Ellecina Eck
“Only those willing to risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – T.S. Eliot
Ellecina Eck perfectly exemplifies Eliot’s philosophy as she carries on the legacy of the Liberty University Cinematic Arts program. Eck graduated in 2017 and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her passion in the film industry. She has found fulfillment in writing scripts and working on reality TV shows.
“My favorite thing about the industry,” Eck told us in a recent interview, “would be the camaraderie you experience on set. For that weekend, or week or month or few months, you’re part of a weird, functionally dysfunctional family. You get to see and do a slew of things you otherwise would never dream of (like bungee jumping in China!), get to meet amazing people, and share crazy experiences with them.”
Eck spoke fondly of the program and how it shaped her for the professional realm. “On the practical end of things, the scheduling/budgeting classes were insanely helpful because if you can say ‘I know how to do breakdowns and can use Movie Magic Scheduling’ and it’s not a lie, that’s a great thing. On a more personal side, I learned to not compare myself to classmates or peers. It’s a very easy thing to do…Oh, their thesis is more ambitious than mine, or they have really great points during film analysis I wish I’d thought of. It’s a continual learning process even after graduation, but I definitely had to face it and learn it was an issue for me while in the program.”
Film lessons continued for Eck beyond school. “I learned the importance of taking responsibility. I made plenty of mistakes on Top Chef while learning on the job, and as embarrassing as it was to raise my hand when something went wrong, I felt better about it, and superiors were typically fairly gracious. I also learned the art of networking. It can sound simple if you boil it down (just meet people!), but there’s a lot of nuances and rules you can’t learn in a classroom. I’ve learned that it’s okay to feel nervous when applying for or starting a job or accepting a position you’ve never done before. It’s normal, and the nerves can be helpful! Someone should make a book called How to Get Yelled At. Essentially, it’s learning how to manage volatile or unreasonable people (and your expectations for them) so that your own self-esteem doesn’t get wrung out.”
When asked what she would have told herself when she was in the program, she gave sound wisdom. “If I could go back and whisper in my junior or senior self’s ear, I’d probably remind myself to stay focused, and that the hard work I was putting in school would pay off, just maybe in ways I wouldn’t expect. I’d tell myself that every program-related thing you do is shaping you somehow for professional work—you just have to look for the lesson.”
We think Eliot would agree.
