--- title: "Lights, Camera, Action: UAT Students Create Award-Winning Short Film" description: UAT digital video alumni and students created Instinct, an award-winning short film. It follows a COBRA helicopter pilot who gets shot down. image: https://blog.uat.edu/hubfs/instinct%202.jpg --- [![image-26](https://blog.uat.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Marketing/Logos/image-26.png?width=99&name=image-26.png "image-26")](https://www.uat.edu/) ** - [Home](https://www.uattech.com) - [Majors](http://www.uat.edu/advancing-technology-degrees) - [About UAT](https://www.uat.edu/about-uat) - [Request More Information](https://www.uat.edu/request-info) [![Take a Virtual, Interactive Tour ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3455363/92ff0e66-7821-430b-88c3-a32c82c5bda2.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3455363/92ff0e66-7821-430b-88c3-a32c82c5bda2) # What's happening on UAT's campus- A blog published by UAT Students. ALL CATEGORIES - [all Categories](https://blog.uat.edu) - [ Advancing Computer Science ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/advancing-computer-science) - [ Advertising Art ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/advertising-art) - [ Artificial Intelligence ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/artificial-intelligence) - [ Business Technology ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/business-technology) - [ Cyber Security ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/cyber-security) - [ Data Science ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/data-science) - [ Digital Maker and Fabrication ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/digital-maker-and-fabrication) - [ Digital Marketing ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/digital-marketing) - [ Digital Video ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/digital-video) - [ Game Studies ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/game-studies) - [ Human Computer Interaction ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/human-computer-interaction) - [ Robotics and Embedded Systems ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/robotics-and-embedded-sytems) - [ Software Engineering ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/software-engineering) - [ Virtual Reality ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/virtual-reality) - [ Alumni ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/alumni) - [ Behind the Bits Magazine ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/behind-the-bits) - [ Career and Work ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/career-and-work) - [ Competitions ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/competitions) - [ Events ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/events) - [ Geek411 Magazine ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/geek-411) - [ Graduate Studies ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/graduate-studies) - [ Military ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/military) - [ People, Places and Things ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/people-places-and-things) - [ Perimeter83 ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/Perimeter83) - [ Student Innovation Project (SIP) ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/student-innovation-project) - [ Student Work ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/student-work) - [ Technology News ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/technology-news) - [ UAT Life ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/UAT-life) - [ UAT News ](https://www.uattech.com/tag/UAT-news) [Digital Video](https://blog.uat.edu/tag/digital-video)   |   5 Min Read ## Lights, Camera, Action: UAT Students Create Award-Winning Short Film ![Picture of UAT Staff Writer](https://blog.uat.edu/hubfs/UATTECH-AUTHOR-LOGO.png) [ Written by UAT Staff Writer ](https://blog.uat.edu/author/uat-staff-writer) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/uatedu) One of the leading technical colleges in America is proudly going a little bit Hollywood. Three University of Advancing Technology [Digital Video](http://www.uat.edu/digital-video-degree) alumni—[Killian Davies](https://www.linkedin.com/in/killiandavies/), [Robert San Pedro](https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-san-pedro-07742186/) and [Patrick Kebert](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-kebert-b19151133/)—used their skills learned at to create an award-winning military-themed short film, *[Instinct](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnOGg5EdxnE).* For Killian, the writer/director of *Instinct*, the film was a way to develop what he had learned from his technology university education - and a way to honor his veteran father and his branch of the military. "My dad was a Marine for 26 years, and that's where this [film became] a tribute to what we has done and a way to convey my love for what the Marines have shown me," Killian explained. The film follows a COBRA helicopter pilot, Lieutenant Foster (Rachel Taggatz), who is shot down in enemy territory after a training mission and has to rely on her skills and wits to survive. Along the way, she faces off with a fearsome leopard—in one of the short's most pulse-pounding moments. The sequence with the CGI (Computer-Generated Image)-created leopard required a high degree of creativity and innovation, along with the integration of all the elements necessary to simulate a fearsome predator animal on set. Sophisticated editing techniques and the use the new "Ronin Stabilizing Rig" camera by UAT student and film cinematographer [Paul Lopez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-lopez-45ba01144/) (another Digital Video student) enabled the suspenseful scene to go off without a hitch. Adding to the air of true authenticity, Killian's father (along with other Marine friends), served as technical advisors for the film, providing advice on what clothing the pilot would wear, the appropriate training for the mission and other elements. With a limited budget - the film's $3,500 budget was raised through the support of 41 backers on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo - the crew had to be innovative and hunt high and low for bargains, scouring surplus stores and online outlets for equipment and costumes. ![instinct 2](https://blog.uat.edu/hubfs/instinct%202.jpg) *Instinct* was completed as part of the UAT's "Student Innovation Project" for the three filmmakers, a uniquely creative requirement for one of the country's top information technology/cybersecurity degrees colleges. It served as a testament to the idea that creative, common-project teamwork can serve as a spark for something truly special. The finished result has garnered several awards already, including "Drama Student Short" at the Hollywood Moving Pictures Film Festival, "Best Drama" at the Los Angeles Film Awards, and "Most Market Ready" at UAT's Student Innovation Project Fair. The *Instinct* team plans to release the short on social media channels - including YouTube and Vimeo - very soon. - [** ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film&title=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film&picture=https://learn.uat.edu/hubfs/instinct%202.jpg&description=UAT%20digital%20video%20alumni%20and%20students%20created%20Instinct,%20an%20award-winning%20short%20film.%20It%20follows%20a%20COBRA%20helicopter%20pilot%20who%20gets%20shot%20down.) - [** ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film&text=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film) - [** ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film&title=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film&summary=UAT%20digital%20video%20alumni%20and%20students%20created%20Instinct,%20an%20award-winning%20short%20film.%20It%20follows%20a%20COBRA%20helicopter%20pilot%20who%20gets%20shot%20down.) - [** ](mailto:?subject=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film&body=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film%20https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film) ### Don't forget to share this post! - [** ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film&title=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film&picture=https://learn.uat.edu/hubfs/instinct%202.jpg&description=UAT%20digital%20video%20alumni%20and%20students%20created%20Instinct,%20an%20award-winning%20short%20film.%20It%20follows%20a%20COBRA%20helicopter%20pilot%20who%20gets%20shot%20down.) - [** ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film&text=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film) - [** ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film&title=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film&summary=UAT%20digital%20video%20alumni%20and%20students%20created%20Instinct,%20an%20award-winning%20short%20film.%20It%20follows%20a%20COBRA%20helicopter%20pilot%20who%20gets%20shot%20down.) - [** ](mailto:?subject=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film&body=Lights,%20Camera,%20Action:%20UAT%20Students%20Create%20Award-Winning%20Short%20Film%20https://blog.uat.edu/lights-camera-action-uat-students-create-award-winning-short-film) ### Comment ## Related Articles [Digital Video](https://blog.uat.edu/tag/digital-video) ### [Camera Angles Tell a Story](https://blog.uat.edu/camera-angles-tell-a-story) The camera angles in any movie are extremely important, it’s what makes or breaks a film. 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