As his time as the York College Powder Mill Foundation Arts Fellow draws to a close, filmmaker Marcos Repolle ‘25 is preparing to hand off the torch to the next fellow. Designed to bridge the gap between graduation and a professional creative career, the Powder Mill Foundation Arts Fellowship provides York College graduates with the space, time, and resources needed to expand their portfolios while actively engaging with the local creative community.
Operating out of Marketview Arts, a downtown hub under York College’s Center for Community Engagement, fellows serve as a vital link between the campus and York City’s vibrant arts district, drawing current students into York’s cultural city center.
During his time as a fellow, Marcos used his surroundings, most notably filming many scenes for his projects in and around the Gunter-Smith Center and Marketview Arts, to bring his visual storytelling to life.
"The Powder Mill Arts Fellowship plays an essential role in bridging our students' academic journeys with professional careers in the arts," said Carly Legg Wood, Executive Director of the Center for Community Engagement. "Marcos has been a fantastic example of what this fellowship aims to achieve. He has continued to hone his craft on local sets. As Marcos transitions into the next stage of his career, we are thrilled to welcome new fellows, who will continue to enrich both Marketview Arts and the York community."
For Marcos, having dedicated space and time downtown made all the difference in expanding his scope as an artist.
"I appreciated having the apartment and, more importantly, the dedicated time to focus on building something creative," Marcos shared. "The fellowship gave me the opportunity to experiment, refine my filmmaking process, and ultimately create work that I don't think I would have been able to complete otherwise. It was a valuable period of creative growth and exploration."
Every creative journey comes with twists and turns, and Marcos’s fellowship was no exception. His final exhibit takes a deep look at film technology alongside his current projects, a focus that emerged from an important pivot along the way.
"My original plan was to produce a feature-length film during the fellowship," Marcos explained. "However, I ended up shifting my focus toward work that was entirely within my control. That pivot allowed me to explore filmmaking through the lens of film technology while continuing to develop my current projects in a way that was achievable and creatively fulfilling."
Marcos’s passion for film traces back to childhood, though his perspective on storytelling evolved as he grew.
"I always dreamed of acting in movies, but over time I became fascinated by everything happening behind the camera," he said. "As I learned more about cinematography, directing, lighting, and visual storytelling, filmmaking became something I wanted to pursue as a career."
That passion quickly pushed him onto professional film sets outside the traditional classroom setup. Throughout his time at York College and during his fellowship, Marcos built up an impressive resume of industry experience, working on feature films, commercials, and professional productions alongside high-profile actors such as Alexandra Daddario, Heather Graham, and Alfonso Freeman.
Armed with both technical curiosity and real-world experience, Marcos is stepping out of the fellowship ready to build his own venture.
"Over the next five years, I plan to continue building my career as a freelance filmmaker, working on commercials, documentaries, and narrative films while expanding my production company," Marcos said. "My goal is to keep developing my skills, grow a sustainable business, and eventually create larger independent film projects of my own."
