Christoff Bandele ’24, film/media, took every opportunity that came his way during his time at URI. As long as he can remember, Bandele knew that he wanted to work in the film industry and pursued that dream both inside and outside of the classroom. As an intern with the Harrington School Social Media Agency, he combined his passion for social media and film to produce content both in front of and behind the camera, garnering him a level of campus stardom. Bandele’s videos have received hundreds of thousands of views across platforms.
Why did you choose URI and the Film/Media program?
I’ve always been drawn to filmmaking and entertaining others. I remember being about four or five years old, watching TV and thinking to myself, “That’s what I want to do with my life.” From then on, I was highly engrossed in theater and the performing arts, anything I could do to hone my skills. In elementary and middle school, I always received feedback from my teachers saying that they liked me, but I talked way too much and was constantly trying to make my classmates laugh. Starting a YouTube channel when I was 11, writing and directing skits with friends, and consuming as much media as possible were the stepping stones to where I wanted to be. So when the time came to start applying for colleges, I knew the only path was film. I applied to multiple schools for film, but each school I looked at disappointed me. URI’s Film/Media program stood out to me as the best environment to grow my skills with a good balance of hands-on experience and in-class learning to be prepared for the competitive industry I’m trying to enter.
What is something special about the Film/Media program at URI?
One thing that I found incredibly impressive about the Film/Media program is that you get out what you put in. If you are willing to learn and engage with the multitude of courses available to you then you’ll leave with a greater understanding of film, both on a technical and theoretical level. Learning how to edit, properly utilize lighting, and understanding the nuances behind creating films were things I had the opportunity to learn through URI’s Film/Media program. They offer such a wide breadth of knowledge and options; you just have to be willing to look for it during registration.
What is your favorite memory at URI?
My favorite, if not most unforgettable, URI memory has to be from the end of my junior year. I had taken the relatively new FLM 496 capstone course and had been working that semester on two of my friend’s films. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience to be a part of a team and create something you can truly be proud of. And at the end of the year, your prize is a screening of all the films from the semester in Edward’s Auditorium. Now, I grew up watching a lot, and I mean a lot of movies and television, and I’ve seen and owned my fair share of movie posters, too. But as a fan of the craft, to see my name on an actual poster and in the credits on a big screen was one of the most surreal and memorable moments I’ve had at URI.
How has the Harrington School prepared you for your future?
I think if it weren’t for URI and the Film/Media program here, I would be much more afraid of my future and how well I’d be able to adjust. The amount of in-the-classroom and out-in-the-field hands-on training that I’ve been able to get during my classes has really made me feel like I am ready for almost any job after college. Of course, with any change, there will be growing pains, but it’s imperative to have a strong foundation of knowledge and experience that I know I’ve gotten at URI. I’ve had the opportunity to work on professional sets, and I rarely felt like I wasn’t out of my depth. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” I was able to learn enough and gain the confidence to get there because of the time I spent here.
How did your internship with the Harrington/A&S Social Media Agency shape your time at URI?
Before I got to the agency, I already had an interest in social media, but I never seriously approached it. It was always starting a YouTube channel with my friends or just making quirky Instagram posts. But when I got there, it really allowed me to see more of the actual behind-the-scenes of professional social media, advertising, and creative work. That experience also allowed me the opportunity to write my own stuff and see people engage with it in a positive way on a larger scale than I had ever been able to achieve previously. My internship not only helped to get my face out there professionally, at least as somebody who can create content that garners attention and that people resonate with, but also helped me socially on campus as well. As a person who is a bit socially awkward and doesn’t always like to come out of their shell and talk to people, it made it so that people were more likely to already know who I was, and I could just skip the awkward introduction phase. Overall, my position at the Harrington School Social Media Agency helped me create a lot of connections that I wouldn’t have had without it, and I am eternally grateful for that experience.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
The only advice I would have for new students is this: “Go do.” Do as much as possible because college flies by like nobody’s business. And I don’t just mean go to all activities, I mean take all the classes. Take classes that you need and would further your skills, but also classes that just interest you. I took 3D animation, video game design, piano, ASL, poetry, medieval history and authors, and a bunch of other classes that I didn’t need to take at all but that I had a general interest in and wanted to know more about. I know people say it all the time, but it’s true: you’re paying to be here, and you should take advantage of what’s available while you have the chance.