Alumni Spotlight: Kirby Saxton

 

SLCC Alum Kirby Saxton's "first day" of school attending AFI

Many students are returning to school this week, but for one Salt Lake Community College alumnus, Kirby Saxton, that means taking a giant leap into a renowned master’s program at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles, CA.

Kirby Saxton, Film AAS '19, was accepted to AFI's exclusive Screenwriting Master of Fine Arts program. This is the fourth SLCC Film student who has gotten into the most prestigious film school in the world, including Julia Freij, Directing Track, and Robert Hunter, Cinematography Track.

We asked Kirby a few questions about his time at SLCC, and hope that he doesn’t forget us along the way. 

When did you attend SLCC:

I took an SLCC class during high school, but I started attending in 2017 and got my degree in 2020.

What degree/s did you earn:

I received an associate’s degree of applied science as a film production technician.

What brought you to SLCC:

I went to a filmmaking high school in West Valley, Utah, called East Hollywood High School. During my junior or senior year, my two film teachers Will McAllister and Josh Wagner, (who were both huge influences on my life), took us on a tour of the SLCC film facilities. It was clear to me that SLCC could offer a first class, hands-on education that would expand my filmmaking skills on a technical level. 

What type of experience/education did you receive at SLCC:

SLCC’s film production program is exactly what I expected, a rigorous, hands-on program where you learn by actually practicing the craft of filmmaking. I walked into SLCC feeling like there were a lot of parts of the process that I didn’t understand. During the program, and especially during the second year, it seemed like I was working on a different set every week, and usually as a different role in the production. I gained an understanding that I hadn’t had before of every single role that is performed on set.

Favorite memories/moments at SLCC:

I’ve learned again and again that any institution is only as good as the people in it, and SLCC was no different for me. When I remember SLCC, I think about the students and teachers that helped me get where I am today. Film is a collaborative art-form, and there is so much collaboration in SLCC’s film department.

Kirby on set of one of his films.

Favorite teachers or mentors at SLCC:

This is such a non-answer, but all of them. I’m such a fan of the teachers I’ve had in my life. From SLCC, Channing Lowe is an editing genius. Stephen Williams has a wonderful mind, and his love for story is infectious. Stan Clawson, who taught me documentary, is a great artist with a great mind. If I had to pick one mentor from SLCC, I would have to say Dave Lehleitner. Dave knows so much, not just about the process of making a movie, but also about the industry and how it works. He’s also hilarious. 

Tell me a little bit about the AFI program and being accepted:

The AFI Conservatory is a film school located in Los Angeles, right in the heart of Hollywood. It is a two-year, intensive program with six disciplines (Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting). The focus is on learning by doing, which definitely reminds me of SLCC’s film program! I have been accepted as a screenwriting fellow.

It’s considered by many to be the best film school in the world. Some of the best filmmakers of all time went to the conservatory, including David Lynch, Paul Schrader, Scott Frank, and one of my mentors from the University of Utah, Trent Harris. I feel incredibly fortunate to be accepted, and grateful to the communities, friends and teachers who helped me get here. I hope to do them all proud.

What advice would you give other SLCC students:

My biggest piece of advice is that life is not a race. I’ve been in school for over six years already, and my journey is really just beginning. Take your time, doing what you want to do the way you need to do it. This is especially important for people who want to be filmmakers. A big thing I’ve learned is that making movies is a long game. Perseverance and endurance are so, so important.

Plans/Goals for after graduating:

My plan is to stay in Hollywood and work as a writer! I want to make my living telling stories. It’s a bit of a scary time in Hollywood, with lots up in the air. However, the [writer/actor] strikes that we’re seeing right now actually give me hope for the industry. The people who create Hollywood’s value are speaking up and fighting for people like me, who have always wanted to make a living writing and telling stories. 

Where can we find your work:

If you’d like to see some of my work, the best way is to check out my YouTube channel at YouTube.com/KirbySaxton. My latest work, Four Kings: A Solitary Tale in Three Chapters, is my favorite thing I’ve ever made, and the culmination of everything I’ve learned at East Hollywood High School, SLCC and the University of Utah.