Lower the Drawbridge: A Short Film

Sean Cahill-Swenson

Faculty Mentor: Professor Romberg

What is the broader impact of your summer research? That is, why should the world care about your work?

To give stutterers a more accurate and realistic portrayal everyday life, and to give non-stutterers an insight into living with a stutter that maybe they had never seen before. I wanted to create a short film showcasing the experience of having a stutter in a way I haven’t seen in before. I’ve seen many short/feature films about stuttering and none of them have felt quite accurate to my experience.

What has summer research taught you about yourself and the field that you researched and/or studied?

It taught me how much organization goes into a film bigger than what I normally do in classes or with friends. It also taught me about changing gears on the fly, and finishing a project that might not be my favorite. It taught me the importance of compartmentalization, and instead of doing everything yourself, having specialized people on your team that might be able to do some of the work for you (and do it better). 

What advice would you give to students considering a future research opportunity similar to the one you participated in?

If your project needs supplies/resources outside of things directly in your control, get started getting those things in order ASAP. Scheduling can take a while, and it’s always best to get reservations in before anyone else.