C.W. Post Salutatorian Gets a Jump on a Career in Film

May 5, 2003 - Brookville, NY - Aspiring filmmaker Gina M. Gencarelli, from Mohegan Lake, NY, really made the most of her internship with Silvercup Studios in New York City. While her work there involved setting up sound stages, she also secured authorization to visit the production sets of "The Sopranos," the movie "Kate and Leopold" and a variety of commercials. Those visitations not only allowed her to meet cast and crew, but provided her with vital professional contacts. Gencarelli, who graduated summa cum laude with a perfect 4.0 grade point average in January 2003 with a bachelor of fine arts in film, is the salutatorian of the 2003 class of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, N.Y.

While she was a senior at the C.W. Post Campus, her thesis project, a film titled Missing in Action, was screened at the Westchester Film Festival. The 16-mm short dealt with World War II soldiers, a topic which Gencarelli scrupulously researched, interviewing veterans and acquiring period costumes, arms and parachutes from the United States Signal Corps. "As a filmmaker, C.W. Post has given me a tremendously rewarding experience by giving me the opportunity to make numerous films of my own while also being a part of my classmates’ projects," she said.

Gencarelli’s experience and determination helped her to secure her first full-time job soon after graduation. Gencarelli sent her resume to the Bedford Central School District cable channel after a neighbor placed a help-wanted ad from the Journal News in her mailbox. Two interviews later, she landed the position and is now filming local events and producing a sports show for the 24-hour a day channel. "It's so competitive out there, I didn't expect to get work so soon," she said, "but I'm very pleased."

During her time at C.W. Post, she also worked in the film department's equipment room and served as a note-taker for students with special needs in the Electronic Media and English departments-all the time taking 19 to 21 credits per semester so she could graduate a semester early. Even after graduating, Gencarelli took the time to help other students in the film department, including one classmate who she helped with editing and research for a documentary about female U.S. Marines.

Gencarelli will be one of more than 1,600 students who will don their caps and gowns on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, 2003 for 45th annual commencement exercises of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. The campus has awarded more than 85,000 degrees in its 49-year history, through a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs. For additional information, call the Office of Public Relations at (516) 299-2333.