Posted 9:10 a.m. Thursday, July 12, 2018
UWL senior says up-and-coming artists at Cannes inspire seizing opportunity.
UWL senior says up-and-coming artists at Cannes inspire seizing opportunity
It is widely considered one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Red carpets, stunning dresses, and a who’s who of the film world come together in May on the French Riviera. [caption id="attachment_52489" align="alignleft" width="191"]
Kyle Moen, a marketing major at UW-La Crosse, is on track to graduate in 3 ½ years this December. Still, he made time for study abroad in France, culminating with an internship at the Cannes Film Festival, May 8-19. Here Moen shows his press pass for the festival.[/caption]
UWL business student Kyle Moen took a front-row seat at the festival as an intern for French-American Producer and Director Zachary Miller, an extension of a study-abroad experience in Nice, France. Moen’s role was networking to help sell two movie concept ideas for Miller’s company, 2 Bulls on The Hill Productions. With his help, both films received financial support.
In June Moen was still unpacking the experience.
While he met some big-name actors and directors, some of the most substantial takeaways came from meeting creative people who were lesser-known. Some shared their recent start in films and the initial fear of failure.
“They said one day they decided, ‘I’m just going to do it. I’m not 100 percent confident, but it’s what I’m passionate about and what I love to do,” recalls Moen.
That message resonated. Moen also has big career goals, including launching an advertising agency after he gets his feet wet in the field.
“People put up their own barriers to their success,” he says. “You are never going to be ready — absolutely ready to take on that next step. But if it’s something you are passionate about and believe in, it is something you should go after.”
For those he met, their decision to start a goal led to making a living doing what they love. The other major takeaway was the value of studying abroad. Moen initially worried about the time commitment to go abroad. “Being on other side of it, I would say, definitely, do it,” he says. “In that one semester of college you are going to learn, and experience, and feel, and do things that wouldn’t even be possible in La Crosse or the U.S.” Moen shares his experience in a video.“You are never going to be ready — absolutely ready to take on that next step. But if it’s something you are passionate about and believe in, it is something you should go after.”