Was there a teacher or course that was essential for you?
All the classes in MPS Directing had excellent instructors who were attentive and gracious with sharing their firsthand experiences in the industry. However, the person who made me understand the structure of story and the power it has was my screenwriting instructor, Joshua James. His honesty and humility in the story-creating process was a refreshing perspective on a craft that can sometimes feel formulaic.

What was your favorite piece of advice that a teacher or student shared with you?
I believe the best piece of advice came from a fellow student. She said, "You have to make your art first and foremost for yourself." I believe it can be easy to have so many opinions crammed in your head, along with the high expectations to appease everyone, that you forget why you make the art that you do.

What advice do you have for next year's students going through your program?
I would advise any student who decides to embark on the journey that is Bob Giraldi's MPS Directing program to have thick skin. Bob's strong personality will push you to make the best piece of cinema possible, but not without obstacles. Ultimately his passion and tenacity create better filmmakers ready to face a very demanding industry.

This interview has been condensed and edited. For more on The Quiet, check out its Seed and Spark campaign to fund the completion of its post-production.

For this year's SVA Alumni Scholarship Awards, a record 68 students were chosen from a pool of over 270 applicants and were granted scholarships worth more than $60,000 for projects as varied as design products, animation, painting and photography. For more information about the Alumni Scholarship Awards and to see a complete list of this year's recipients, click here.

For more information about SVA's MPS Directing program, click here.

“You have to make your art first and foremost for yourself”