2021 Scholar of the Year: Kris Holodak
Each year, the Diederich College of Communication presents one faculty member with the “Scholar of the Year” award. For 2021, Professor Kris Holodak, assistant professor of digital media and performing arts, has been selected.
With a bachelors degree from SUNY Oswego, a master of science in corporate communication from Ithaca College, and a master of fine arts in film production from Boston University, Holodak not only serves on the Diederich College faculty but also runs a production company, Heron Media. A prolific filmmaker, her work has been recognized in numerous festivals.
“Filmmaker is an interesting word: I use it to describe myself… one of the things that I think is best about being an academic filmmaker is that I don’t have to specialize in the way that I would have had to if I had just gone out to LA.”
On the collaborative nature of filmmaking, Holodak shared that “filmmaker is an interesting word: I use it to describe myself… one of the things that I think is best about being an academic filmmaker is that I don’t have to specialize in the way that I would have had to if I had just gone out to LA.” With her unique role working with students, she is able to work in all parts of a film from writing to direction to editing — and truly enjoys her ability to impact each aspect.
In 2020, as the world shifted, so did the art and craft of filmmaking; the “quarantine film” was born: “ten years from now, film studies people will have classes studying the ‘quarantine film.’” Holodak and her creative partners produced Insomnia, a short film about the recurring nightmare of a single father living through a pandemic, as a way to contribute to this new genre. Shot in April in varying locations, most of the footage was recorded over Zoom. The story is a “contemplation of our devices and how much our devices are recording us.” Because of the need to shoot via phones/ tablets/ computers, Holodak recognized the limitations associated with this method and consciously chose to make it part of the story. Showing in five festivals during the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021, the film will also be screened as part of the college’s annual Scholarship Week, held April 19–23 in 2021.
And, in a nod to Holodak’s expertise in movies and films, we wanted to ask for her top three recommendations for what to watch:
- A film that was very influential to me, the first Star Wars: “I was seven years old, and I saw it in the theater with my mom and my brother, and it blew my little mind away!”
- The film I’m most likely to quote, The Princess Bride. “There are just so many good lines!”
- The film I think everyone should see, the film they want to see: “I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. If it brings you pleasure, there should be no guilt.”
Professor Holodak continues to work on her craft and to inspire her students. New projects are always on the horizon, and she is grateful to work in a space that allows her to be creative and continue to pursue her the next steps in her career. One of her upcoming projects is Enid’s Wall, a feature-length film based on a short story that Holodak read in 2013. As a work in process, she’s optimistic about the film’s future: “I haven’t failed because I haven’t given up. So, I haven’t been successful yet but as long I don’t give up, I also haven’t failed.” We look forward to seeing how it unfolds and can’t wait to see what happens next. Please join the college in congratulating Professor Holodak on her award!
