This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work under SCU’s Communication Professor Nico Opper, a documentary filmmaker whose work explores themes of identity, belonging, and community. Alongside fellow student Laisha Lizarraga, I served as a production assistant on one of Professor Opper's latest documentary projects, which tells the narrative of an actor and singer's life as they prepare for an upcoming Broadway show. 

Going around New York City is challenging on its own, but doing it with a film crew in the heart of Times Square? That’s a whole different level of chaos. The city moves at a relentless pace, and as a documentary crew, we had to be ready to adapt on the fly, capturing every moment as it unfolded, no matter how unpredictable.

On the second day of our shoot, we were set to meet our talent—an actress whose life was the focus of our documentary. That day threw us headfirst into the reality of documentary filmmaking. To be honest, the details of what exactly went down are a blur, but I remember the chaos vividly. There were moments when we didn’t even know where we were supposed to meet the talent. Multiple locations were floated around, and the confusion only added to the frenzy. At one point, our Director of Photography (DP) ended up in the same car as the talent, while the rest of us scrambled to catch up in another vehicle.

As we raced to keep up, we found ourselves stuck in the Times Square traffic. We had jumped into an Uber, thinking it would be quicker, only to realize that our destination was just three minutes away—but those three minutes felt like an eternity. And there we were, sweating bullets, crammed in the backseat, trying to stay calm while watching the minutes tick by. The tension was so high up that everyone was worried that we wouldn’t be able to catch what we needed, but looking back, it’s almost funny how we all sat there, desperate to get to the spot, only to be at the mercy of bumper-to-bumper traffic.

That day was a crash course in the unpredictability of documentary work. We had to think on our feet, constantly adjusting to whatever was thrown our way. Despite the chaos, it was exhilarating—a real taste of what it means to capture real life as it happens. It made me realize just how much I love the spontaneity of documentary filmmaking.

This was my first time working with a professional actress and activist, and the documentary we're working on is about her life as she mounts a show on Broadway. It was one of those surreal moments—when you’ve seen someone online, watched their interviews, and then suddenly, there they are in person, right in front of you. Meeting her in person felt almost unreal. She was just as energetic and genuine as she seemed in those interviews, but hearing her speak and sing in real life was something else entirely, the emotions I felt in her voice live were incredible.

I hadn’t expected much interaction with her, to be honest. But as it turned out, Laisha and I ended up taking on the role of making sure she had what she needed for rehearsal. Before the day started, we’d prepare her tea to her liking to warm up her voice. When the actress found out that I’m a music student currently studying opera, she surprised me by asking for tips on how to warm up her voice. I was floored—here was a woman who had just headlined a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall, asking me for advice. Her down-to-earth attitude and humility were astonishing. It was a lesson that I learned that we should all be always open to learning, always seeking to improve.

One of the coolest parts of the experience was getting to know all the crew members of the team. Every one of them has been in the industry and has created their own line of work, and getting to observe and work with them really gave me a grasp on professional communication and work flow. Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, our Director of Photography, had a documentary titled Hummingbirds while we were in town. The film, which tells the coming-of-age story of Silvia and Beba as they transform their Texas-Mexico border hometown into a wonderland of creative expression and activist hijinks, was a beautiful and powerful piece. On our day off, we all went to see it and the picture was just beautiful. We got to talk with Miguel about the background of this piece and what was the inside stories. I gained a lot of insight into the work ethic, persistence, and realities of working behind the camera. It’s not often that you get to meet someone with experience in feature films, let alone sit down for dinner and discuss the industry with them. You can check out Hummingbirds here:

https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/hummingbirds/

I’m really grateful for the chance to be part of this project. It was a learning experience on so many levels—professionally, creatively, and personally. I realized that filmmaking, especially documentary work, is something I’m passionate about.. As I move forward, I’m excited to continue exploring this path, especially in the new ELSJ class being offered this fall. I’ll be collaborating with a nonprofit in the South Bay to tell the real-life stories of our community members, and I can’t wait to dive into another adventure of storytelling that’s as unpredictable and rewarding as this one.

As a Communications and Music double major, I’m interested in storytelling, and I love expressing myself through both visual and audio mediums. Whether it's through crafting a narrative on film or performing music, I love exploring the different ways to convey emotion and connect with an audience.

In the Communication department, I’ve focused on film, working on various student projects in different roles. Each project has taught me a lot about how stories are told on screen, and I’ve really enjoyed being part of that process.

On the music side, I’m a performer, and I’ve spent years developing my skills in vocal performance. So when I heard that this summer opportunity involved a Broadway show, I was thrilled. It was the perfect mix of my two passions—film and live performance

Being on set and watching the performers was an incredible experience. Hearing them sing in person and feeling their energy and passion was truly inspiring; it proved to me how powerful it can be when those two worlds come together.

(Nico Opper, Associate Professor of Communications)

(Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Director of Photography of this documentary)

(Yuling Wu, Laisha Lizarraga, Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Rowena Cluck, Jude Harris, Nico Opper)

(Nico Opper, Rowena Cluck, Yuling Wu, Laisha Lizarraga)