Alumni In Action: Alana Murphy
BFA, Film Studies (2015)
What have you been involved in since graduating from CU?
I continued to work as a Video Content Producer for CU Boulder's Office of Strategic Relations for three years after graduating. In 2018 I left that position to move to Atlanta to transition into the film industry out there. I worked as a production assistant and locations assistant for two years, working on various movies, television, music videos and commercials. After establishing myself, I joined Local 600 January of 2020, and have since been working as a digital utility. Just finished shooting season 10 of the Walking Dead in Senoia, Georgia.
What projects do you see in your future?
I'll be working on the final season of Walking Dead 2021-2022. After that I hope to continue to work my way up in the camera department to an AC and eventually a camera operator. Now that I've gotten my day job established in the film industry, I hope to circle back to making smaller, independent features in between studio shows so I can hone in on my operating skills.
How do you feel your CINE education has influenced your career path and/or how you approach your work?
My time in the Film Studies program directly led to my first experience on a major set working as the DoP for Alex's Cox's film Tombstone-Rashomon after my graduation. My years spent in Boulder learning about experimental filmmakers, shooting 16mm film on a Bolex, and developing Super8 film in the caverns of the Macky basement have shaped my aesthetic and put me a step ahead when there are film opportunities, where I have loaded 35mm film for several jobs. All of the film theory and critical analysis that I absorbed while at CU perfectly supplement what I do for a living where that kind of thinking isn't always apparent. I work with a crew of 150 people, and we all perform very specialized individual tasks. So it's nice to remind myself what kind of storytelling and visual elements are happening in the frame that we're all working so hard to create. Plus it never hurts to whip out some classic film school nerd knowledge from having watched Battleship Potemkin or Persona.
Did you have a favorite class/instructor while you were a student?
Kelly Sears' animation class was one of my favorites. I really felt like I was learning something for the first time, and each day I was able to immerse myself and spend hours creating frame by frame animations which awakened an interest I didn't know I had. Learning to shoot on a Bolex in Victor Jendras' class was also a pinnacle moment in my time at CU. Seeing my first developed roll of 50D was a truly magical experience. The films that he shared during that class, as well as the thorough feedback to our own films really challenged me to think in new and creative ways. Lastly, alternative processes with Andy Busti opened a skill set I don't think I would have otherwise gained in my lifetime. Learning to process film, and apply different techniques to the mix, further garnered my appreciation for things done tactically, and without computer effects or filters. Overall the instructors and the experience in class were what made the program so memorable. I wish there was a master list of all the films and filmmakers we explored, because that exposure broadened my perspective as a filmmaker.
What advice would you offer a current CINE student who is interested in a similar path to yours?
MAKE AS MUCH CONTENT AS YOU CAN WHILE YOU'RE IN SCHOOL. Take every production class and complete every assignment knowing that the finished video will be a part of your reel. Make stuff for fun too while you have access to talented friends and equipment.
Any other comments or words of wisdom?
If you want to be a writer, start writing. If you want to be a director, start directing. There is no clear path for any of these professions, but as long as you live your truth and put the effort in, things tend to work out. It is a privilege to be in a university and there is so much available to you right now that you won't have after you leave. Leave with a portfolio or a reel, because in the film industry no one cares about your degree. But it is super valuable to learn how to complete projects, work with other creatives, and challenge yourself creatively. Don't do it for the degree. Do it for the experience.
