Stevens Institute of Technology Television (SITTV), the school’s audio and visual media organization, is predicted to have a very exciting year with a lot of growth in store. SITTV supports involved students and provides them with the resources to create productions of all scopes. In an interview with the president of SITTV, Lennox Kolics, The Stute found out what the organization is all about as well as what direction Kolics sees the organization going in the future.
SITTV is based upon being a creative outlet for members, and the most popular way students have expressed this creativity is through making productions. Kolics talked about the beginning of this process: “It all starts with an idea pitch coupled with a request — what do you want to do and what do you need to do it?” Students can share their pitch in Discord or with an executive board member to be put in contact with SITTV’s Executive Producer, Matt Pino. For students who don’t already have a group of people wanting to work with them on the production, Pino “will help you put together the team you need, including videographers, actors, editors, co-writers, etc.” Once you get the official approval from Pino, you can schedule time in the studio dedicated to filming and editing as well as schedule when you need certain equipment with the Equipment Manager, Tom Boccassini. Creating a production can be an overwhelming process, but Kolics stresses that “The eBoard is always here to help flesh out ideas and advise you in all aspects of pre-production, production, and post-production.”
For non-members, SITTV still wants to share its members’ love for films by hosting movie nights. Kolics remarks, “our studio is just as great for showing [movies] as it is for making them.” The organization hosts movie nights on most Fridays at 6 p.m., and the schedule for the rest of the semester is listed below.
- Soul, March 24
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, March 31
- Turning Red, April 14
- Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, April 28
Kolics describes the experience: “It’s pitch black except for the projector screen and glow-in-the-dark tape on the ground, we’ve got gamer chairs, and there’s popcorn.” No matter the group’s consensus on the movie, members have fun talking about it afterward and learning more about its production. Specifically, the SITTV president reminisces about how after he showed the movie “Gremlins,” they decided to also watch the Director’s Commentary and some people stayed for an hour and a half to discuss the film.
As for SITTV’s most recent projects, SITTV is planning on bringing back film fests, which it held frequently before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Kolic, “Everyone receives the same filmmaking prompt at the beginning of the month…and at the end of the month we screen whatever folks cooked up.” The organization currently has three film fest videos in post-production with more on the way. Kolics shared his excitement: “I’m absolutely pumped about our film fests because we’re all just hanging out making things now.” They also want to reassure students who don’t have an idea themselves, since other students who do have ideas are always looking for help on their own projects. The project “SITTV News,” in collaboration with The Stute, is also starting back up.
Looking ahead, Kolics discusses how they have grown to 15 voting members, and they do not plan to stop there. With more people, they can now create more content and “set [themselves] up to keep on this upward trajectory.” Kolic envisions SITTV becoming a “true hub” for all creative minds alike. Whether you are a writer, actor, camera enthusiast, editor, or just a film nerd in general, he wants this to be a space where you can be involved. Kolics wants Stevens to know that they exist outside of their weekly meetings and that SITTV is looking to focus more energy on its productions. Kolic reflects, “The more we do, the more SITTV becomes a place where you can contribute as much as you want in the time that works for you.”
When I asked Kolic how students can get involved, they said that they can join SITTV’s Discord, which you can find through this link: https://discord.gg/WjekjGN8V7. General Body Meetings are held on Mondays at 9 p.m. in the studio, located on the northwest side of Humphreys across from the North Building, but students can get involved without attending the meetings through productions announced on Discord. However you get involved, Kolic wants the SITTV to “enable students to create audio-visual content, whether it be artistic or documentary in nature, by providing them with the resources, community, and support they need to do so.”
