Every year, after a lengthy process of college applications, high school seniors excitedly commit to their future universities or post-graduate plans, and are celebrated for their accomplishments. For students looking to pursue the arts after high school, additional application steps may include auditions, portfolios, or other requirements. Three students at Franklin share how their experiences participating in the arts during high school have created a helpful outlet for creative expression, as well as how this has impacted their future plans.
Ines Chen
Ines Chen is a senior at Franklin who will be majoring in filmmaking next year at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in Orange, CA. In eighth grade, Chen decided to forecast for the video production class for her freshman year. Initially, what drew her to film was the potential to improve her writing — a longtime passion of hers — through the practice of writing screenplays. “As I got more involved, I became especially drawn to editing,” she explains. “I had never really considered myself a visual artist before, but editing felt like an art form in itself.”
Over time, her drive for writing evolved into a passion for all aspects of filmmaking, including directing, which she will be studying in college. However, stepping into leadership and directing roles has not always felt easy. Chen affirms that leadership “wasn’t something I saw myself doing at first. I didn’t think I was ‘leader material.’” She adds,“I’m definitely still learning, but ultimately I enjoy the collaboration that happens on set and bringing the story to life.”
Throughout most of high school, Chen’s passion for storytelling emerged through her writing. It was only during the summer before her senior year that she decided to pivot to studying film and TV production. She explains that it was “a more straightforward way to achieve my dreams.”
What ultimately drew Chen to pursuing film was recognizing the intersection of writing and filmmaking, as they both incorporate many storytelling elements. “I love writing, and I’d still consider going back to try and publish novels, but I feel like film allows me to tell stories at their fullest, using not just words, but also visuals and sound,” Chen says. “In my opinion, it’s one of the most powerful storytelling mediums.”
The application process following this decision was difficult to navigate. Managing deadlines and art portfolios had Chen juggling large amounts of submission material on top of regular schoolwork. The pressure was also intense: “Applying to schools with single-digit acceptance rates was pretty intimidating — I wasn’t sure if all the work would pay off,” she explains.
Chen reflects on her experience in the Franklin Film School with immense gratitude. She explains that, “it was where I finally found my community in high school. As someone who was initially only interested in writing, it can be very solitary. But in film, it’s the total opposite.”
Sofi Bishop
Sofi Bishop is a Franklin senior who is attending the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City, where she will pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2D animation. She explains that storytelling through art is not only a creative passion she enjoys, but, also “one of the most important things in our world, the idea of being able to create stories that can be shared with the world.”
Bishop enjoys partaking in a multitude of arts, both visual and performing. She has participated in the Franklin theater program and enjoys playing the guitar, in addition to drawing. Bishop feels a strong connection to these activities, especially the visual arts, as they have allowed her to explore her creativity. In particular, she explains how “art has allowed self-expression in my life by being a way I can showcase my creativity, drawing whatever I want, even if it’s not realistic.”
At six years old, Bishop’s grandparents took her to see the Pixar exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, where she became inspired to become one of the people behind the movies she would see on the big screens. Ever since then, she has been motivated to pursue animation professionally. “I love to make up stories in my head and want a way to express them,” she summarizes.
Bishop explains that, once college application season rolled around, “Applying to art school, specifically for animation, was definitely very different from the standard university application process. Although I had to submit a transcript and essay, the most important part of my application was my portfolio.” She spent most of the summer and fall of her senior year taking art classes in order to build a strong portfolio submission. Despite this stress, she reflects on the process as extremely gratifying.
Ultimately, Bishop chose to attend SVA for two reasons. “One was because of its reputation and notable alumni in the animation world, such as Rebecca Sugar and Dana Terrace. The second reason was its location. When I went to visit, I fell in love with NYC, specifically Manhattan, where the school is located.”
Grace Vaupel
Grace Vaupel is a Franklin senior who has committed to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She began drawing and painting as a childhood hobby, and it remains a prevalent hobby of hers today. Later, high school art classes only furthered this enjoyment, as she got to experience art through the lens of a learning environment. Despite ultimately committing to school for illustration, her passion for art is extensive, and includes printmaking, collage, painting, drawing, and sewing.
“Being able to create and express whatever I want through art really drew me in. It’s really fun to just make things and go, ‘oh yeah, I did that!’” Vaupel explains. Creating art has allowed her to learn more about herself throughout high school. “Making art is just a really intricate way of self-reflection,” she reflects.
Despite art being prevalent in her life for a long time, Vaupel hoped to receive a softball scholarship for higher education until her junior year. However, “After tearing my Achilles last year, I realized that doing art in college was what would bring me the most happiness,” she explains. Her path has changed further, including a pivot from painting to illustrating. When building her portfolio, Vaupel considered which of her artworks did the most storytelling, and ultimately decided that her illustrations best represented her as an artist.
Vaupel’s enthusiasm for art has generated a lot of excitement for her future school plans. She describes how, “St. Paul is an awesome city, and the community is great! They also have a lot of resources. … It is a great jumping–off point for internships. I also love the fact that the Minneapolis Institute of Art is right behind the college campus!”
While every path to college is different, seniors planning on pursuing visual arts have an especially unique experience in the process. Franklin’s senior artists have various aspirations for their future and creative outlets.
