Lainey Sumner ’26, film/media, found her place at URI through a combination of family connection and a growing interest in filmmaking that started in high school. Wanting to stay close to her younger siblings, she chose URI and was also encouraged by her connection to the university’s film community, which helped her pursue media more seriously. Since arriving, she has become actively involved in production work, building experience as a producer and assistant director while continuing to grow her skills and passion for filmmaking.
What made you choose URI, and what got you interested in film/media?
One of the major factors that helped me to pick URI was the proximity to my family. I have two younger siblings who are the light of my life, and in order to watch them grow into the young adults they are now, I wanted to be close to them. However, when it came to my major in film/media, I actually had an amazing connection through one of my best friends from high school, Madison Lawing, who was so kind and welcoming in the film community. I have always had an interest in the art of filmmaking in high school, and I decided to try it.
What has been your favorite project to work on so far? Favorite memory?
My favorite project to work on so far has to be Willa Geoghegan’s Rotten Girl, a short film I produced 2 years ago for a capstone project. It was my first time working on a school project that had such a mental impact on my perspective of myself, and for those who would watch in the future. It took a lot of boundaries in filmmaking and blasted past them. I loved being able to take such a deep and personal topic and help bring her perspective to life.
What does your role as a producer and assistant director usually involve on set?
My roles as producer and assistant director are very different on set, but these roles work together throughout the entire production process. The producer is the person who creates the spider web of crew, cast, locations, budgeting, craft services, etc., to bring the movie to life on set. The assistant director is the person given this spider web of moving pieces and keeps it connected throughout the production timeline. These roles make game-time decisions when something goes wrong or act as a form of HR when people need support. These two roles act as glue, keeping the beast of a production moving toward the finish line.
What’s one challenge you’ve faced during a production, and how did you handle it?
One of the biggest challenges that I continue to face on productions is working with different personalities across the board. A film set is full of people with diverse life experiences who are all coming to a production. When appointed as a department head in production, it is your responsibility to find the best ways to bring the team together to create an efficient and creative experience that everyone can be proud of. For myself, I try to learn what people need on set to be as efficient as possible and keep morale high, which is not an easy task and requires constant learning and adaptation to overcome any unforeseen challenges.
What do your plans look like after graduation?
After graduation, it looks like a large intersection that has many different avenues for me. I have created connections that I will absolutely continue to maintain throughout my post-grad career while also looking to expand my network. I have recently worked on an indie feature in NYC, which has opened up opportunities to produce in the future while I am actively working as a producer for Rugged Oak Co., a production company based in Rhode Island. I hope to work with The Real Housewives of Rhode Island on a possible season 2 and become more active in the short film festival community for the films I helped produce.
This story was written by Leili Mahrouk, intern for the Harrington School Social Media Agency.