Spring Break
Students visit Gossip Girl set in NYC
Issue date: 4/17/08
The Film and Media Studies department is often and easily overlooked at Hopkins, a school known for its overwhelming number of pre-meds and International Studies students. But the small department gained huge benefits when it was asked to tour the studio of the CW's new hit show Gossip Girl during the first week in April.
A group of around 15 undergraduates embarked on a trip to New York City that was organized by associate director of Film and Media Studies Linda DeLibero, the Hopkins Office of External Affairs and the president of Motion Picture Enterprises, Neal Pilzer '78. The original goal of the trip was to introduce current Hopkins film majors to alumni who are in the film, television and media industries. While the visit to New York accomplished this through a cocktail party where students met and talked to alumni, it also offered students a much broader glimpse into the industry.
Students found the party a good way to get a new perspective of the industry. Freshman Mac Schwerin commented, "I was encouraged by the number of very enthusiastic JHU grads we met; it's nice to know that there's a thriving network of interesting and successful people in the business, especially considering the department's small size." Students were actually able to tour the set of Gossip Girl while shooting was taking place and had the opportunity to visit the set of the BBC's What Not to Wear as well.
Thanks to the generosity of assistant director and Hopkins parent Vebe Borge, students were welcomed graciously on location in Queens, N.Y. on the set of Gossip Girl. Arriving right off the bus from Baltimore, students were quickly ushered into seats on the sidewalk outside where the crew was shooting a scene inside a café, and a TV was set up to watch what was being shot inside.
The set of the show was bustling with production assistants, cameramen, hair and makeup artists, costume designers, set dressers, grips, actors and, of course, paparazzi. Though for the time being the majors were not actually inside watching the actors, they got a first-hand glance at the production side of things (an aspect many are involved with in their classes at Hopkins).
A group of around 15 undergraduates embarked on a trip to New York City that was organized by associate director of Film and Media Studies Linda DeLibero, the Hopkins Office of External Affairs and the president of Motion Picture Enterprises, Neal Pilzer '78. The original goal of the trip was to introduce current Hopkins film majors to alumni who are in the film, television and media industries. While the visit to New York accomplished this through a cocktail party where students met and talked to alumni, it also offered students a much broader glimpse into the industry.
Students found the party a good way to get a new perspective of the industry. Freshman Mac Schwerin commented, "I was encouraged by the number of very enthusiastic JHU grads we met; it's nice to know that there's a thriving network of interesting and successful people in the business, especially considering the department's small size." Students were actually able to tour the set of Gossip Girl while shooting was taking place and had the opportunity to visit the set of the BBC's What Not to Wear as well.
Thanks to the generosity of assistant director and Hopkins parent Vebe Borge, students were welcomed graciously on location in Queens, N.Y. on the set of Gossip Girl. Arriving right off the bus from Baltimore, students were quickly ushered into seats on the sidewalk outside where the crew was shooting a scene inside a café, and a TV was set up to watch what was being shot inside.
The set of the show was bustling with production assistants, cameramen, hair and makeup artists, costume designers, set dressers, grips, actors and, of course, paparazzi. Though for the time being the majors were not actually inside watching the actors, they got a first-hand glance at the production side of things (an aspect many are involved with in their classes at Hopkins).
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