Working in Hollywood - Northern Illinois University

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Biographies

	Laura Vazquez is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Northern Illinois University, where she teaches media theory and production courses. Vazquez completed her Ph.D. in Radio/TV/Film at Northwestern University. Her research interests focus on documentary film theory and practice. >> MORE

	Becca Berry is a 21-year old senior communication major from Kenosha, Wis. Berry got her first film experience at age 14 working on a movie called “The Smokers.” On the side, she works as a videographer and editor for a wedding video production company. She also has edited promotional videos and events.

	Michael Gentile , 25, of Lindenhurst, Ill., holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from NIU and is working toward his graduate degree in the NIU Department of Communication, where he is a teaching assistant. Previously, Gentile worked for three years with NIU Media Services and Huskie Athletics as a camera operator and live production crew member. He also attended the Los Angeles Recording Workshop in North Hollywood, where he completed a 600-hour audio engineering program and interned at NRG Studios. Additionally, he has done sound and lighting work for the College of Lake County’s Performing Arts Center.

	Mark Hoffmeister, 24, of Naperville, Ill., graduated this past spring from NIU with a communication degree. His previous work includes the documentary, ".wAV of the Future," which won the audience pick at NIU’s Reality Bytes Film Festival this year. He also worked on sequences shot for the play, “Cinders,” which was performed at NIU in 2005, and as a production assistant on the independent film, “7 Minutes.”

	Dan Marder, of River Forest, Ill., is a 21-year-old senior media studies major at NIU. He has made three short films and last summer interned with an editor in Boston. After graduating from NIU, he plans to pursue a master's degree in film. Ultimately, he wants to write screenplays and direct narrative films.

	Jeff Negus is a 22-year-old pre-communication major from Palatine, Ill. He has taken several film classes at NIU and has worked on about 10 short films. He also wrote, co-directed, produced, scored and acted in one feature-length film. On the side, he works as a videographer for weddings and other family events.

	Tim Piper, 23, of Lombard, Ill., is a senior working toward a degree in communication. Piper has worked on several student-produced films, including some of his own experimental, dramatic and music video productions, working as a director, cinematographer, editor, sound mixer and lighting designer.