Film, finance majors make perfect co-stars

We’ve all had “a-ha” moments. For Margoth Mackey, a junior double majoring in film & media studies and finance, that moment of clarity came amid dwarves clashing swords with orcs and a struggle for power.

“I discovered the magic of filmmaking one day when I watched a documentary on how the ‘Lord of the Rings’ was made and I was hooked. I decided from then on I wanted to be a director,” Mackey said. “I loved the idea of telling a story in a way that people could experience, almost like putting my imagination on screen.”

Initially, Mackey considered chasing her silver screen dreams at a technical film school in Chicago. As the daughter of two Jayhawk grads however, Mackey decided at the end of her high school career that she wanted to experience all that comes with a KU education and its film & media studies degree. Once on campus, she decided that to take advantage of the broad variety of degree options at KU.

“I decided that I should also try my hand at business since it is an area that some artists struggle with and I thought it would help diversify my skills. I originally looked at the business minor but it did not cover all the areas that I wanted so I decided to go ahead with a finance double major,” Mackey said. “My parents really support my decision and I actually think it’s really smart since it shows my two areas of interest.”

After graduation, Mackey plans to put her dual degrees to good use. In the beginning of her academic career, Mackey said, she wanted to focus mainly on the production process of making films but discovered through her courses she was also passionate about business.

“I hope to work as a film financial analyst for production companies and even produce. I would like to still have the ability to make films that I feel passionate about but I also want to continue working with business,” Mackey said. “I hope that my combined skills will help me find that perfect job one day.”

Meeting with her advisors and planning ahead are a few ways Mackey is able to stay on top of her coursework and meet the requirements for both degrees. While she admits it hasn’t always been easy to balance her schedule, Mackey said she knows the effort will pay off in the long run. The opportunity to study a wide variety of subjects and develop a broad knowledge base are just a few benefits Mackey said come from her liberal arts and sciences background.

“The harmony that I receive while studying both majors is something I really love about double majoring. I have the opportunity to see different sides of KU and its students as well, which is awesome! I have met way more people that I would have if I had only chosen one degree,” Mackey said. “I strongly encourage any student who wants a wider education and who wants to diversify their skills to really consider double majoring.”

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