Film Studies graduate hoping to take her act to Hollywood

Gracen Bayer caught the filmmaking bug way back in middle school when her family moved to Washington from Alabama.

The recent CWU Film Studies graduate and her younger sister would pass the time making short films as they tried to adjust to their new surroundings.

“Making films together gave us a way to cope with the loss of our friends,” said Bayer, who just completed an illustrious four years in Ellensburg earlier this month. “It’s kind of cute to look back on it now — the films were horrible, but our family loved them. As I grew up, I just kept working at it, and I eventually got better.”

Bayer started taking her hobby more seriously at Capital High School in Olympia, and she went on to win a number of state and regional awards with the help of an equally talented friend.

“From that point on, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in film,” she said.

When it came time to start looking at colleges, CWU stood out to her because it was one of only a few schools in the Northwest that offered a four-year film degree.

“That made my decision pretty easy,” Bayer said.

As it turned out, the CWU Film Studies program proved to be everything she had hoped for and more. She praised the faculty — specifically, Michael Caldwell, Jennifer Green, and Emily Rollie — for their undying support as she developed her craft.

“I seriously can’t thank my professors enough; they made the program so worthwhile,” Bayer said. “They were always so supportive of me and the other students. I thoroughly enjoyed my entire time at CWU.”

Now that Bayer has finished her CWU degree, she is hoping to pursue a job in the film industry. Even if it takes some time to land the right opportunity, she believes she is ready to follow her dream of one day becoming a Hollywood filmmaker.

“It’s kind of a scary realization that this is what I really want to do,” she said. “I tried denying it for years, but it just didn’t work. I don’t know if the industry is going to eat me alive or not, but I feel like I’m well prepared, thanks to the training I received at CWU. I have a lot more to learn, but I know I have a great community to rely on.”

Aside from her CWU professors, Bayer also thanked Communication Department secretary Gretchen Lohse and Learning Commons Program Support Supervisor Channas Stewman for their guidance. Bayer is confident that she has built an extensive professional network that will continue to support her as her career evolves.

“I’m leaving with so many great connections, and I know they will be there for me,” she said. “That’s a great feeling to have, and I don’t know if I would have found it anywhere else.”

Staying Active on Campus

While filmmaking was Bayer’s primary focus during her four years at CWU, she also stayed busy with student clubs and working for 88.1 The ‘Burg, the Learning Commons, and PULSE Magazine, where she was a photographer and website manager.

As if she needed more to do, she held a board position for a student organization called CRFT, directed the Rocky Horror Picture Show for Campus Activities, and served as the president of the CWU chapter of Her Campus, a national club that highlights creative writing of women and non-binary students in a weekly online magazine.

“I’ve done a lot during my time here, and I’ve had a lot of opportunities that I’m very grateful for,” Bayer said. “The connections I’ve made on campus and through other organizations have provided me with so many creative outlets. Working with other students to help make their voices heard is rewarding. It was hard for me not to stay involved.”

Making sure her own voice is heard also motivates Bayer when she is producing her own films. She’s been told that she doesn’t have a specific style, which she considers to be a compliment. But, lately, she has found herself moving in one specific direction with her work.

“I tend to gravitate toward female-centered stories,” she said. “I find myself watching movies and sometimes feeling like the female characters aren’t written correctly — like there’s something missing. I feel like a lot of people misunderstand the female experience, and that has kind of sparked a fire in me. That’s why I’m needed in this space — to make sure women characters are being seen in all of their different capacities.”

Earlier this year, Bayer’s passion for filmmaking caught the eye of the national Student Production Awards, which nominated her for two regional Emmy Awards. The annual contest — which is governed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) — recognized Bayer’s work in the videography/photography and non-fiction short film categories. The winners were honored at a May 31 ceremony in Seattle.

Much to her surprise, she ended up winning the Photographer award in the College Craft category for a promotional video she made for PULSE.

“It was definitely a highlight of my college career, and I felt incredibly honored to be recognized by the organization,” she said.

Bayer is quick to credit her professors and mentors at CWU for recognizing her potential and pushing her to be the best she can be. No matter how far she goes in the industry, she will always appreciate Central for providing her with the foundation she needed to be successful.

“I’ve grown so much at Central, and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of the experiences I’ve had here,” she said. “I started out as a little kid making films around my house and now I’m leaving here a totally new person.”