Josephine (Jojo) Vina and Jacqueline Hung are basically Zak and Wheezie. They are always together, and so it only seemed right to interview them as a pair. These two girls have been in the same program as me since 2012, but I actually met them for the first time just this year. They are always incredibly friendly and can keep any conversation going. With both of them having just completed their finals for the Cinema & Media Studies undergraduate program at York, I’m disappointed that I didn’t meet them sooner, but look forward to strengthening this new friendship.
How/when did you two meet?
JV: “At the orientation session prepared at the middle of frosh week. Jacqueline was sitting alone and I was desperate to make friends so I talked to her and we connected instantly.”
JH: “I was definitely way too shy to talk to anyone. Josephine introduced herself and she was very friendly, [so] I got comfortable. I was sitting alone and desperate to make friends, so I talked to her. We connected instantly.”
Where are you from?
JV: “I am originally from Alexandria, Egypt. When I started at York, it was my second year of immigrating to Canada.”
JH: “I was born in Scarborough, Ontario and grew up in the Richmond Hill area.”
What are your favourite hangout spots at and around York?
JV: “I love Shopsy’s, SMIL (The Sound and Moving Image Library), Pizza Pizza and the green couches at the CFT (Centre for Film and Theatre).”
JH: “The green chairs in the CFT, outside by the fountain at Vari Hall and of course the SMIL, cooped up in the individual cubicle.”
What do you like to do in your spare time?
JV: “I like to play guitar, squash/ping-pong, and watch tv shows in my spare time.”
JH: “I like to watch documentaries, paint or draw in my sketchbook, and play ping pong with Jojo!”
Has your experience at York been a positive one?
JV: “My experience at York varied. The first two years were absolutely amazing– it was everything I hoped for and more. But then I double majored and things got hectic. I got really stressed to achieve good grades, which took away from the fun of learning new things everyday. Thus, going to school ended up being a burden. So I am really glad that I am done. But I also think that if I had stuck with the film program alone, I would have been as happy and satisfied as the first two years of my studies. I am both impressed and disappointed with the film program. I am impressed because it provided me a space to be as creative/crazy as i wanted to be and taught me quite a bit about film as well. But i am also a bit disappointed because we weren’t provided with all the opportunities that the production students were. So I would have wanted a little more hands on classes in addition to the theoretical classes that we receive.”
JH: “I would say my experience at York has been a positive one. I have met and continue to meet different and unique individuals and they are all wonderful. I didn’t expect much going into the film program at York, but I was hoping to have more interaction or connection with the courses/ materials (even in Cinema and Media Studies).”
Both of you are completing your undergrads this year. Do you have plans for what comes next?
JV: “I personally want to create a production company with Jacqueline, fund my movies and start a TV series, while studying for physiotherapy.”
JH: “My near future plans are quite a blur right now to be honest. But [I’m] thinking about looking into helping out in production companies or finding paid gigs on a film set.”
Do you have any advice for the 1st year students coming in next year?
JV: “NEVER GIVE UP. School might seem stressful at times, but keep pushing through cause the other side is quite beautiful.”
JH: “I’m definitely not the type of person to give advice, but just go in with an open mind, take the criticism, constructive or not and learn from it. Learn from each other and be friendly to people.”