Alumni in Film and Media
Middlebury graduates go on to a wide range of careers – often, but not necessarily, tied to their major. Here are a sampling of Middlebury graduates who either majored in Film and Media Culture, or have pursued a career in the film and media industries. Graduates end up in the media industry from a range of majors, and FMMC majors can end up in a broad array of careers, pointing to the flexibility of a liberal arts degree.
The department frequently helps arrange internships for majors to work with our network of alumni. If you're an alum who wants to add or update your information on this list, contact Francisca Drexel.
The FMMC class of 2009 and faculty imagine themselves at the Cannes Film Festival.
Iskandar Aminov '06 (FMMC)
Currently an MBA candidate at The University of Chicago; previously worked in advertising industry in New York and London.
Tim Bartlett '98 (FMMC/ENAM)
Freelance editor based in New York; credits include the feature documentary Tibet in Song, and television series World of Jenks, The Amazing Race, Hell's Kitchen, and The Surreal Life.
Mike Bender '97 (FMMC/ENAM)
Screenwriter (Not Another Teen Movie); co-creator of Awkward Family Photos.
Joseph Bergan '08 (FMMC)
Associate Producer at NBC News Peacock Productions in New York; performer in live and online comedy.
Ian Berger '98 (FMMC)
Producer at The Daily Show, focused on creating field segments for the show.
Nick Bestor '09 (JAPN with FMMC minor)
Masters student in film studies at Emory University
Perry Blackshear '04 (FMMC)
Received MFA in film directing from NYU Tisch School of the Arts; independent filmmaker in New York.
Jack Donaldson '06 (HIST)
Story editor at Apparatus production company in Los Angeles.
David Ellis '09 (FMMC)
Assistant to the Director of Development, Stefan Sonnenfeld Productions in Los Angeles
Jason Farkas '05 (FMMC/ECON)
Line Producer of CNBC's Fast Money.
Evan Harris '07 (AMST) with concentation on media)
Digital producer at ABC News, working primarily on This Week with George Stephanopoulis.
Maia Hollinger '06 (ENAM)
Works at Carol Mendelsohn Productions in Los Angeles.
Daniel Houghton '06 (ART)
Video and animation instructor in Randolph, Vermont.
Lisa Jasinski '03 (HARC/PSCI)
Received M.A. in Film Studies from University of Wisconsin; currently teaching in Education department of Trinity University.
Ryan Koo '03 (FMMC)
Independent media producer; co-creator of award-winning web video series The West Side; creator of popular blog No Film School.
Tim Leavitt '06 (FMMC)
Freelance editor/assistant editor in Los Angeles; projects include assistant editor on The Celebrity Apprentice and editor on web series Guess Again. Writes a blog on editing, View from the Cutting Room Floor.
Matt Leonard '09 (FMMC)
Assistant editor for MTV's Made in New York.
Stephanie Levine '08 (FMMC/MATH)
Municipal Bond department at Barclays Capital.
Ioana Literat '09 (FMMC)
In PhD program at Annenberg School of Communication at University of Southern California, studying prosocial global media.
Caryn LoCastro '07 (SOAN with FMMC minor)
Marketing Manager at Sundance Channel. Caryn previously worked at MTV Networks and USA Network.
Derek Long '08 (HIST with FMMC minor)
In PhD program at University of Wisconsin - Madison's Film Studies program.
Kati Madouros '04 (PSCI)
Works in strategy and planning for HBO Original Programming in New York.
Andrew Manugian '09 (FMMC/PSYC)
Currently traveling and teaching English in Bangkok, and blogging about it.
Sarah Peters '04 (ENAM/THEA)
Publicity Department at Warner Bros. Pictures in New York.
Andrew Peterson '87 (HIST)
Vice President of Production, Werc Werk Works. Co-producer Life During Wartime, Howl, The Convincer, Darling Companion. Director of Programming, Provincetown International Film Festival.
Rob Perez '95 (FMMC/THEA)
Screenwriter in Hollywood (40 Days and 40 Nights); independent writer/director in Minneapolis (nobody).
Shawn Ryan '88 (ECON/THEA)
Acclaimed television writer/producer; creator of The Shield and The Chicago Code; executive producer of The Unit, Lie To Me and Terriers.
Sheila Murphy Seles '05 (AMST/THEA with emphasis on media)
Received Masters in Comparative Media Studies at MIT, focusing on television audience research; Research Project Manager at Advertising Research Foundation in New York.
Felipe Pruneda Sentíes '07 (FMMC)
Doctoral student in the Film Studies program at the University of Pittsburgh, studying scripts, subtitles, and Latin America Cinema; contributor to the Amigos del Cine Latinoamericano blog.
Henry Simonds '97 (FMMC/ART)
President and Founder of Headwater Films; independent film and media producer (Rachel is).
Aaron Smith '09 (FMMC)
Assistant Media Planner at Wieden & Kennedy New York. See Aaron's Honors Thesis on transmedia storytelling and television.
Annie Stamell '06 (INTL)
Writer and development assistant in television production, Los Angeles; writes pop culture blog Jaw Wired Shut.
Daniel Stone '07 (FMMC)
Sailor on educational vessels which teach nautical science and oceanography.
Jack Thurston '02 (FMMC)
Award-winning reporter for WCAX-TV News in Burlington, VT.
Astri von Arbin Ahlander '07 (FMMC/ENAM)
MFA student in Nonfiction Writing at Columbia University; co-founder of the non-profit organization The Lattice Group; writer for True/Slant and The Days of Yore.