Mya Whyte began her master’s in media studies and production determined to expand her storytelling skills beyond traditional journalism. This same determination led to her idea to create her master’s final project for MSP 5547: MA Project Workshop, a short film titled “In too deep”, and she has taken the project a step further by receiving a grant.  

This film, centered on a 24-year-old journalist struggling with depression, was awarded a $1,500 grant through the Philadelphia Student Media Maker Fund administered by Scribe Video Center, which provides college students with grants to bring their audio and digital projects to life. 

The project’s storyline originated from a recurring dream and evolved into a structured production, requiring skills like scriptwriting, storyboarding and test footage that she learned in MA Project Workshop. This workshop-based course equips students with the preproduction and previsualization skills necessary to develop a professional, research-driven final master’s project. The short film is inspired by Whyte’s favorite films that embody emotional depth across different genres and is scheduled to begin recording this spring. 

Whyte credits her experience at Klein College, the Media Studies and Production graduate program and TUTV experience as a production assistant for equipping her with the hands-on experiences needed to produce and direct “In too deep.”  She thanks Professors Laura Zaylea, Kristine Weatherston and Stephanie Malson for their support.  

“I came to Klein not knowing what to expect and got everything I’d hoped for and more,” she said. “During my time here, I met incredible people, learned a lot and grew both professionally and personally.”  

Whyte wants to use this film as a tool of representation to encourage black women to pursue careers in media and entertainment. She is currently a podcast and digital intern at Glass Entertainment Group and hopes to become a news producer after graduation.