Part of the 2024-25 Student Spotlight Series, featuring Jacob McCauley of Sioux City, Iowa.
Ask Jacob McCauley what film inspired him to pursue filmmaking as a career, and without missing a beat, he’ll say “Goodfellas.” The sophomore from Sioux City, Iowa, is the focus of this week’s Student Spotlight Series.
Intrigued with filmmaking since he was a kid, McCauley said the “Goodfellas” scene that impacted him the most was when he saw Robert De Niro smoking a cigarette to the song “Sunshine of Your Love” for the first time.
“I hold that scene very close to my heart,” said McCauley. “The day I watched that film was the day I realized this (filmmaking) was something I wanted to create for a living,” said McCauley, who is majoring in Digital Film Production and Theory at Wayne State. “It became more than just a dream when I attended a Wayne State Film Camp and directed a short film titled ‘Snack Attack.’ A year later, I started my education at Wayne State.”
McCauley also lists “Silence of the Lambs,” “Rain Man,” and “Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector” among his favorites, and he says all these films have taught him some aspect of filmmaking.
“’Goodfellas’ inspired me to become a director, and ‘Silence of the Lambs’ taught me that films can be smart, yet entertaining, while developing intriguing storylines and raising stakes constantly,” said McCauley. “’Rain Man’ taught me how to capture compassion on film, and it has some of the best acting, alongside a stellar score by Hans Zimmer. ‘Health Inspector’ is a comedy classic that deserves much more recognition. Larry the Cable Guy’s acting is beyond exceptional, and the movie is so funny.”
Directors who have influenced McCauley include David Lynch, Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, and Dennis Dugan.
McCauley’s latest work, “Buried Treasure,” was premiered Wednesday (Feb. 19) with three other films by Wayne State film students during the Student Film Premieres at The Majestic Theatre in downtown Wayne. He has been part of seven student films at Wayne State, and he also serves as treasurer of Wayne State’s Film Club.
McCauley will graduate in 2027, and he aspires to direct films and be part of the film industry.