Max Gibson

Background

About Max Gibson

If I could choose one moment that best contributed to what I am doing today, it would be watching Rashomon for the very first time. Rashomon spurred in me a love of learning about, organizing events related to, and giving lectures on Japanese Culture. As president of the J-Club at Middlebury and a former member of the Japanese Language House, I have helped organize over two dozen events (of up to 70 people), and given several lectures of varying lengths on various aspects of Japanese culture. In conjunction with lectures I have given as a member of the Japanese House, my speech on Kurosawa and Shakespeare I gave in 2022 at the First-Year Spencer Prize speech competition, introduced me to Oratory Now. With Oratory Now, I have done two internships working on developing public-speaking workshops for a variety of audiences, researching and developing a web-based course for online and one-way interviews, and creating videos and media promoting Oratory-related events at Middlebury. Outside my film and video work with Oratory Now, I have also engaged in various cinematic projects, both in and out of the classroom. From recording live student performances to assisting on student film shoots, I am always darting around campus with film equipment. I took my love for film outside Vermont by attending the 50th Telluride Film Festival as a member of the Student Symposium. My core competencies include interpersonal skills, translation, and project management. I enjoy learning new things, sharing my knowledge, and collaborating with others. My goal is to combine my love of Japanese, Film, and my oratory skills and experience so I can pursue a career that allows me to communicate and create across cultures and mediums.