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Over the summer of 2020 he approached senior instructor Lisa Peterson about developing an independent study course to complete a film. He had the seed of an idea to film his friend Ian Biazzo, a conservation biology doctoral student, as he performed conservation biology field research.
That little idea quickly blossomed into an incredible volume of work 麻豆精品 S� even before filming began. Marcucci recruited more students to help with cinematography, sound, music composition, graphics and logistics. Then came preplanning, chased by a full weekend of filming. His team looked to him to lead pre-shoot meetings on safety as well as logistics, like how much water to carry into Central Florida scrubland.
As the project grew in scope and Marcucci realized the value of adding more voices, he was reminded of advice his mentor, Peterson, gave him early in the project.
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Besides Biazzo 麻豆精品 S檚 conversation biology work, the film follows members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a professional mermaid and a recreational fisherman. A $1,800 grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research played a big part in expanding the series.
For months Marcucci spent every day working on the project to some degree, particularly as he faced the monumental task of editing it into a finished piece. A three-month break for a summer job in Hawaii in 2021 gave him a fresh perspective when he returned for his final semester at UCF.
Showing the final piece on the big screen and reaching the finish line fills him with a mixture of relief and anxiety. It 麻豆精品 S檚 already been interesting to see which stories early reviewers prefer, he says, so he 麻豆精品 S檚 most looking forward to engaging with the audience.
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