SARAH CORNELL-MAIER; News Co-Editor; cornelsm@plu.edu
MediaLab, Pacific Lutheran University’s applied research and multimedia program, is screening their award-winning documentary “Changing Currents: Protecting North America’s Rivers” in Ingram 100 on Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m.
“Changing Currents” is a documentary about what its title indicates: the issues such as pollution and contamination that affect the quality of waterways around North America.
After premiering in November 2016, the on-campus screening provides PLU students with an opportunity to get to know MediaLab, as well as educating about the environmental importance of North American rivers.
General production was done by juniors Joshua Wiersma, Rachel Lovrovich and Kelly Lavelle, as well as senior Christopher Boettcher and John Struzenberg, ‘16. The film was narrated by junior Terran Warden, and the soundtrack was composed and performed by senior Melody Coleman.
Coleman said, “It’s background music with a purpose – to bring out the urgency, the weight and the undertone of motivation of the documentary. You’re providing a lot of emotional context when you compose for a visual medium. If a listener emotionally resonates with the video, that is, if you can bring out the humanity of the content, then you’re doing it right.”
MediaLab students involved in the production of “Changing Currents” devoted months to the project, with the initial premiere of the documentary having taken place in November 2016.
MediaLab General Manager Rachel Lovrovich said, “Going into the project, none of us had ever made a documentary before, so it was quite the challenge. It was very fulfilling that all our hard work paid off in the end, and we had a great film to share with our community.”
MediaLab earned several awards for their work on “Changing Currents,” including a 2017 Grand Prize award from the Alpha Epsilon Rho chapter of the National Broadcasting Society, a student and professional group from various university and college campuses around the country.
“The recognition from national and international competitions is just icing on the cake,” Lovrovich said.
The official on-campus premiere for “Changing Currents” will be open to the public, with desserts provided. More information is available at changingcurrentsdoc.com.
