Conci Nelson Archives - Reynolds College Blog

During Missouri State University’s May 2025 intercession, students who enrolled in “The Art and Skill of Shooting Super 16mm Celluloid Film” (Media 300/600) course got a first-hand look at the craft of celluloid filmmaking.

Instructor Conci Nelson, from the Department of Communication, Media, Film and Journalism (CMJF), taught the three-week practicum. The course trained students on how to plan and shoot celluloid footage using two Bolex H16 film cameras.

“The goal of this course is for students to gain an appreciation for the origins of filmmaking and content creation and better understand the utility of thorough planning and economic execution in a production,” Nelson said.

Nelson will incorporate footage that the class created into a short film she is producing, “The Princess of Ildereen.”

Reviving traditional filmmaking

In the fall of 2024, Nelson pitched the idea of a course devoted to celluloid filmmaking to the CMJF department. The class was needed, she said, because current technologies tend to inhibit students’ ability to learn essential filmmaking skills. Moreover, while digital and AI technologies might speed production, they don’t always encourage creativity, she added.

“Many students rely far too heavily on digital technology for focus, [but] what happens when you don’t have access to power?” Nelson asked. “Without power in digital filmmaking, there likely won’t be any shooting happening.” For example, a filmmaker might not have access to important peripheral tools, like Bluetooth monitors and scopes, which are used to represent focus using color or grids.

Instead, Nelson’s course teaches students how to use external light meters, tape measures to calculate focus, manual focus techniques and how to plan a shot. Even understanding the tangible qualities of film, such as its feel and smell or how it sounds when rolling properly, is part of the course.

Young man setting up celluloid film camera — Jake Martin observes Julian Garrett as he rehearses a shot on the Bolex H16 camera, mounted on the studio jib.

From biology to dramatic writing, Aaron Khaw, a second-year graduate student at Missouri State University, has explored many paths to fulfill his desire to be a film and TV producer.

Khaw is pursuing a master’s degree in dramatic writing in MSU’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film (CMJF).

Man stands on rocks in water — Aaron Khaw visits a lake at the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota.

A native of Malaysia, Khaw began his bachelor’s degree in biology at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota.

“Science was the ‘elite’ category in Malaysia,” Khaw said. “I also loved animals as a child and thought I would become a veterinary doctor, which is why I pursued biology in the first place.”

But when he was nearing graduation, Khaw was no longer confident about his science choice. He then moved to San Francisco for a short time, where he remembered his love for Hollywood.

“I grew up watching Hollywood shows and always wondered about the filmmaking process,” Khaw said. “So, I decided to pursue a film and television production certificate from Orange Coast College.”

In 2019, Khaw directed and edited the documentary titled, “Empty Vessel.” When it was chosen to be showcased at the Newport Beach Film Festival, he knew he had found the right path.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Khaw lost the opportunity to work as a production assistant for a Nike commercial in New York. So, he returned to Malaysia and worked as an editor and producer at Comberry Studios, a German media production company.

“I worked on short-form documentaries for about eight months,” Khaw said. “After that, I knew I wanted to come back to the U.S. for grad school, so I came to MSU.”

Special topics course on 16mm filmmaking revives traditional skills

Reviving traditional filmmaking

Aaron Khaw switches out test tubes for cameras