{"id":168643,"date":"2026-09-08T09:05:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T13:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/?p=168643"},"modified":"2026-09-08T09:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T13:05:10","slug":"wright-state-filmmakers-help-bring-smithsonian-exhibition-to-life-at-dayton-art-institute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/2026\/09\/08\/wright-state-filmmakers-help-bring-smithsonian-exhibition-to-life-at-dayton-art-institute\/","title":{"rendered":"Wright State filmmakers help bring Smithsonian exhibition to life at Dayton Art Institute"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Wright State students and alumni bring William H. Johnson\u2019s \u201cFighters for Freedom\u201d paintings to life through an immersive short film at the Dayton Art Institute. (Photo courtesy of the Dayton Art Institute)<\/p><\/div>\n

Visitors to the Dayton Art Institute\u2019s current Smithsonian exhibition can do more than view history \u2014 they can experience it through film created by students and alumni from Wright State University\u2019s Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures.<\/p>\n

The immersive short film accompanies \u201cFighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice,\u201d<\/a> a nationally touring exhibition organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.<\/p>\n

The exhibition, on view at the Dayton Art Institute through Sept. 13, reunites all 34 paintings from Johnson\u2019s \u201cFighters for Freedom\u201d series, which honors African American activists, scientists, teachers and performers along with international leaders who advanced peace and justice.<\/p>\n

Inspired by Johnson\u2019s celebrated paintings, the film explores the lives of Marian Anderson, Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson, connecting their stories to the exhibition\u2019s themes of justice, identity and artistic expression.<\/p>\n

The creative team included current motion pictures student<\/a> Ciarah Jenkins, 2026 graduate Lauren Schack and alumnus Cameron Henderson, who directed the project. Nichol Simmons, a Wright State alum and director of the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures, produced the film.<\/p>\n

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2026 motion pictures graduate Lauren Schack served as production designer on the \u201cFighters for Freedom\u201d film project.<\/p><\/div>\n

For Schack, who served as production designer, the project offered a chance to explore Johnson\u2019s work while collaborating on a film that would reach a broad audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned a lot about William Johnson and the civil rights and political work that he did through his art,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd, of course, I learned about what can be accomplished when creative minds come together to make something special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having her work featured in a museum was especially meaningful to Schack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very proud that my work is being exhibited at the Dayton Art Institute,\u201d she said. \u201cIt makes me feel very accomplished and also very honored that I get to be a part of sharing such an important artist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenkins, who served as the gaffer, or lighting technician, said the project introduced her to influential Black artists and history while reinforcing the importance of collaboration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more I learn about important people and information that involves my culture, the better,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Jenkins said seeing her work featured in a museum at such an early stage of her career was both surreal and validating. \u201cI suppose it means I\u2019m on the right track,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Both filmmakers credit Wright State\u2019s motion pictures program with preparing them for opportunities beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy time at the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures prepared me greatly for this opportunity,\u201d Schack said. \u201cI learned how to work with fellow creatives, hone my creative skills and forge connections with new people through art.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Motion pictures student Ciarah Jenkins, the film\u2019s gaffer, on set during production.<\/p><\/div>\n

Jenkins said the guidance she received from Wright State\u2019s faculty prepared her for professional opportunities beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t have done any of the jobs I completed without our wonderful faculty and staff being there to teach us everything we need to know to carry us forward in our careers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Dan Zehringer, D.M.A., director of outreach and engagement for the School of Fine and Performing Arts<\/a>, said the students\u2019 experience reflects the type of real-world learning opportunities Wright State provides.<\/p>\n

\u201cProfessional projects introduce students to an entirely different level of responsibility and collaboration,\u201d he said. \u201cThose experiences teach flexibility, communication, accountability and creative problem-solving in ways that simply cannot be fully simulated within a traditional academic environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zehringer said the collaboration with the Dayton Arts Institute also allows the students to contribute to a nationally visible project while showcasing the caliber of work produced in the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving work featured as part of a Smithsonian-organized exhibition is an experience that many young filmmakers only dream about,\u201d he said. \u201cIt demonstrates that the quality of work being produced at Wright State is not simply meeting classroom expectations \u2014 it is contributing to projects of national historical and cultural significance.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Students and alumni from Wright State\u2019s Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures created an immersive short film inspired by William H. Johnson\u2019s \u201cFighters for Freedom\u201d paintings, bringing the stories of Marian Anderson, Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson to life. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":168705,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[722,733,2037,4859,725,747,715],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-168643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-alumni","category-arts-scene","category-fine-and-performing-arts","category-home-news-sidebar","category-liberal-arts","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168643"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":168778,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168643\/revisions\/168778"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/168705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}