Student Initiative: Film Collective at Minerva

The Film Collective at Minerva is dedicated to making films and fostering community. What started as a space for Minervans passionate about filmmaking has evolved into a welcoming hub for experimentation, collaboration, and connection to the film industry.

Anelle Azhibayeva, Class of 2026 and Arts & Literature major, leads the initiative. She discovered Film Collective through the Arts & Humanities community and was immediately struck by how welcoming it felt. "Though I had no professional film-related experience prior to participating in my first 24-hour film marathon, the community was so supportive of involving everyone, in whatever way they wanted to and felt comfortable," Anelle shares.

What makes Film Collective special is its diversity. Students from various majors, such as Computer Science, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, bring unique perspectives to filmmaking. "This magic was established because such different people from different colleges were able to contribute and exercise their creativity," Anelle explains.

For Anelle, Film Collective connected her passions and curiosities. After exploring YouTube and longer-form content creation, she decided to make a video series as her Capstone project. The Film Collective provided the community with resources and inspiration to pursue that vision.

Mission: Bridging Creativity and Industry

Film Collective is "a cross-cohort community of exploration in practical creativity within the film medium." The initiative bridges Minerva students and the film industry, offering hands-on experience, portfolio-building opportunities, and access to working professionals.

"We wanted to give students the chance to get out of their creative paralysis and silence their impostor syndrome by talking to those who work their dream jobs," Anelle explains. Film Collective connects students with filmmakers, producers, editors, and sound designers, expanding their networks and demystifying the entertainment industry.

The initiative maintains strong ties with alumni who've entered the film world, creating a multigenerational community that supports current students.

The 24-Hour Film Marathon

The 24-Hour Film Marathon is Film Collective's signature tradition. Students form teams, assign roles (director, actor, editor), receive a creative prompt, and complete an entire film in under 24 hours. That includes screenwriting, filming, and editing.

"What is special for participants and everyone involved is the richness and diversity of films that are produced from around different Minerva rotations, considering the constraints given," Anelle says. Time pressure forces creativity, while diverse backgrounds produce remarkably different interpretations of the same prompt.

The marathon happens across multiple rotation cities simultaneously. Films reflect the unique context of each location and the varied cultural perspectives of the teams. "The opportunity to create and to witness others' creations is one we don't take for granted, especially considering the diversity of backgrounds present at Minerva."

To prepare participants, Film Collective hosts pre-marathon workshops. In Fall 2025, they organized three sessions: screenwriting with Manu, Class of 2020; cinematography with Jaime, Class of 2025; and editing with Stephanie, Class of 2025. These workshops help beginners and experienced filmmakers sharpen their skills.

Minervopolis Film Fest: Extended Creative Work

The 24-Hour Marathon offers a burst of creativity. Minervopolis Film Fest provides time for deeper development. Typically held in spring, this festival gives teams up to three weeks to create short films.

"It resembles what a committed team would go through in a production process, from an idea to thought-out shots and filming, and often hefty post-production," Anelle describes. The extended timeline enables more ambitious projects while preserving creative freedom in format and presentation.

Minervopolis serves dual purposes: it gives beginners more time to learn the filmmaking process while providing seasoned filmmakers opportunities to create portfolio-quality work.

Workshops: Learning from Alumni and Professionals

For Anelle, the most meaningful moments at Film Collective occur during workshops with alumni and industry experts. "Witnessing the film journeys our alumni head onto post-graduation is inspiring, and it's a way for the Film Collective community to keep growing together."

The Fall 2025 workshops, featuring alumni Manu, Jaime, and Stephanie, particularly stood out. "Seeing the creativity they get up to and having a chance for them to share this with the greater community is a privilege I don't take lightly," Anelle reflects. "This speaks volumes about what the Film Collective is first and foremost: a COMMUNITY, across cohorts and levels of expertise."

Another memorable event was the conversation with Stosh Mintek, a senior consultant at the DeVos Institute of Arts Management and former CEO of the Ghetto Film School. These conversations help students understand film funding, production, and how to launch independent projects.

Goals: Making Creativity the Norm

Anelle has an ambitious vision: "My ultimate hope is that creative exploration in practical substance becomes the norm at Minerva!"

She recognizes that academic workload often pushes creativity aside. "When tasked with so much academic and other work, we often leave the creative to the side. However, this exploration is crucial to our development and understanding of how we can challenge ourselves and overcome obstacles. It's also a way for our community to become stronger in creating its art."

Film Collective also works to demystify the entertainment industry. "Oftentimes, the entertainment or film industry seems very far away from the day-to-day, but that is simply not true. We can be involved in it, even if little by little, for as much as we would like. The key is finding those opportunities, and the community, to do it with."

As Film Collective continues to grow, it remains committed to accessibility, community, and practical creative exploration. Whether students dream of film careers or simply want to experiment with storytelling, Film Collective provides the space, support, and resources to make their dreams a reality.

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