Are you majoring in an Associate of Arts program? Is your major Digital Media Production and Distribution? Are you a movie lover and pop culture fanatic, or are you a creative mind who wants to spark up your imagination? Then, the Digital Media and Culture Club is for you.
Founded by Media Professor and head of the Fine & Performing Arts department, Professor Walter Behr the meetings take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:00-2:30 pm at Paterson Campus in Memorial Hall, M340. Wednesdays are for planning events, business talks, and brainstorming and Thursdays are discussing film topics, watching movie clips, and talking amongst one another about upcoming weekend events.
The club’s purpose is to engage students by participating in activities and events that are film-related and the club also discusses films, shows, and media of all kinds. Anyone can join the club as long as they are students at PCCC and it doesn’t matter what major they’re studying. The activities that the club is involved in are the Bake Sales and movie screenings. Last month on November 29th, the club had a Cinematic Bake Sale to raise money for A Holiday Blowout that happened last week.
The executive board consists of Patricia Mendoza (the president since Fall 2023), Ashley Tirado (the secretary), Trysten Robinson (the vice president), and Jorge Rosas (the treasurer).
Each one has a different personal goal for the club. Robinson stated, “I really hope to spread awareness of the ways to interact with others in school. There are many clubs in colleges and universities, but people usually think it’s only really academic inclined ones."
Tirado stated, “I joined because I wanted to find like minds."
Mendoza expressed that “(she) joined, well reactivated, and founded then became President of DMCC to leave a standing impact at PCCC before (she) graduates. I want to meet other inspired individuals with interests like mine, know about film, and connect with others at PCCC. I want to give a chance to those who do not have a voice for this club, it may be small now, but it’ll become big in a few years given time."
The executive board also shared their honest opinions about Martin Scorsese’s thoughts on Marvel and the current state of Hollywood.
Mendoza stated, “I heard what Martin Scorsese said about Marvel and cinema; I will have to agree. I hopped off the Marvel bandwagon right after Endgame since it was a conclusion to most of the stories, but I see Marvel as a cash cow for making more money. They have a multitude of characters to either create a show/movie that’s new for the audience or flesh out pre-existing characters. He’s been in this industry long enough to know that this is how it goes. Something as big as Marvel in this industry will plummet, which has already started to begin, and suffice to say, I’m not surprised. During the Writers and Actors strike, it seemed like cinema was decreasing as workers of both tables were not being paid enough with either money or benefits. It was not fair and more strikes are rumored to happen which is concerning, to say the least. Ever since they ended, a mass production of trailers, posters, teasers, and movies has come out since. It only took the action of a couple of people to change this which says a lot. Would we have to resolve every solution to a strike and go against one another for benefits? A part of me says that this was a saving grace, but on the other hand, I cannot think of this being a good thing for cinema.”
Tirado proclaimed, “I don’t really think cinema is falling down, it’s usually the same old minds from 100 years ago trying to push new content without understanding what people today would actually like but anyone with the right passion can make cinema a little more modern to today."
Robinson stated that “(he) believes it can be saved, but (he) doesn't know if it is necessarily falling. A lot has happened in the past 5 years, between Covid and the writers and actors strike, a lot of good content hasn’t been produced because of those reasons.”
Another media related question was asked; “Are political correctness, woke and cancel culture, and pandering ruining creativity, cinema, and humor?”
Mendoza stated that “Woke culture has become either a hit or miss with me. Some certain studios and actors can deliver that right, but some make me cringe profoundly."
Tirado expressed, “I think it depends who’s making the media with what intentions “ruins” said media, I think people should be able to make media however they’d like with the intention of putting out new concepts is fine and doesn’t ruin anything at all, but, to me if it’s a company trying to “revive” an old media by rebooting it trying to sell “new” media then, I think at the point it is ruined." Robinson stated; “I do believe it is effecting media’s. Mostly because everything is the same now; there is hardly any different content coming out and I think everything is blending in.”
In summary, Passaic County Community College’s Digital Media and Culture Club is a club where everyone is welcome to talk about entertainment related topics, planning to activities that benefits the club itself, and encourage & inspire any like minded students.
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