Student Spotlight: Nathaniel Holzer '22, Screenwriting Major and Pittsburgh Film Office Intern Student Profile
Meet Nathaniel Holzer
- Job Title & Employer
- Intern, Pittsburgh Film Office
- Major/Program
- Screenwriting-B.F.A.
- Minor
- Photography
- Graduation
- 2022
- College Activities
- Student photographer, Enrollment Marketing Department
- Scholarships
- Point Park University Grant, Artistic Achievement Award
- Hometown
- Scott Township, Pa.
- High School
- Chartiers Valley High School
- Hobbies & Interests
I love taking photos and editing them. I’m also a huge hockey guy, both watching and playing. Let's go PENS! I’m an active fitness junkie, I love to keep in shape and work hard for it. I am also an absolute fiend at unconventional sports: bowling (I’m that guy with his own ball and shoes), pickleball, ping pong and badminton. I’m a sucker for a good story, so I love movies, cartoons, video games, books, comics, etc. I also love riding my electric skateboard around town.
"If you have even the slightest spark of curiosity to pursue a career in screenwriting, don’t get in your own way, go for it! Point Park's screenwriting program is so welcoming no matter what walk of life you are from. We don’t see people as students and professors, just writers. It is a breeding ground for creativity and the honing of the craft with a philosophy that everyone should implore: there are no bad ideas."
What factors led you to pursue a degree in screenwriting from Point Park?
A lot of things did. I never initially knew what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I wasn’t going to go to school if it wasn’t for something that I’m passionate about or thought I was any good at. I’ve always been a movie guy and was going to Blockbuster every week. Deep down I knew I wanted to tell stories and had stories to tell. With Point Park being the best option and closest to stay in touch with home, it was off to "dahntahn" (Downtown Pittsburgh) for me.
Tell us about your internship with the Pittsburgh Film Office.
My work at PFO varies each week. For the most part, I work as an intern that organizes, categorizes, renames, and backs up any and all photos within the photo archive to make sure everything is where it needs to be and is easily accessible. I also work on some behind-the-scenes stuff that I am not sure if I can divulge, but just know is very cool!
How have Point Park’s classes and faculty helped you excel in this internship?
The faculty have been nothing short of stellar with how they have helped me throughout the application process and preparing me for this position, both in terms of being a professional worker and a person.
Why would you recommend Point Park’s screenwriting program to a prospective student?
If you have even the slightest spark of curiosity to pursue a career in screenwriting, don’t get in your own way, go for it! The program is so welcoming of everybody no matter what walk of life you are from. We don’t see people as students and professors, just writers. It is a breeding ground for creativity and the honing of the craft with a philosophy that everyone should implore: there are no bad ideas.
What are your career goals?
Oh boy, this is the game-winning question. Every kid has their childhood dreams that they hope to make real. For me that was, and still is, religiously watching Star Wars. Well that’s the dream for me, to make a Star Wars, to be what George Lucas and everyone who worked on the movies was for me as a kid — to inspire the next generation and spark their hearts with creativity and imagination. And so far, I am not trying to do that — there is no try — I am doing it.
Connect with Nathaniel Holzer
More About: faculty, transfer, photography, Conservatory of Performing Arts, Chartiers Valley High School, scholarships, screenwriting, cinema arts, Downtown Pittsburgh, internships