The University of Tampa (UTampa) students are raising the bar in the film program, creating bigger, more elaborate senior seminar sets with student-run crews and talented casts.
By Andrew Miller
TAMPA, Fla. — Every year, in nearly every film school program, seniors must create their tour de force, their final project.
This year, UTampa seniors are stepping up like never before with larger crews, trained casts, and professional-level production quality.
These projects are far from typical “student films.” They’ve evolved into full-blown productions that rival professional sets.
One of the filmmakers leading this creative charge is Russell Koo, a senior film and media arts major and a true jack-of-all-trades, who has spent the past month shooting his film Loophole.
“Being on set almost feels like summer camp,” said Koo.
With seniors creating films across a variety of genres, the sets are never dull and always offer valuable learning experiences and challenges for the crew.
Koo explained that each member of the senior seminar class lends a hand whenever possible, doing whatever is required for each set.
“People tend to help each other out with sets because we are all student filmmakers, trying to get a vision from script to screen,” said Koo.
Sydney Leary, a UTampa musical theatre student who has worked on several of these sets, said there’s a clear sense of professionalism and “legitness” behind these productions.
“My expectations were exceeded after seeing how devoted these students were to making their vision come to life,” said Leary.
For Leary and Koo, what stands out most isn’t just the quality of the work on set, it’s the excitement and camaraderie that come with creating it together.
“Everyone involved was so supportive and kind,” said Leary. “I had a great time.”
Leary will appear in the upcoming projects Pig by Nicole Potamousis, Loophole by Russell Koo, and Final Cut by Alannah Ahlquist. Her work is a strong example of the success that happens when film and theater majors collaborate.
A standout example of this professional-level work is Alannah Ahlquist’s senior film, Final Cut.
Ahlquist, a senior film and media Arts major, wrapped production on her thesis film this past weekend. Her goal was to capture the campy, over-the-top murder style of modern horror, and she succeeded.
“Everyone who showed up for me gave it their all,” said Ahlquist. “We were up until 4 a.m. three nights in a row — and that shows on screen!”
The list of production achievements from this semester’s seniors goes on and on, and we could write all day about their success.
What audiences won’t see on screen is the immense pressure these students carry throughout the fall semester, knowing this film represents their entire undergraduate career.
“Preparing to shoot my senior seminar film was easily one of the most stressful experiences of my academic career,” said Koo.
Despite the challenges, the passion and persistence of Koo, Ahlquist, Leary, Potamousis, and the rest of the senior seminar class are sure to shine through on screen.
Their films will premiere at the Film and Media Arts Senior Showcase in the Charlene A. Gordon Theater later this semester, a celebration of talent, teamwork, and storytelling.
All movie lovers, and all students, for that matter, should be a part of this event. It’s a perfect way to support the hard work and dedication these creators have poured into their projects.
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Thumbnail Photo Caption: Sydney Leary (May ‘27) starring in Nicole Potamousis’ (May ‘26) film Pig. Photo Courtesy of Julian Ramirez (December ‘25). Photo Courtesy of Julian Ramirez.