Place in a Short Story competition in 1998 in which she earned a silver medal, a Houston Student Library card and a front page photograph in the Houston Chronicle. She considers her short story, "How The Tiger Got It's Stripes", her magnum opus. Outside of earning very prestigious artistic awards, Stephanie can be found buried in National Geographic magazines, spending way too much money on food, studying and loving the Portuguese language and culture, or exploring the cosmos. She's in love with Kyle Maclachlan and her favorite food is breakfast.

   

CT sees himself as a portrait artist. He ventures into all sorts of medium, be it drawing, printmaking, photography or video; what he’s trying to do is to capture portraits of himself and people around him in their truest form. His latest series involve photographs of himself as people’s bizarre assumptions about him. Besides making art, he also involves in baking awesome soufflé, tiramisu and brownie.

 

 





Malik Waldon is a senior at Hightower High School taking part in their Digital Media Academy internship program.  Interns in this program are all seniors who have completed 3 years of training in media production and are able to go to internships as part of their curriculam bi-weekly.  Malik is helping digitize the Aurora Video Library as part of his internship.

Alyssa Stephens is a full time artist and part time educator from Houston Texas. In spring of 2013 Alyssa will receive her BFA in photography and digital media from the University of Houston and aspires to continue her education in the near future. Currently, she works with cut paper and fabric to create small scale animations, but she enjoys dabbling in various mediums. In her free time Alyssa enjoys sipping tea, rummaging through dusty antique stores, cuddling with her french bulldog Moose, and anything crafty. 

 



 

We are also happy to welcome Trevor Southard as an intern this Spring.  He is an artist and a musician. And he did not turn in a bio.