Literacy in the 21st Century LEARNING

The Powers Of Visual Persuasion

One of our most steadfast and important traditions at SD is our dedication to innovation. After 172 years, we are still here—stronger than ever—because we are not the same school we were yesterday. We are constantly adapting, providing our students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to meet the challenges of their times.

We have always prioritized literacy as a core component of a San Domenico education. But literacy in the 21st century has become much more than the written word. Literacy has become visual. How do SD students learn to discern between honest and dishonest messaging? How can SD students learn to com- pose honest messaging that can change the world for the better? How can SD students join the visual, online conversations of our times so they can graduate as empowered citizens?

These thoughts are top of mind for Director of Digital Arts Harry Maxon, whose SD filmmakers recently found themselves in New York City amid thousands of students from around the world, at the 2022 All American High School Film Festival (AAHSFF). Four San Domenico student films were accepted into this prestigious festival and screened for sold-out audiences at the AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square, the busiest movie theater in the world.

Since we launched our film program nearly 10 years ago, we’ve seen our students win accolades for their work. But this festival—like our Digital Arts program—is about much more than that. All American was started by an English teacher who believes students in the 21st century must learn to compose visually.

For Maxon—who also comes to Digital Arts via English (he holds an MA in English from NYU, an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, and an MAT in English from Duke University)—our Digital Arts program is not just about making movies; it’s about enabling our students to give voice to what matters most to them.

Growing our Digital Arts program to meet the needs of our students is a priority for San Domenico. Students now have access to professional-grade cinema cameras, app-op- produce. “This is what drives me as an educator,” says Max on. “To be able to empower students to produce anything they can imagine is why we are all here.”

It’s all about storytelling. Of course, all the tools in the world are nothing without good storytelling, and that is at the core of Maxon’s approach to teaching literacy through Digital Arts. It starts with the students’ first project as film students at SD, Two Truths and a Lie. Students present the viewer with three “facts” about themselves, one of which is untrue. With this simple exercise, students quickly realize how easy it is to use visual storytelling to sway or even deceive an audience. “It’s less important that they want a career in film,” Maxon explains. “It’s more important that they graduate being able to recognize dishonest messaging and compose honest and persuasive messaging to move the audience of their choosing.” erated lights, gimbals, drones, and car mounts. They are learning cutting-edge virtual production techniques using video game engines and motion trackers (as seen on productions like The Mandalorian). They are collaborating across disciplines, with Game Academy, Animation, and Visual Arts students each bringing their skills to the table to create something new. With these tools and our educational programming in place, there is no limit to what our students can

Cut to this past June, when brand-new equipment arrived on campus just in time for Maxon and his film students to take on a new challenge: produce a 10-minute film from concept to final cut—a project that would typically require a full year on a normal production schedule—in a mere 10 days, in order to meet submission deadlines for the 2022 AAHSFF.

With an emphasis on storytelling, the team goal was to be accepted into the festival, where the students could then see what they are up against in terms of technical achievement, in preparation for next year. And that’s exactly what happened. Reunion, along with three other SD films, earned a spot in the most esteemed student film festival in the world.

The future is now at SD.

We are building tremendous things in Digital Arts at San Domenico, and sending four films to the All American High School Film Festival is only the beginning. This signature program is simply the only one of its kind in the world.

It includes our new Video Game Design Academy, virtual production cinema tools, a screenwriting pathway (wherein students can pitch their scripts to Hollywood producers), a Children’s Book and Animation experience, 2D/3D animation and visual e ects, digital music, and filmmaking with cutting-edge professional tools.

Combine real-world motion capture with artificial worlds built via video game engine, and the result is the ability to film actors within the virtual world without the need for green screens and compositing. In short, it is the future of filmmaking. This leap in film technology is as significant as the introduction of sound in 1927’s The Jazz Singer. And our students are at the very forefront.

This is innovation in action, purpose-built for San Domenico students to continue graduating as literate citizens who can shape the future of their communities, their countries, and themselves.