Return of the Film Club

Film Club is one of a wide range of organizations at Lenoir-Rhyne where students can connect with others who share their interests. Club president Nolan Metcalf ’24 has spent much of this year rebuilding the club after the pandemic caused membership numbers to dwindle.

“For me, it’s not about having a club or being president of a club. It’s about leaving a legacy. I want students who are passionate about film to have a voice and a place to share that interest,” Metcalf said.      

A multimedia communication major from Hickory, Metcalf describes himself as “creative, driven and eager.” He had the idea to bring back the Film Club in the fall of 2022, and he is bringing that idea to life this semester. His own interest in filmmaking traces back to childhood.

“I always felt driven to create, but I was still figuring out how to channel that drive. Then my parents took me to see the first ‘Avengers,’ and it was the first time at a movie that I’d been really aware of what I was watching and how it was all put together. After that, I watched a lot of YouTube videos looking at the technical aspects of filmmaking,” he said.

Before he graduates, Metcalf hopes to have the club’s roots in place and a first project completed. The Film Club’s first project will be a group film about the members' daily lives.

According to Metcalf, “The mission of the club is to encourage free thinking and comprehensive storytelling, uniting a fishbowl of different ideas. I want creatives to be able to bring in projects they want to work on and collaborate to reflect the talents of everyone involved.”

The club is currently revising its constitution and welcoming new members. Metcalf envisions the club as a place where anyone interested in film can develop their skills to plan, write, shoot and edit movies. All experience levels are welcome, with the club providing a setting that will allow those with specific skill sets to share what they know. For example, the club hopes to eventually offer workshops on topics such as using Adobe Creative Suite to edit films and creating high-quality and creative sound recordings.

The club also plans to host screenings and discussions of important and influential movies, possibly including Metcalf’s favorite. “There are so many films I love, but the top of the list is probably ‘Pulp Fiction.’ I have a lot of criteria for a great film — acting, pacing, setting, characters, editing, humor. Does it stand up to repeat viewing? All the possible pieces connect for me in that film.”

Metcalf hopes to one day return as an alumnus and see the club thriving with passionate filmmakers getting immersed in the LR community.

“LR gives students a lot of paths to go after the things they’re passionate about. For me, it’s filmmaking, and I want to give future students a way to follow their passion for film and use their voices to make a change.” 

The club has a meeting and movie night scheduled for March 24 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Belk Centrum, featuring the 2023 Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards, ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.’ For more information about the Film Club, contact Nolan Metcalf at nolan.metcalf@my.lr.edu.