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When the short film ‘Sour Note’ began to play on the big screen and the laughs started rolling in, Liam and Julien Dupas felt something they hadn’t expected.

“It’s the best when you hear the laughs and see the smiles,” Liam said. “To see that piece come to life was really special.”

For two brothers who had started filmmaking with a DSLR camera and the guidance of a high school teacher, it was a milestone in their careers worth remembering.

Liam and Julien Dupas, identical twins born and raised in Atlanta, had a passion for filmmaking long before they discovered ���ϲ�����. In high school, their broadcast teacher owned a production company outside of his teaching, where he would produce music videos for popular Atlanta artists.

“We started to build a close relationship with him,” Julien said. “Because he saw our passion, he hired us for some of his own projects, showing us a side of filmmaking we had never seen before.”

“I was saving up for my first-ever camera at the time. I worked a few side jobs to save up, and we both invested in a camera and started shooting a bunch of videos. It was a DSLR camera, the Lumix G85,” Liam said.

As both Liam and Julien were in the early stages of exploring their passion for film, they knew they wanted to continue pursuing it professionally. After touring ���ϲ�����’s School of Communications and learning what the program had to offer from day one of enrollment, they decided to apply for scholarships.

Both Liam and Julien were accepted into the Communications Fellows scholarship program, and Julien was also accepted into the Odyssey Program. They expressed their love for ���ϲ�����’s School of Communications and pointed out that with the help of their scholarships, they made the final decision to enroll.

Freshman year, they began their ���ϲ����� journey with FreshTV, a 15-week accelerated program that introduced first-year students to camera operation and video editing. The program, led by Bryan Baker, director of technology, operations and multimedia projects, was one of the biggest factors in their decision.

“It gave me the feeling that I know where I’m at, and I need to be here,” Liam said. “Bryan Baker has been more than a professor to me. Since the beginning, he’s been a friend and a mentor. It’s been such a professional relationship that he’s been able to pour into us. I am truly blessed with the opportunity to work with Bryan Baker inside the classroom and outside the classroom.”

Julien added, “Liam and I had some experience filming coming into college, so we knew ���ϲ����� had access to cinema-level cameras like the C70. I remember talking to Bryan and expressing our interest in shooting with the C70. Sure enough, he gave us access as freshmen to that camera, which shows how willing he is to help if he sees your passion.”

In their sophomore year, Liam and Julien collaborated with friends they met through FreshTV and Cinelon Productions, each with varying interests in film production, to create their own production company.

“One of our buddies is really interested in producing logistics, and our other friend was really good at directing and screenwriting. I was pretty skilled at shooting, so we all had different interests, and we came together over multiple meetings. We decided to start a production company,” Julien said.

Seismic Studios was born. Under the Seismic Studios name, their team created 30 to 40 videos.

“We did everything from weddings to music videos to corporate stuff and some film for our religious organization we are a part of, and some commercials, short films and short documentaries,” Julien said.

Sour Note was one of their award-winning short films that went on to be shown in a theater with an audience.

“I remember vividly we went to a screening in Raleigh and saw Sour Note on a big screen with an actual audience full of people I’ve never met, and hearing their reactions was a thrilling experience. It’s the best when you hear the laughs and see the smiles. To see that piece come to life was really special,” Liam recalled.

Their work was also shown at the Cinelon Productions Film Festival in Turner Theatre. Complete with a mini red carpet, the team’s family, friends and loved ones got the opportunity to gather for a celebration of the hard work that went into creating the short film.

“Watching our work on the big screen, with everyone around you, brings the film to life,” Julien said.

Their scholarships have launched their ���ϲ����� careers and set them up for success in their industry post-graduation.

“I always like to give thanks to the donors first and foremost for the opportunity to be a part of these scholarships. For both Odyssey and Communications Fellows, we’ve taken multiple trips to cities where the communications industries are thriving. We got to meet with professionals, do Q&As with them, pick their brains and it’s led to my understanding of the film industry in a whole new light,” Julien explained.

“This scholarship has given me a stepping stone into the industry,” said Liam of the Communications Fellows. “During the Fellows’ first-year January term Florida trip, we got to tour agencies and production companies. I secured a prestigious internship a year and a half later at Diamond Gear, where I was an editor. It was truly one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had.”

“I got to work with real professionals who were working on commercials with Publix, Red Bull, Amazon, WWE, and it was mind-blowing,” Liam added. “I attribute it all to the Communications Fellows because, had I not gone on that trip, I wouldn’t have been able to meet such incredible people and get that opportunity.”

Liam and Julien are so grateful for the donors who have made their ���ϲ����� experience possible.

“These projects and doing contracting work, starting a production company, working with professors in and outside of the classroom. That’s all because of the Communication Fellows program,” explained Liam.

“I’d like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart because without the scholarships I’ve received, I wouldn’t be here or have taken the classes that I have gotten to take, and I wouldn’t be as far in my career as I am,” Julien said. “I’m so grateful for the donors who generously give their money to students like me to have these opportunities and, as cliché as it sounds, make my dreams a reality.”