One of the main highlights about being a film studies student at Olivet Nazarene University is the best semester program at LAFSC requirement. Students get the opportunity not only to work with high-quality gear and other like-minded film students from across the country, but also get an foot in the door for future employment.
Unfortunately, due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, these seniors had their time cut short. One of those students, is Adam Raeburn.
Raeburn is a born-and-raised pastor’s kid from Michigan. He originally wanted to be a music production major and attend Trevecca Nazarene University. Mainly, he wanted to be different that his brother who was also studying film at Olivet.
During his time at Olivet, he was a member of the university’s improv team Spoons 4 Forks, was involved in a variety show at the beginning of the school year, and went on three different multimedia mission trips.
“The best way I could expresses my creativity and further what I wanted to do was to find as many different avenues to use my skills.”
Adam Raeburn
The LAFSC program students were in the middle of their major productions when coronavirus became more prevalent. On his own time, Raeburn kept tabs on the updates provided on the news on his own. A couple weeks before the official shut down of the program, emails started coming in from their program leaders reassuring that the program was still going to go on.
His production team, Siren Society, was about two weeks into its major production. His team’s mentality was to finish the project before spring break.
Photos from Adam’s time in LA, where he was selected as a Co-Director in Siren Society. (Photo Credit: Adam’s Facebook)
Before that plan could get executed, the program held an emergency meeting with everyone involved in the program.
The professors informed students that they were suspending all study abroad programs within the Best Semester. With many programs all over the world, it was the safest decision they could make. All productions were officially wrapped and students had a couple days to pack up their belongings and go back home.
The original plan for Raeburn was to live in LA after the program ended in May, so he had all of his belongings with him. The move out was a difficult to process.
“It was demoralizing to have to drive back out of LA. ‘I’m here, this is my future’ and now I’m sitting in my childhood bedroom.”
AdaM Raeburn
One thing he is definitely going to miss is the community that had been developed in such a short period of time. Being a social butterfly, Raeburn knew he was going to make some friends, but what he wasn’t expecting the deep and meaningful relationships to form.
He also appreciated the building of his friendship with Abriella Caravette, a fellow film studies student from Olivet.
In his mind, he didn’t want to “fall upon the safety net of Olivet people” going to LA. Whether it was being a part of the same friend group, or being picked to work on the same project, their friendship is now stronger.
Raeburn is keeping busy while being at time at home helping his parents’ ministry by creating videos, adding entertainment to the ONU COMMunity Zoom calls that happen every week, and working on his own short film while finishing up the last of his classes.
“I want to make sure to use this time to better myself as a filmmaker; a person; a boyfriend; a friend; making sure everyday I can look back and say I did something good today.”
Adam RAEBURN
To see one of Adam’s projects from the LAFSC Narrative Storytelling class of Spring 2020, click here.
To learn more about Olivet’s Communications department, click here.
