Weber State students gain hands-on film experience with short film ‘Pencils Down’
OGDEN, Utah — A short film produced with the help of Weber State University performing arts students and faculty is premiering at film festivals around the country.
“Pencils Down,” a dark workplace comedy with an all-female cast, made its world premiere at the Palm Springs International Short Fest in late June. Filmed over the course of three days in May 2025 in New York City, “Pencils Down” offered five WSU students an opportunity to get behind-the-scenes experience on a real film set and connect with professionals in the industry.
“Being on set for the first time was a dream come true,” said Mei Flint, a junior majoring in theatre arts with an emphasis in acting and directing. “The experience really impacted the way I saw my future. Working on film sets has become my new career goal.”
Flint served as a personal assistant for the film’s art department, ordering and designing props before filming began, and assisting with set dressing and organizing during filming. While studying for her major, her interest in film had grown. When she saw an opportunity to work in New York, she jumped on it.
The experience gave her a “whole new appreciation for film and what goes into it,” she said.
“Each person played a part in bringing this film together. Everyone is so individually talented and I’m grateful to have been a part of that team,” Flint said.
The Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities School of Performing Arts has a history of creative collaboration with the New York City-based theater company Adjusted Realists, of which performing arts chair Jessica Greenberg is a member. Adjusted Realists has provided multiple opportunities for WSU students to get professional experience in the arts, usually with theater productions, and the Friz Family Foundation funded travel for these experiences.
Rachel McPhee, co-writer and star of “Pencils Down,” has worked with WSU students over the years in a variety of roles, including acting, set design, assistant stage management, and box office operations. She’s also visited Weber State to participate in a play workshop reading and sit in on classes to talk to students.
“This was my fourth time working with Weber students, and I continue to be impressed by their talent, professionalism, and work ethic,” McPhee said. “They came in ready to learn, eager to contribute, and fully engaged in the process.”
While developing “Pencils Down,” McPhee said she wanted to collaborate with the Weber State community from the start.
“As we started talking about the film, it became clear that it could be a great opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience working alongside professional actors and filmmakers,” McPhee said. “Unlike a theatrical production that exists for a limited run, the students would have something they helped create that would live on long after we wrapped — something they could point to and say, ‘I was part of that.’”
In addition to hiring student workers, assistant professor of theater Fan Zhang served as the film’s costume designer and faculty chaperone for the trip. While on set, she worked closely with one student who assisted her with costume, hair, and makeup, and made sure the others were set up to succeed with mentorships in other areas of production.
“We’re still trying to provide an educational environment, even though it’s a professional setting,” Zhang said. “The goal of this whole project sets them up to learn while also feeling comfortable and safe.”
Flint said she learned more about the expectations of working on a film set and how to network and find more job opportunities. Since working on “Pencils Down,” she has worked on two other sets, both behind the scenes and on camera.
“This experience will be forever a favorite of mine because of everything I got to learn,” Flint said. “This opportunity meant the world to me. It was living proof that these dreams and goals we have as performing art students are possible if we work for it.”
Both Zhang and McPhee said providing opportunities for performing art students to work in creative hubs like New York City is important for getting experience, building confidence, and making connections for their future careers.
“There’s so much that can only be learned by actually doing the work,” McPhee said. “Classrooms provide the foundation, but there comes a time when artists need opportunities to apply those skills in professional environments. Every time I've worked with Weber students, they've exceeded expectations, and ‘Pencils Down’ was no exception.”
“Pencils Down” will premiere next at the The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival on Aug. 5 and the HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood from Aug. 13-23. For updates on future showings, follow the film’s Instagram account, @pencilsdownfilm.
Jessica Kokesh, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7316, jessicakokesh@weber.edu- Contact:
Rachel Badali, Public Relations Director
801-626-7948, rachelbadali@weber.edu