Growing up, movies were always a safe place for me. They were a way to escape into a different world, a different life, where you can feel powerful emotions of sadness, anger, love, and most importantly laughter. Movies have helped me through some of the darkest times in my life, and I am sure it's the same for many others, which is why I felt so compelled to make it my lives work to be a part of the film industry. I want to be the one to say that I was involved in creating these cinematic pieces of art that help so many others like me. I took a big chance going to film school, not only because of the massive financial hardships that the cost of my tuition would bring but the stigma that it brought to me. Many tried to tell me that I wouldn't make it and that I'd end up as a starving artist. I work my absolute hardest every day; I push myself beyond my limits so that I can make a name for myself and prove them all wrong. I hope to one day become a successful award-winning female filmmaker/actress. "Date Night" is one of the many short films that I have created while studying at Savannah College of Art and Design(SCAD). I had an idea to make a film that challenges the stereotypes that only men are cold-blooded killers. I find that women serial killers are even scarier, as they are never truly suspected. I chose to share this one because it is close to my heart as I wrote, produced, directed, starred, and edited it. Even though it may have some flaws, I am proud of what we created with a production team of three and a budget of $30.

Asking a film student what their all-time favorite film is, is like asking a kid in a candy shop to choose only one piece of candy; we want to pick everything, but there is always that one movie that has a sweet spot in our hearts that we can't help but choose. For me, this movie is Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. I often get laughs when I share this, as many film students choose classics such as Pulp Fiction, Jaws, Psycho, or some other artistic one. Sure these are great movies, but the one thing that my pick gives me that the others don't is pure joy and laughter. Comedies always get overlooked when it comes to awards. Yes, they don't have fancy cinematography or editing, but they bring laughter and jokes that get told for years, and to me, this is the most amazing thing a movie can give you. That is why Talladega Nights is my favorite movie. The iconic duo between Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly is unmatchable, and the jokes will make you laugh until you cry. As a film student, I aspire to do exactly what this movie does to me; I want to bring laughter and joy to my audience as Talladega Nights has to me all these years. Will Ferrell and this movie are the reason I went to film school; therefore, they will forever inspire me and remain number one in my heart.

Kash is my Golden Retriever puppy. The Fourth of July was his very first Holiday with us, so we decided to buy him an American Flag bandana and take some festive pictures. My Instagram is @erin_carriee.

Starting from preschool to ending in college, we spend a large portion of our lives educating ourselves in school. But, not everyone in this world has access to a great education, let alone even access to a school. I have recognized my privilege in this aspect, and I haven't taken it for granted. Education is important to me because it has taught me many things. It has given me opportunities to make a better life for myself by allowing me to attend college so that I can achieve my dream job and have a stable income. As a junior in college, I am being put through a lot regarding the cost of tuition. This step in my education has been the most challenging, from moving away from home to money. Educating myself has consumed me in the best of ways as I am going places in life and working towards a degree in a field of study that I am passionate and excited about. Learning about film and television has been one of the greatest things in my life, as I have always dreamed of making movies ever since I was little. Having the opportunity to study this in college has made the biggest impact on my life and happiness, and I am very grateful for it. Most people believe that your education stops in college, but I believe that you continue to learn things for the rest of your life. Education plays a big role in everyone's life through adulthood as we learn the ways of the world outside of school, and I can't wait to see what I will learn in my time.

An amazing script is the key to every successful movie ever made. A script is the body and soul of a movie; without it, you wouldn't have one. I am currently working on my skills as a screenwriter. I have recently passed an introduction to screenwriting class at my college, and it sparked an interest in me. I have learned how important a script is to the movie-making process and how important it is to make sure you write a good one. Bad scripts make bad movies; good scripts make good movies, as my teacher always said. Since class has ended, I have started to write a new idea I had for a short film so that I can practice. I believe that perfecting a skill that is the foundation of the industry that you are going to work in will help you better yourself at your job. My dream is to become a film director. A film director must be knowledgeable on all the ins and outs of making a movie, especially on how to work with a script, which is why I am taking learning this skill very important. I would use this grant to help pay for my tuition so that I can continue to take new film classes that will teach me all the skills that I need to know to make a movie.