In the fall of 2024, students from Kris Holodak’s Advanced Production class in the Diederich College of Communication turned their lens toward a singular figure on campus: Dr. Mark Konewko. A faculty member in the Diederich College of Communication and the university’s official carillonneur, Konewko was the subject of the short documentary created entirely by students. This film offers a glimpse not only into his craft but also the unique nature of this instrument that is heard across Marquette’s campus.
As a project that lasted for half of the semester, students executed every aspect of the documentary, including developing interview questions, handling cinematography and editing. The team included four students who brought a range of experience to the process, with some students exploring documentary filmmaking for the first time. Each student played a distinct role such as director, producer, editor, audio producer or cinematographer. Ellie Sabo, a senior majoring in digital media and minoring in graphic design, said: “I loved my experience making this documentary. Going into the project, I had never made a documentary before, so I got to learn a lot about the process!”
Another member of the class of 2025 who served as the documentary’s cinematographer and co-director and co-editor, Keifer Russell graduated with a major in digital media and a minor in public relations who described the experience as magical: “…with a story as unique, interesting, and relatively unknown as his we figured that more people around Marquette should know about [Konewko] and what he does here. After days of filming in sideways rain, snow, and sunshine in the belltower, I can say that this short doc was an amazing experience to be part of and a definite success on what was, like my groupmates, my first documentary.”
Other students are honing documentary filmmaking as their chosen area of focus and used this opportunity to showcase their skills, setting them up for future work. “This documentary was a testament to my love for making documentaries, and I’m so grateful to Professor Kris Holodak for making this project possible,” said Katie Craig, a senior studying digital media. “Since adding the short film to my portfolio, I’ve been able to secure multiple internship offers in videography positions. The interviewers mentioned their interest in this film specifically, which was super encouraging for me as a director and producer.”
“Since adding the short film to my portfolio, I’ve been able to secure multiple internship offers in videography positions.”
Katie Craig, digital media student
Hands-on learning and experiences have long been a hallmark of the college’s Digital Media program. Projects like “Behind the Bells” offer students an opportunity to learn with and from each other, mimicking the ways a film crew might work in post-graduation settings, as noted by JJ Flippins, who graduated this spring with a major in digital media and a minor in communication studies: “I learned a lot from my crew, particularly about how directing and editing influence the final narrative. Seeing everything come together was wonderful, and I’m very pleased with what we accomplished!”
Blending education and innovation, the documentary earned second place at the student film festival last February, where it was judged by alumni and industry professionals. The film not only showcases the intersection of Konewko’s academic and creative life, but it also illustrates the ways that students are laying the foundation for their own storytelling and future professional experiences.
