PHILADELPHIA (April 16, 2007) – Devious resident assistant? Check. Bubbly co-ed? Check. How about 30-something returning to school? Check. Mix together, add a dash of art school humor and teen angst and what do you get? Paper Cuts, the entirely student-produced online television series from the College of Media and Communication (CMAC) at The University of the Arts (UArts).  Paper Cuts chronicles the residence hall hi-jinks and drama of its principal characters each of who either attend or teach in a fictitious art school in Center City Philadelphia.

Dan Magro, co-executive producer, in charge of the production team, along with Jenn Wexler, co-executive producer in charge of the writing staff, along with writers, crew and cast hosted an on-campus premiere screening on April 26. Webisodes are available on-line (http://multimediadept.com/~papercuts/).

The official description from the series Web site: “[Get Ready!]  It’s a new semester for the students on the 11^th floor of Furness Hall, and Ryan Jeffries is especially excited because after years of applying, he’s finally secured a position as RA.  Now he’ll be able to live for free and blackmail freshmen into doing anything he wants.  When he meets the bubbly Amanda, he decides his semester is set – she’ll become his girlfriend.  But then Jack arrives.  He’s a slightly older student who has returned to art school to pursue painting.  Ryan and Jack have an immediate antipathy.  Soon Amanda falls hard for Jack, but Jack only has eyes for Susan.  Throw into the mix the sex crazed Vanessa and Jack’s stoner roommate and in short order, sparks fly.

“You can find the first two episodes of Season One on the web,” said Magro. “Starting in September, we hope to hit the ground running and produce at least six suspenseful, hilarious and action packed episodes, leaving viewers hungry for seasons to come!”  Wexler added, “for the writers this has been an exciting experience seeing our ideas come to life.”

The creation of the series by students in the Writing for Film/TV department resulted in a truly collaborative production.  With little faculty involvement, students handle writing, production, set design, editing, Web design, promotion and advertising. The majority of principal actors are students in the UArts College of Performing Arts (CPA). Half of the Paper Cuts production team studies in the Film program in the College of Art and Design (CAD). Although primarily a CMAC project, all University students are encouraged to participate. A studio in the College of Media and Communication serves as the series’ main locations of three different dorm rooms.

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