Senior Spotlight: Mia Salinas
From nonprofit work and freelancing to serving as a production designer on a student-led film project, Mia Salinas is carving her own path in the local film industry.
Our last Senior Spotlight of the Spring 2026 semester is Mia Salinas, who’s graduating from Meadows with a B.A. Film & Media Arts and a minor in Nonprofit & Arts Leadership.
Salinas transferred to SMU in Fall 2024, and dove head-first into all the real-world experiences that Meadows’ Film & Media Arts program has to offer.
“My time at Meadows helped strengthen my passion for film logistics and creative production while also connecting me to a network of peers that I've been able to collaborate with both in and out of the program,' Salinas says.
A key experience for Salinas at Meadows was a summer spent working as a production designer on the SMU summer feature film project, When the Azaleas Bloomed. SMU students have the opportunity to produce their own feature film or TV pilot on a biannual cycle. These long-form projects are led by students and give them the chance to be credited on professional-caliber work while still in school.
“The process working on this film has been incredible so far, and being able to work with a team of passion-driven students has really strengthened my own drive,” Salinas says. “Leading up to production, I've especially enjoyed the connections I've been able to form with my fellow crew members, giving me deeper insight into how each area of filmmaking functions to bring a project to life.”
Outside of classes and working on When the Azaleas Bloomed, Salinas has also worked as a freelancer in the Dallas film industry, serving in various roles, from production design to producing and marketing, allowing her to build a well-rounded perspective on logistical planning while maintaining a creative vision within a team.
After graduation, Salinas plans to continue working in the local film industry and expand her focus on film marketing and advertising, mainly through the formation of the nonprofit Ellum Studios.
“I serve as a Co-President, dedicated to providing resources for independent filmmakers,” Salinas says. “Through both my professional and nonprofit efforts, I hope to help build a more accessible community for independent filmmakers in the wider Texas film industry!"
We are at the edge of our seats to see where her path in the film industry will take Mia Salinas! Learn more about the SMU Meadows Division of Film & Media Arts and the student-led summer film productions here.