Taylor Mason

Cinema and Television Producing MFA

What made you choose Columbia?

I chose Columbia based on the freedom that so many students mentioned having during their time here to really develop their ideas with faculty support. When I first visited the campus and spoke to faculty, everyone seemed very focused on encouraging students to establish our unique voices as media makers, while giving us hands-on tools to navigate media industries.

What do you plan on studying during your time here?

I’m currently an MFA candidate in the Creative Producing Program.

What are your career goals at this time?

Right now, I’m focused on using film to bring as many stories to life as possible, and helping other filmmakers do the same. Within the next ten years I plan to launch a multimedia production company that supports and develops the work of QTBIPOC filmmakers internationally.

What do you most look forward to about learning and creating in Chicago?

I love learning in Chicago because the city feels intimate and community-driven to me, while simultaneously overflowing with outlets for the creative arts. Chicago is a very passionate city. Regardless of where I am, I’m always surrounded by people driven to make and contribute to the city’s legacy, to its people. There is so much history to learn and so much space to  collaborate, create with others and to enjoy the process of doing so. I also love the seasons. I hibernate in the winter and use that time to dig deep into projects and research.

How do you see your artistic practice engaging with contemporary events?

I root my work in my own experiences as a Black woman, a queer Black woman, a person of mixed heritage, and a survivor. I’m drawn to capturing the ways that women of color — particularly queer and disabled women — engage with our family heritage, our ancestral lineage, and our healing and survival practices. Through films and other projects, I’m working to bring visibility to the people that I see, interact with, and love in my personal life, but rarely see in the media.