Scott Sommer is the go-to guy if you’re interested in making your own film or TV series right here at BU. As production manager of the new and improved BTV, he can make all of your dreams come true.
The senior cinema major came to BU without any prior knowledge of the cinema department; he actually started out as a psychology major.
“I didn’t know very much about the cinema department until I got here,” Sommer says. “It was really interesting to hear about how it was founded on a basis of avant-garde filmmaking.” Avant-garde is pretty much just a fancy word for experimental. Ken Jacobs, considered one of the founders of the avant-garde film movement, started BU’s cinema department in the 1960s.
“I thought it was really cool that I could be working with people who I knew were into stuff that might not necessarily be thought of as educational in other schools,” he says. “I’ve always been into a lot of weird stuff, a lot of beyond the norm kinds of films. So this really seemed to pique my interest.”
When asked his favorite movie(s), he lets out an ooh sound as if in pain. Again, he reminds me that he’s into weird stuff. Nevertheless, his list includes The Big Lebowski, Pulp Fiction, There Will Be Blood, and Inglourious Basterds. I’m 2 for 4, which is pretty good for me considering I’m not a movie person (and conveniently, I just saw Pulp Fiction this past weekend). But let’s compare. I won’t tell you what my top movies are (due to a little shame), but I will tell you that they are mostly all surface no substance movies. Who doesn’t enjoy a good cry once in a while though? Yet my point is: this guy seems to be the film expert so add these to your must-sees.
Sommer’s interest in cinema led to his involvement with BTV. He is proud of the role he plays at the station as production manager. “For my job, I’m the guy that everyone goes to when they want to make something,” he says. “I sit down and meet with them and I go through step by step how to make what they want to do a reality.”
The production manager especially praises BTV President Alex Kleiner and many of the other members for the hard work they put into rebuilding the studio and its image. Sommer tells me all of the exciting things they have going on like comedy shows, standup, a weekly newscast, The Binghamton Bro Code, and much more. He also reveals that “an unnamed professor is possibly going to have his own show.” So definitely stay tuned for that!
Before we wrapped up the interview, Scott Sommer had one last thing to say, “Shout out to BTV . . . I love you, mom!”
TheNewBTV is located directly underneath the bookstore in UUW-B14. The television station airs on Channel 6 on all campus TVs. Friday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m., there is a launch party to celebrate the grand opening of TheNewBTV. Stop by for the festivities or to find out more about how you can get involved!