Student Stephanie Choriatis Launches New Film Education Podcast, 'Lights, Camera, TEACH'
Third year Creative Producing student Stephanie Choriatis is the creator of Lights, Camera, TEACH, a new film education podcast.
The podcast, which premiered on December 9, 2021, focuses on educational pedagogy in the arena of film. The show was created by Choriatis as an educational resource for Columbia University’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The CTL partners with faculty, students, and colleagues across the University to support excellence and innovation in teaching and learning with the aim to advance the culture of teaching and learning at Columbia through its programs, services, and resources.
“I am a Lead Teaching Fellow for Columbia’s Center for Teaching and Learning, and part of my role is to create a resource for student educators that can help them with their teaching,” Choriatis said. “Many Fellows in the program create events, but I wanted to tap into my creative media skills to create something that Film students would actively engage with. I decided to produce a podcast interviewing professors in the program about what it’s like being a film educator. I believe the podcast is a unique resource for students—TAs and non-TAs alike—to learn more about what’s behind the magic of our program.”
The first three episodes of the podcast include interviews with Associate Professor and Film Program Chair Jack Lechner, Professor Annette Insdorf, and Adjunct Assistant Professor Michael Cacioppo Belantara.
The podcast has allowed Choriatis to further explore the connection between her passions for film and teaching:
“My passions for education and filmmaking are incredibly intertwined,” Choriatis said. “Prior to attending Columbia, I worked as a film teacher in New York City independent special needs schools. Through my experiences working with this population, I’ve developed a passion for helping these students find their place in the world through film. I believe it is my mission to foster their growth as young media makers in a manner that supports their individual learning needs. After graduating this spring, I plan to continue pursuing educational opportunities in both an individual and classroom capacity.”
Check out the Lights, Camera, TEACH podcast here or on Spotify.
Stephanie Choriatis is an award-winning independent film producer of narrative and non-fiction films based in New York City. She works as an educator for hands-on filmmaking and digital media education with students of all ages, from elementary school to college. She is attending Columbia University’s MFA program in Film with a concentration in Creative Producing and is a recipient of the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation Fellowship. Stephanie has created a stop-motion animation curriculum for elementary and middle school students, teaching them the principles of animation. She encourages the kids to change the way they view the world by bringing objects to life with animation. Additionally, Stephanie worked as a video producer at Manhattan Prep, and produced dozens of animated videos for varying educational contexts. Her main goal is to use media to educate and empower others to create impactful media themselves.