Three Oklahoma City Community College film students captured global stories at the
2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, creating content for social
media, media outlets, and future projects.
When Abby Camargo and Lanie Hansen first heard about the chance to join fellow student Julian De Leon as part of the film crew for the Special Olympics, they were excited.
“It was initially a one-person job,” Hansen said. “We were pleading with Professor Lynch. We kept saying, ‘We have our passports, take us both. We’ll do whatever we need to make it work.’”
What began as a solo assignment turned into a dream opportunity for the trio. A collaboration with Scissortail Studios made the trip possible and gave them the professional support to succeed.
OCCC is where learning gets real
From day one, students in OCCC’s Digital Cinema Production (DCP) program get real-world experience — learning on active film sets and working with industry professionals. That hands-on focus has earned the program national recognition from “MovieMaker Magazine” as one of the top film schools in the U.S. and Canada for several years.
“An experience like this is incredible for our students and program,” said Sean Lynch, OCCC professor of digital cinema production. “It puts students’ technical and organizational skills to use in real-world settings and shows how what we teach can lead to a meaningful career.”
OCCC students Camargo, Hansen and De Leon traveled to Italy with Neil Newby, technical director at Scissortail Studios, and Bruce Maelzer, a high school film teacher with OKCPS. In the weeks leading up to departure, the team organized gear, mapped out storylines, and built a content strategy.
“The basis of everything we’ve done mirrors how any other professional company would run a media or broadcast program,” Newby said.
By the time they boarded the plane, the students weren’t just excited — they were ready.
On the ground in Italy
The Special Olympics brought together more than 1,500 athletes from over 100 countries in the Italian Alps, competing in eight winter sports: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, dancesport, figure skating, floorball, short track speed skating, snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
From the first day, Carmago, De Leon and Hansen were in the thick of it, hauling gear through snow and chasing moments.
“It was tough being in the Alps with the change in altitude,” De Leon said. “You don’t realize it at first, but you’re dealing with the same conditions these athletes train for over months.”
The trio wasn’t just filming from the sidelines, they were immersed in the experience.
Camargo recalled filming an exclusive snowshoeing race in Sestriere’s snowy mountains, lying in the snow at the starting line to get the shot.
“In these situations, you have to keep your head on a swivel,” she said. “It’s a true test of your storytelling skills.”
A local connection brought added pride. Tulsa athletes Amy Wollmershauser and Dianne Cunningham competed in snowshoeing. Wollmershauser took silver in the 200-meter race; Cunningham placed fifth in the 800-meter.
Hansen remembered filming a heartfelt ice-skating performance at the edge of the rink door.
“The story was happening all around me,” she said. “You have to stay observant because missing these genuine moments means they’re gone forever.”
More than a trip
While the experience sharpened the students’ technical abilities, it also changed how they viewed storytelling.
“It was incredibly moving to see the global impact of organizations like Special Olympics,” Camargo said. “Networking with genuinely passionate people changed how I view storytelling. It’s about capturing authentic moments of humanity.”
For Hansen, that authenticity meant stepping into the story.
At the Founders Dinner, guests were invited to skate with the Sargent Shriver Global Messengers. Instead of filming from a distance, Hansen laced up her skates and joined them.
For De Leon, a favorite memory happened off the mountain, as a fan at a soccer match. Experiencing the local culture firsthand made the trip even more unforgettable, he said.
For the trio, what started as a unique assignment became a transformative educational experience.
“I know now that I want to tell stories that inspire others,” Hansen said. “What we experienced here, you can’t learn solely from a textbook. You have to live it.”
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Learn more about OCCC’s DCP program here.
About Scissortail Studios:
Scissortail Studios is a four-year high school film production course created by Oklahoma City Public Schools to introduce young students to film and video production as a viable career path. With the investments made to grow the film industry in Oklahoma, OKCPS leadership understands the need to grow a sustainable production workforce, while also seeing a pathway for young urban core students that can lead to rewarding local jobs and career opportunities.
Learn more: ScissortailStudios.com