RIT graduate filmmaker benefits from MAGIC Spell Studios’ Maker program

When Jacob French ’26 (film and animation – production option) was finishing the final year of his bachelor’s degree, he felt like he should have had his life all figured out. But there was no automatic switch that turned on and helped him determine what should come next.

“This stage of young adulthood, I think, is just as tumultuous and confusing as the 'end of high school' or midlife crisis stories we always see,” said French, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Individualized Study. “I wanted to make a story about that phase of life, the ‘quarter-life crisis,’ that you don’t see a lot in media.” 

French and his co-writer, Leigh LeFevre, drafted the first iteration of the script in a local frozen yogurt shop, and their passion for the story kept their momentum going.

Armed with a skeleton crew and a low budget, French and LeFevre set out to create Changing Keys, a feature length film that follows three siblings who hope to rekindle their bond on a reunion vacation to Key West, Fla. It’s a story about family, secrets, and being a young adult in that awkward stage right after college—made by current students and recent college graduates staring down that exact stage of life.

MAGIC Spell Studios supports student-driven digital media projects

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The cast and crew for ‘Changing Keys’ spent only five days filming on location in Key West and successfully captured 40 pages of scripted content during that short time. The rest of the film was shot in Rochester and New York City.

In addition to various crowdfunding efforts, French and his team also received assistance from MAGIC Spell Studios’ Maker program.

“MAGIC Spell Studios has a long tradition of bringing unique projects into the MAGIC Maker program. The Changing Keys team’s desire to create a feature length, live action dramedy was no exception,” said Aaron Nieboer, MAGIC production associate and executive producer for the Maker program. “When they applied, we saw an excellent story to be told and a first for us to provide the support needed for a film of this duration.”

MAGIC’s Maker program provides students with the funding and support to manage their own digital media projects and prepares them for publication and investment-readiness. In the past, the program has supported teams who aspire toward making features, but this is the first project the program has supported that is slated to deliver a feature-length film to market.

French serves as co-writer, director, and lead actor for the film, and the other members of the film’s small team also fulfill multiple roles in bringing the film to life. Support from the Maker program helped propel the small but mighty team forward.

The financial stipend granted by the program was a huge benefit, but resources like external motivation and encouragement, knowledge gained through connecting with industry partners, MAGIC staff, and alumni, and access to the MAGIC facilities and equipment also became invaluable for the team. One unanticipated lesson French learned through the program was how to approach the pipeline from film creation to distribution.

“Before, I thought as an independent filmmaker you would just screen your film at a festival and cross your fingers, but now I have a much better understanding of different ways to get a film out there. The world of distribution has really opened up for me,” said French.

RIT’s School of Film and Animation continues to be recognized among the best film schools in the country, according to rankings released by leading industry publications like The Hollywood Reporter, TheWrap, and Variety. One of the stand-out elements contributing to this rise is access to cutting-edge technology and facilities like MAGIC Spell Studios.

Victoria Pendzick, a third-year film and animation – production option student from Center Moriches, N.Y., has directly benefitted from her experiences with MAGIC and the School of Film and Animation, and believes they will help set her up for success after graduation.

Pendzick, who is enrolled in RIT’s Honors Program, is on French’s Maker program team and is working as a producer for Changing Keys. She’s also worked as a production assistant at MAGIC since September 2025. Both of those experiences helped her realize how much value MAGIC can offer film and animation students, and how eager its staff is to work with young filmmakers and animators.

“You’re not alone when you’re in the Maker program. Everyone working at MAGIC is there to guide you through the process,” she said. “I hope that our film will inspire more film and animation students to utilize the resources that MAGIC has to offer our community.”

Being on the Changing Keys set was an incredible learning opportunity for Pendzick. Gaining the experience of working on a small crew and filming in three locations—Rochester, Key West, and New York City—gave her a better idea of what to expect after graduation. She said getting advice from knowledgeable students and alumni also helped her further develop her own artistic practice.

“Filmmaking is all about constantly growing your skillset as an artist. I hope that, in the future, I can become an asset for others in the same way that this crew has been an asset for me,” said Pendzick.

For more information about the film, go to the Changing Keys website or Instagram. Go to the MAGIC Spell Studios website for more information about the MAGIC Maker program.