COOL Fellows

My artistic language draws from censored creators, banned poems, and prohibited films, shaped by the repressive atmosphere and collective trauma of my home, Russia. Trauma fuels my creativity and serves as a means of resistance and social commentary in my filmmaking.
Symbolism, metaphor, and allegory guide my work within pervasive censorship, allowing me to humanize my community and Russians globally.

My dedication to the New Orleans film community has been a cornerstone of my journey. I believe that inclusivity and collaboration are fundamental to creative success, ask me about the time we had two Directors of Photography on a single set!
This fellowship represents a unique opportunity to blend my passion for film with my natural inclination toward teaching, guiding, and mentoring.

Quinn Lapeyrouse is a filmmaker, musician, and actor who is passionate about the art of storytelling and its ability to connect people and inspire change. He has been involved in the film and theater industry for ten years and has worked on projects such as Secrets of Sulphur Springs, Haunted Mansion (2023), The Money Game (2024), Carry On (2024), and more! His COOL Cooperative credits include Camera Operator for Gloves Up (2024) directed by Dwight Nelson and Additional Director of Photography for The Rougarou (2024) directed by Marion Forbes.

The opportunity to share my accumulated expertise while also receiving mentorship is uniquely exciting. As a xennial I’ve enjoyed quite the journey from Super 8, to modern digital video recording as well as reel-to-reel evolving into the modern audio capture. Everything in between has been a compelling journey from the days of tinkering, reverse engineering concepts through observation to ultimately gaining access to professional learning resources. I appreciate my past because it encouraged me to grasp the underlying principles that would remain unchanged even as the technologies made more things possible; accessible and with greater speed.

I am extremely interested in furthering my knowledge of documentary work and steady cam usage. While not necessarily related to my focus in Camera, animation has always been a keen interest of mine as well, and I would love to work with it somewhat more.

Over this internship I would like to become faster and gain a stronger knowledge of editing. More specifically I want to learn how to mask things in order to change the color of things, or to tweak flaws in films so that things don't need to be reshot. I also would like to learn about more softwares commonly used in the film industry like Nuke, Premiere Pro, Houdini, Real Engine, and Autodesk Maya. I look forward to exploring the different techniques specific to editing animation vs editing a live action.

Mark Druhet is an American actor, artist, and film professional, born on Pease Air Force Base and raised by his grandmother in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his journey in modeling and acting at the
age of 15.
A proud graduate of the prestigious Prairie View A&M University, Mark holds a Bachelor's degree in Architectural Design. With over 15 years of experience in film production, he brings a well-rounded perspective to both the creative and technical sides of the industry. After starting his career in commercial construction, he eventually returned to his true passion—storytelling through film and performance.
Mark has contributed to a variety of productions, both in front of and behind the camera, including NCIS: New Orleans, Is God Is, and Carry On, as well as numerous commercials and fashion editorials.
He is also a published visual artist and a dedicated member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., committed to community service and
​youth empowerment.

​Keva Peters Jr. is a New Orleans-born, Saint Rose-raised filmmaker and photographer whose work showcases the beauty of human expression and the rich tapestry of the Black Southern experience. A proud graduate of both Dillard & Florida State University's pioneering filmmaking programs, Keva is known for his captivating storytelling. You can catch him whipping delicious dishes in the kitchen or cheering on the New Orleans Pelicans during game nights when he's not busy crafting compelling narratives.

Shahesta Khalaf's an avid camera collector with a soft spot for film and alternative darkroom techniques. Whether it’s a Pixelvision toy camera, a Ricoh Teleca 240, or a full-frame cinema rig, I’m passionate about experimenting with any and all multimedia formats—not just as a form of self-expression, but as a way to grow my visual language and become a better storyteller. I come from a background in documentary, photojournalism, and music—all of which shaped a practice that’s hands-on, collaborative, and forever evolving. I’ve spent the past few years working as a film equipment staff and focusing on camera & lighting roles like gaffer, DP, camera op, focus puller, 2nd AC—and I’m still learning every step of the way from the brilliant local creatives around me.

​I believe that stories have the power to move people and spark change. Blending aesthetics, semiotics, and lived experiences creates narratives that resonate deeply. Film is the medium that embodies this best. And I, as a filmmaker, strive to craft films that leave a lasting mark and inspire transformation.

Scarlett Mitchell-Yang is a performing artist and emerging filmmaker, recently graduated from Loyola University of New Orleans with a Bachelor's Degree in both Filmmaking and Computer Science. Before college, she graduated high school with a Certificate of Artistry in Dance, alongside finishing her pre-professional dance training with the New Orleans Ballet Association. She uses her background in performing arts to motivate her creative decisions on thematic elements like space, time, and repetition.

In college, she specialized in sound recording and editing. In the future, Scarlett hopes to create works that explore and preserve the areas of dance and the performing arts akin to her first short film, MOTION BLUR. She takes pride in aiding in the craft of stories that explore the lives of artists, minorities, and the emotional recesses of the human mind. After over 20 student film credits, she's excited to be in new projects, whether that be on-set, in the editing chair, or in the developmental stages of a project.