As the semester winds down at MTSU, film students are entering the final stretch of one of their most demanding projects: the capstone. Months — and in some cases, years — of writing, planning and production culminate in short films that reflect not only technical growth, but personal voice.

For many students, the capstone is more than just a final assignment. It’s a proving ground.

Maximus Moncayo explores grief ambitiously in ‘Countdown’

Senior filmmaking major Maximus Moncayo is taking that challenge head-on with “Countdown,” a dramatic comedy rooted in personal experience.

“It follows a frazzled dad scrambling to make breakfast for a special guest,” Moncayo said. “It’s really rooted in my own experiences with grief… how it can feel overwhelming, but also open up new opportunities.”

Moncayo began developing the idea years ago before revisiting it for his capstone. Since Dec. 2025, he has built a full production around the project, even working with union actors under a SAG-AFTRA contract — a rare move for a student film.

“If I made this film without student help or school equipment, it would cost around $55,000,” Moncayo said. “So the biggest challenge has definitely been trying to create something at that level with a fraction of the time and budget.”

Despite the scale, Moncayo said his focus has remained on intentional storytelling.
“I’ve never walked out of a movie thinking about what camera it was shot on,” he said. “I focus on the basics — lighting, performance and story.”

Joseph Barakat builds psychological horror from personal themes

While Moncayo’s project leans toward professional-level production, senior Joseph Barakat is taking a more introspective approach with a psychological horror film titled “Anathema,” which centers on guilt and identity.

“My capstone is about a young girl dealing with the disappearance of her friend,” Barakat said. “She’s essentially trapped in a physical representation of her own mind.”

Barakat has spent over a year developing the film, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like David Lynch and composer Akira Yamaoka, while grounding the story in personal experiences.

“A lot of it comes from my own childhood and experiences, especially themes of guilt,” he said.

The production itself was no small feat, involving a crew of roughly 45 people and filming across multiple months. For Barakat, one of the biggest challenges was managing that scale while maintaining his creative vision.

“The biggest personal challenge was directing a crew of that size,” he said. “But by the end, we felt like more than just a crew — we felt like a family.”

Barakat hopes audiences connect emotionally rather than analytically.

“It’s less about fully understanding the story and more about feeling it,” he said. “About accepting difficult things within yourself instead of burying them.”

Amber Hatfield documents invisible illness through personal story

For junior Amber Hatfield, the capstone process has been deeply personal. Her documentary-style film, “Incontinence,” draws directly from her own experience living with an invisible illness.

“My capstone is based on my real-life experience,” Hatfield said. “I wanted to tell my story so people going through something similar know they’re not alone.”

Hatfield began developing the project in Aug. 2025, but balancing production with her health added another layer of difficulty.

“The hardest part personally has been learning how to live with my condition while still making this film,” she said.

Production delays, casting changes and location challenges added further complications. At one point, Hatfield had to push filming back nearly a month and replace a lead actor.

Still, she remained committed to telling the full story — even as the film grew longer than a typical capstone project.

“I didn’t want to shorten it,” she said. “I couldn’t tell this story properly if I cut it down.”

Beyond storytelling, Hatfield hopes the film raises awareness.

“I want people to understand that invisible illnesses are real — and that it’s okay to live differently,” she said.

John Pardue explores political tension through absurdism

Senior John Pardue’s capstone takes yet another direction, embracing experimental storytelling and political themes. His film, described as an “absurdist visual metaphor,” blends surreal imagery with commentary on contemporary issues.

“It started with a really strange dream I couldn’t shake, mixed with everything going on in American political discourse,” Pardue said, citing films like “Dogtooth” and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” as inspirations.

Like many capstone projects, Pardue’s production faced constant setbacks — from losing locations to replacing actors just days before filming.

“It’s been setback after setback,” he said. “The hardest part is just keeping going — because if you stop, the whole thing falls apart.”

Despite the challenges, Pardue and his team completed an ambitious production schedule that many initially thought was impossible.

“People told us it couldn’t be done, but we got every shot,” he said.

For Pardue, the biggest takeaway is persistence. He referred to the process as swimming a marathon: “If you stop… you drown.”

“Nothing is impossible if you’re stubborn enough and refuse to quit,” he said.

Capstone showcase set for May 7

Though each project differs in tone, scale and subject matter, the students share a common experience: navigating the unpredictable nature of filmmaking while bringing deeply personal ideas to life.

As capstone projects near completion, the upcoming showcase will offer students the chance to present their work to peers, faculty and the community — marking the culmination of years of study and creative development.

All four short films will premiere at MTSU’s capstone showcase on May 7 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.

For these filmmakers, the capstone is not just an ending, but a beginning, serving as a first step into the industry with stories they are ready to share.

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