Molly of Denali – New Mexico Focus
New Mexico In Focus, a Production of NMPBS
Published on Jul 19, 2019
July 19, 2019 – Correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with producer Maya Salganek about a new PBS KIDS series about a 10-year-old Alaska Native girl, called “Molly of Denali.” The show weaves together literacy skills and Native values. It’s the first nationally distributed children’s television series to feature a Native American lead character. Salganek was born and raised in Santa Fe.
Episode 1303
Samples of Student Work
Students in FLPA 231 :Previsualization and Preproduction for Digital Cinema are pushed to get ready to shoot their first film. They worked in production teams and each student:
- Wrote and Polished a short screenplay
- Storyboarded and Photoboarded a screenplay from another student
- Scheduled and Budgeted a screenplay from another student using Movie Magic software
- Created Animatics of their concepts using storyboards/photoboards/ or 3D Animation software.
- Worked with actors to create an audio track for their animatics
- Created websites for their work
- Pitched their scripts and films to a jury of peers.
Here are some links to a few of their sites:
Joe Yates and Daniel Walker: FBX Films
Janis Carney: http://jjanis44.wixsite.com/carneysshowhouse
Emily Moretz: https://emilymoretz21.wixsite.com/design/cloud-x
Production on Bodies of Water Update
It’s been an incredible journey producing and directing the film Bodies of Water at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Each day the film has become richer and deeper, and the enthusiasm of the students has only grown through the weeks. Making art. What a gift.
FRAME Highlight: Student Support Services
One amazing evolution of UAF FRAME-Film Production Services is being able to connect with other programs of the University of Alaska Fairbanks system, and learn more what they do. Here’s an example of a FRAME project I mentored this spring with a film major at the helm.
The Emerging Scholars Academy prepares incoming, first-time-freshman for college, and provides 8 academic credits saving the average student over $1000 in classes.
Music Video for OCnotes
Sometimes, you just need to do something different. Had a blast making this impromptu video with the talented Silver Jackson and OCnotes in Juneau, Alaska. My boy even got his first cameo!
Shot by Maya Salganek, Zak D. Wass, TJ Cramer, Nicholas Galanin, & OCnotes
Directed by Silver Jackson & OCnotes
DO YOU FEAR ANYTHING?
Mister asks Leona if she fears anything…. must try a take of laughing… She is so terrified, so tormented, that the question itself is ludicrous. The “laughs in the face of fear” approach eases everyone into her space. She takes the upper hand.
It laughs at fear and is unafraid. It does not run from the sword.
Job 39:22
Leona – transformations
Leona is three different characters within Bodies of Water.
Leona is a child – confrontational, rebellious, but still a child.
After the death of Willow – Leon cuts her ties with her family -she is tired of being judged. She chooses to enter the world (reborn) on her own terms, but quickly gets drawn into another family – the troupe.
Finally- Leona births herself. The Water Cell as Womb into this persona – still stuck. Still reliving the tragedy, but finding freedom and even grace within it. As close to the edge of life as she can be. The edges of life – before birth-into death. In the water.

Illustration by Jody Hewgill
JUMPING IN…
WILLOW
I’m Jumping In. ONE. (beat) TWO. (beat) THREE.
LEONA
I can’t believe–
The Alaska Lens
Why see Alaska for what it is? Because if we don’t show it, then someone else will get it wrong.