2018 Contest Winners

Grand Prize

Nicolas Chae is a freshman from Dallas, TX studying Sociology with a certificate in Entrepreneurship. He’s an avid photographer, cinematographer, and YouTuber both on and off-campus helping with dance groups, student events, and promo videos. He also plays clarinet in the Princeton University Orchestra, directs segments for Princeton Tonight, breakdances in Sympoh, and is Director of Production for the dance group Blasé. His inspiration for his Unforgettable Princeton video came from wanting to document every step of his college journey, starting from the very first frosh week and capturing memories along the way of his academics, extracurriculars, and other cool events he’s been a part of. He hopes to continue pursuing photography and videography throughout his next four years at Princeton!

 

Second Prize

My video was inspired by ideas surrounding authenticity and the beauty of a moment. Though I’ve barely experienced one semester here at Princeton, I’ve already had so many experiences — whether it be hanging out with friends or watching the snow fall — where I had a conscious thought: “you will remember this for the rest of your life.” I wanted to make a video that captured the life and realness of these moments, something anyone can relate to.

I realized that the moments I cherished the most were of those I spent with my friends, and so I reached out to them and asked them to send me videos they took while at Princeton that they love. Everyone who is featured in the video is listed at the end, thanking them for allowing me to share their moments.

I also had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Sergio Cruz, a senior here at Princeton who writes and performs slam poetry. I reached out to him with the project idea, and a week later we finished mastering the final version of his performance. I am so blessed to work with someone who was not only as talented as he is, but also had four years full of unforgettable moments to draw on. I titled the work Forever after the final line of his poem.

Music: “Paradise” by Ross Bugden

Honorable Mention

I’m Katie, a member of the class of 2019 from Ridgewood, New Jersey. At Princeton, I study English, along with creative writing and theater. I was inspired to make this video based on the experience of writing my English junior paper on the 1962 French film La Jetée. The film explores time travel and the nature of memory, and is constructed almost entirely of still photos. Watching this film in a class at the Lewis Center was a formative experience for me, and revisiting it in my independent work prompted me to reflect on all the individual memories and photographs that I have of my Princeton experience thus far. I realized is not any single moment, but the way these moments interact, that define my experience.

 

Honorable Mention

Talia Krainc is a freshman at Princeton. She was born in Boston, MA and moved to Chicago, IL when she was 14 years old. The idea behind the film came from her experiences in switching schools multiple times, which often created a sense of instability. The difference between Princeton and her previous moving experiences, however, was the foundation that Princeton provides through its array of resources for all different interests which offered room for both self-exploration and self-clarity. She would like to thank Dana Iverson for agreeing to be the subject of her film and believing in her throughout the filming process.​

 

Honorable Mention

Last summer, I stumbled upon a short cinematic film on YouTube. Watching one film led to another, and I found myself falling in love with the craft, spending hours studying photography and cinematography tutorials. Nowadays, I spend my free time on campus with my camera in hand, taking pictures of friends and creating short films (such as my submission for Unforgettable Princeton!). My Unforgettable Princeton submission was directly inspired by a memorable conversation I had with an old friend during last year’s spring break.

Honorable Mention

Grace Link is an actress, screenwriter and budding filmmaker who is likely to concentrate in Ancient Greek with certificates in the Visual Arts Department. Grace was brought up in London where she acts professionally. She made her West End debut aged 11 in Sir Trevor Nunn’s production of ‘A Little Night Music’ and most recently filmed roles in Season 2 of PBS’s VICTORIA and upcoming feature FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY.  On campus, Grace presents the recurring ‘Backstage on Broadway’ segment for PRINCETON TONIGHT.

About the Video

In Spring of 2018, the acclaimed French Actor and Director Guillaume Gallienne taught a one-off Chekhov masterclass. I had the privilege of being chosen to take part in this workshop. We meet twice a week to craft some of the most poignant scenes in Chekhov. We do not treat this class as a means to an end in a final performance, or receive any class credit, our intentions are purely to grow as performers and humans through the material. Being around this group of actors who just want to work has been so humbling. I have had the privilege of learning Nina’s final monologue in The Seagull and with Guillaume’s direction I have been transformed as an actor. It has been an unforgettable experience.

We are showcasing some of our work later this semester in the Lewis Center.

Inspiration for this video was taken from the ‘Masterclass’ course trailers.