Chris Koser

Social Studies Through Creative Writing Psychology and Filmmaking

Why did you choose Fairhaven?

I knew early on that I wanted to be a filmmaker. In choosing my education, I wanted to make sure that every choice I made would bring me closer to my goals. There were plenty of film schools to choose from but none of them allowed me the freedom to design my own curriculum.

When I found Fairhaven, I was looking to break away from the "conventional" education. At Fairhaven there were no walls, no major restrictions and nothing standing between me and exactly what I wanted to learn. While I could create my own courses at Fairhaven, I also had the option to take conventional film courses on the Western campus as well as local film schools. Enrolling in Fairhaven gave me access to the exact education I was looking for to prepare me for the professional world.

What academic projects are you most passionate about?

Since I became a student at Fairhaven I have made a number of short films from promotional pieces to music videos. It's fascinating to see the evolution in the movies I have made and the influence that my experience at Fairhaven has had on the quality and content of my work. My time here has significantly enriched my perspectives on the world and has taught me to combine my work with a structure of social responsibility. The movies that I have created which embody this responsibility, have been the most influential and fulfilling experiences I have had as a filmmaker. I plan to continue this in the next few quarters as I create my senior thesis short film at Fairhaven with the help of faculty like Dan Larner and Mark Miller. I hope to involve other Fairhaven students interested in filmmaking, creating a truly collaborative movie-making experience that exemplifies the student based education that Fairhaven offers.