What is HAWK|STUDIOS?
HAWK|STUDIOS is a SUNY New Paltz student film club, founded in 1973 for the purpose of producing student films. Our aim is to provide any SUNY New Paltz student, regardless of major, the opportunity to learn the craft of filmmaking. Through hands on experience our members can hone their abilities across a myriad of disciplines. From writing, editing, audio production, and camera operation, just to name a few. All while producing their own projects.
The spirit of HAWK|STUDIOS is in facilitating education through the creation of members personal projects. What you make and how you make it are up to you. Hawk Studios is the connection point where people can come and unite with fellow creatives to share in their effort and knowledge. To team up with new friends and like minded people, to create their greatest cinematic ambition.
How does it work?
We need creators. We need your ideas and vision. Come to any of our twice weekly meetings with something you want to make. Present it to your fellow members and build your team. The way your project gets made is by having people commit to working on it. People vote with their efforts and belief. If you already have friends ready to work on your project, bring them with you and get started.
Once you have your crew and submit your script, you will work with our production executives to create a shoot schedule, arrange for equipment, cast and create a marketing plan. HAWK|STUDIOS does not make films, you do! We are an organization of fellow creatives committed to supporting your project. We have no editorial demands on the projects you make, nor do we decide what is made. It is all up to you! We only hope to help facilitate your creative process by being the place people know they can go to in order to connect with other filmmakers and creatives. The larger the idea, the larger the crew needed. With a proper crew anything is achievable. Join a team and create something.
So, it is with that goal in mind that we encourage everyone, skills or unskilled, experienced or not, to connect with HAWK|STUDIOS. You can do that in person at any of our twice weekly meetings or online through our Discord. We are developing our process, and will make cast and crew notices available so that you can keep track of ongoing productions to sign on and be a part of. We have a method to get people with zero experience on set and involved in order to learn. So if you have any interest, please don't hesitate. We are here to help.
If you are just starting out, talk to any of our experienced executive board. Let them know what you would like to get out of the club and they can start you in one of the departments or connect you with a project looking to build out a team.
HAWK|STUDIOS
Executive Board
HAWK|STUDIOS has a unique structure that emulates that of a traditional Hollywood film studio. Below you will find that structure. Get to know our hierarchy as well as the friendly faces of the Studio executives. Feel free to reach out to any member of our team with questions. They are happy to help.
The President and Vice President have the final say in all things HAWK|STUDIOS, while providing the strategic long term vision that guides the studio. Their north star is in always pushing to best serve developing SUNY New Paltz filmmakers.
Maddy Finelli
President of HAWK|STUDIOS
Gavin Murray
Vice-President of HAWK|STUDIOS
Bee Messin
Head of Development
Aidan Ferguson
Head of Production
Hailey Reilley
Head of Marketing
HAWK|STUDIOS Divisional Heads
We utilize three divisions, each focused on a specific aspect of the studios process to facilitate student productions. Our development team is the initial point of contact for all projects. Whether developed internally, or an external submission, their primary goal is to facilitate the building of crews and to organize projects for a production green light.
The Production Division is the heart of HAWK|STUDIOS. They help organize your production, in order to offer it the greatest chance of success. To shepherd your project through the production journey, the studio assigns an Executive Producer that can help as needed with guidance, technical training, and answer any questions. They are there to help, and make the daunting challenge of filmmaking a little less daunting.
Our Marketing team will work with you to get eyes on your project. Whether that is through creating an EPK, poster, arranging screenings, or working with you to develop out of the box promotional hijinks, they will go that extra mile.
Begum Basaran
Development VH, and Greenlighting Coordinator
Red Permaul
Development VH
Jayden Cunningham
Production VH, in charge of The Sound Department
Declan Caulfield
Production VH, in charge of The Camera Department
HAWK|STUDIOS Junior Executives
Each HAWK|STUDIOS division consists of a Head that directs its functions as well as manages the Junior Executives within. The Junior Execs each have a unique role within their divisions that come with specific responsibilities and goals. If you are looking for guidance in a specific aspect of production, then look no further.
Daniel Butt
Co-Head of Marketing
Someone else?
Marketing VH
JJ Sievers
Development VH, in charge of Casting
Hannah Wotherspoon
Production VH, in charge of Post Production and Chief Technology Officer
Aidan Park
Production VH, in charge of The Art Department
Mars McInerney
Production VH
Chloe Banyai
Junior Production VH
Tom Smith
Secretary of HAWK|STUDIOS
Are you Executive Material?
If you would like to get involved at the upper levels of HAWK|STUDIOS to have a hand in helping shape it's and it's members future, please reach out. Anyone can run to be an Executive and we are always looking to recruit enthusiastic people to the Executive Board that believe in our mission. Our abilities scale with each new committed member. There is always something that can be done to grow how we serve our fellow students.