Getting ready to graduate college and tackle the real world is a hefty challenge, but Jordyn Aquino is prepared for the big leap with a good head on her shoulders. Aquino, a senior BFA Musical Theater Major in the SFUAD Performing Arts Department, has spent her college career working on multiple productions, including starring as Ti Moune in the Spring 2013 production of Once on This Island, and appearing in Middletown, Little Shop of Horrors,  and Spring Awakening. Aquino sat down with Jackalope Magazine to reflect on her time at SFUAD, her relationships with her teachers, and what the future holds after graduation. Jackalope Magazine: Tell us a bit about your background as an actress and singer. Jordyn Aquino: Well, I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and as one would imagine, there isn’t a ton of wonderful theater going on there. So I did kids performing troupes and stuff like that. I never really did much high school theater. I was more into community theater and the different camps that they had going on at local colleges. Also, I grew up singing a lot, so music was always a big part of my life and theater just kind of went hand in hand with the music stuff. My singing led to competitions, and then that branched into acting competitions. There were agents and managers at these competitions and that led to me moving to LA. I did pilot season, for ABC pilots and Disney things. I was getting far along in auditions, but then I ran out of money, went back home, and decided ‘maybe I’ll go to college.’ So I did. JM: Why did you decide to attend SFUAD? JA: Well, I went to a prospective student dinner and I met [former PAD Chair] John Weckesser and [alumni] Lisa Hamilton, who did a ‘how to prepare for an audition’ video for the department, and I really appreciated what she had to say about the school. It seemed like a place where, not only could I grow as a performer and learn about my craft, but I could also be a better-developed human being. So John Weck gave me his card if I promised to call him, so the next day I did, I sent in a video audition, and he said ‘ok, you can come here,’ and that’s how SFUAD happened! God, this is awkward! Doing your first interview is like losing your virginity! JM: Haha, how so? JA: Well, you know, it’s awkward, a little bit painful…haha! JM: I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say that about an interview! Wow! JA: Sorry! JM: What has been your experience in the Performing Arts Department (PAD) at SFUAD and how have you grown? JA: It’s hard to wrap it up. The experience has definitely helped me prepare for working in the industry. I’ve had wonderful training and been able to work with teachers who helped me identify my strengths and I’ve been able to nurture those. I’ve also been able to work on my weaknesses and get better. As far as how much I’ve grown, I’ve learned to calm down, learned to be more patient and not take myself so seriously. JM: Do you have a teacher that you feel particularly influenced you in a positive way? JA: Oh yeah! All my teachers have been great influences, I love them all so much! Well, Victor Talmadge and Gail Springer, definitely! Gail has really influenced me and it’s been really wonderful to work with her, especially when it comes to vocal training and Estill training. She’s also cast me and helped me expand and given me parts that challenge me and help me grow. For Victor, I really appreciated the kind of discipline he had for acting. You always had to have a reason for what you were doing. You had to justify everything! I appreciated that because acting...

The 2015 Oscar-nominated Shorts Program, screening Jan. 30—Feb. 5 at The Screen, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and as expected the animated selects do not fail to impress! Though disappointed in the lack of animated hosts (the giraffe and ostrich from last year was a hoot) the artistic splendor of the pieces this year needs no help in keeping the audience entertained. From eight selects and four admirable mentions, the Oscar-nominated animations range from Disney’s sentimental story to the independent somber sketch.   “Me and My Moulton” A Childhood In Norway (Torill Kove, Norway) Partnering with the National Film Board of Canada, Torill Kove’s depiction of her childhood in 1960s Norway is similar in style to her previous narrative and shape-driven animations. “The film tells the story of me and my family when I was little and how weird I thought things were,” Kove says in an interview with Animated World Network. “It’s not a story of an unhappy childhood. It’s a story about looking back and making sense of things I thought were strange at the time.” Though the plot is a bit scattered, I think most viewers can relate to the awkwardness of growing up in an abnormal family and can especially remember details like the lush carpets of a downstairs neighbor verses the awkward three-legged stools of your home. Perhaps Kove’s exploration of childhood reveals that the abnormalities sometimes make the best memories.   “Feast” Through Your Dog’s Eyes (Patrick Osborne, USA- Disney) Disney sure knows how to capture Cute, and I think most of us can agree that we’re suckers for dogs. In this story of friendship and love, a dog is taken in by a food junkie who spoils his new friend by feeding him the bachelor-favorites: pizza, spaghetti, ice cream, pretzels, etc. At first it seems like the story will focus on the connections between man and dog, but of course Disney turns to its best plot device: a love story. The dog, seeing the change of his master with his new girl friend is furious to be suddenly eating healthy. Director Patrick Osborne, who worked as an animator on Bolt and directed the recent Disney film Tangled, is again showing how the large eyes and loyalty of animals can conjure the classic, “awe…”   “The Bigger Picture” The Best of Artistic Expression (Daisy Jacobs, UK) Daisy Jacobs’ short “The Bigger Picture” sure does redefine your idea of motion art. The motifs of water, tears and rain pieces this brother feud narrative together in a humorous and dark way. Each set is captivating, making you feel the tension in this domestic and artistically sketched home. A result of her master’s thesis from the Central St Martins School of Art, Jacobs’ hand-drawn animation, stop-motion and life-size paintings allow her characters freedom of movement and interaction with a very 3-D looking environment.   “A Single Life” Literally, A Record of Your Life (Job, Joris & Marieke, The Netherlands) Products of the Dutch studio Job & Joris & Marieke is described as cute, funny, poetic and sometimes disturbing. Their Oscar-nominated short “A Single Life” is no exception. Using a clever concept, skipping through your life by literally skipping through a record, managed to induce humor and horror all within two minutes. The music is the best part. The record itself is its own character and the soundtrack makes for a complimentary atmosphere. And no surprise!, the film’s composer, called Happy Camper, is most famous for the music clip “I’ll Take You Along,” a YouTube video that has over 17 million views.   “The Dam Keeper” Little Pig, Little Pig, Why So Sad? (Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, USA) Robert Kondo’s and Dice Tsutsumi’s short “The Dam Keeper” is a colossal short, if you’ll pardon the oxymoron. The complex narrative, intricate animation and masterful soundtrack is a grand feat for a category of filmmaking called Short. After watching it, you will feel like you’ve watched a feature. The lack of dialogue allows us to focus on movements of characters as well as the brooding...