Karis Slaughter is a senior in the TV & film program from Millbrook Central School District.
Why did you choose to attend the CTI TV & film program?
Originally, I chose to join TV and film because I've always been really interested in acting and that's always been my big dream for my life. I was also interested in everything else that goes into it. I think it’s beneficial to know how a camera moves and how something goes from an idea to a full picture. I was hoping to get those skills here, and that’s why I chose the program.
What have you learned so far? 
I've learned a little bit of everything. We started with Adobe Premiere and some technical terms, which helped me to contextualize what I want to show with each project.Last year we did a lot of creative projects. The process was what they do in a real production. We would individually think of ideas, write a storyboard, make a script, and then get into groups and pitch them.
The person whose story we chose would be the director. We'd go into production and record the product together, but edit it separately. It showed me how important editing is for a story because it's like watching totally different stories, even though it's the same footage.
It's also interesting to learn what else is going on in the building. This year, we're doing BOCES commercials. I did culinary and construction and went in and interviewed students and instructors.
Mr. Brown is a great teacher. He's literally my favorite teacher, the best teacher I've had in my life.
What is your favorite part of the program?
My favorite part of the program is how tightknit the class is. I like every aspect, but especially the parts where we're working together.
One of my favorite productions last year was a spin on Red Riding Hood. We were all acting, directing, and recording together in rotation and it was really fun.
What are your aspirations or plans after you complete the program?
After I complete the program, I'm pretty set on going to SUNY New Paltz. I think I'm going to study graphic design, which is another one of my passions, as well as computer science. I also want to incorporate what I've learned here.
I've always been really into video games, and I feel that game development combines a bit of everything. Something else I'm interested in is motion capture. I think that's where I would want to apply my skills either behind or in front of the camera for game development.
