In Production Magazine Spring 2017

SPRING 2017

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS

On stage at the

Oscars Chapman student Academy Award winners join the pros

Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

F

R

O

M

D

E

A

N

B

O

B

B

A

S

S

E

T

T

Marking Dodge College Milestones Beginnings and endings — Dodge College marked two major milestones in recent months.

First was the passing of Dodge College namesake and benefactor Larry Dodge in December. Larry was involved in the life of Dodge College in many ways — always on the lookout for new opportunities that might benefit the school. Over the years I shared many adventures with him, from flying to China on a private plane and having the pilot arrested for having the wrong visa when we landed, to having dinner with Meryl Streep while visiting the set of a film Larry produced (Dark Matter). Whatever occurred, Larry was engaged and enthusiastic — ready to make something good happen.

I would have to say that the defining characteristic of this man who gave not only his resources but his Bob and Larry time and his energy to our film school was passion.

And he was truly the most positive person I’ve ever known. He always saw the good things ahead, an attitude that encouraged those around him to keep trying new things — ideas that helped build Dodge College into what it is today. I am grateful that we were able to bring him to campus shortly before he passed and that the faculty could tell him how much he meant to us, to our students and to generations yet to come.

A very different kind of milestone was the opening of Chapman Studios West (CSW) and our new Dhont Documentary Center in January.

This incredible new facility — actually a renovated facility previously owned by Gothic Moon, a production facility in its own right — really expands what our students can do.

Chief among the advantages of this new space is a 6,000-square-foot shop, which will, I predict, have the greatest impact on life in Dodge College. With a separate shop space, students can now build their sets before they move onto the sound stages, effectively doubling the shooting time available on our stages.

Given the fact that Marion Knott Studios was built to serve 800 students, and we now have 1,500, this is a very welcome addition.

The outstanding work of our students and alumni continues to earn praise and win prizes in a variety of venues and I invite you to read about what they’re doing in this issue. Certainly the support of Larry Dodge and the trustees of the Dhont Family Foundation, who helped make CSW possible, has laid the foundation for milestones yet to come.

what’s inside other stuff

Introducing Chapman Studios West – a new home for the Dhont Documentary Center. p. 10

features

16

Sage Advice From a Savage

2

Remembering Larry Dodge

18

From Pulp Fiction to Avatar Filmmakersin-Residence share their unique experiences

6

PR Students Create an Open Conversation about Mental Health

8

Tom Teller: a Man Who Isn’t Bound by Time or Space

20

Industry Guests Recap

22

Interterm Travel

25

News Briefs – Chapman students at the Oscars, Dodge College podcast, Exploring European Connections

27

Institute for Creative Reality

38

Internships Spotlight

40

Festival Highlights

42

Alumni Notes

10 Dodge College Expands West 14 From YouTube to TV Series – Netflix chief advises what it takes

28 Life After Film School – Working On the cover: Brian Robau and Brenna Malloy backstage during The 89th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, February 26, 2017. Credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

in sports broadcasting, at Buzzfeed and Pixar, and creating an AR app

In Production: Editor, Janell Shearer; Assistant Editor, Meagan O’Shea; Writers: Sorrel Geddes, Kevin Harman, Jeff Heimbuch, and Marissa Maynor

D O D G E C O L L E G E FA M I LY C E L E B R A celebration of Life

LARRY DODGE

Remembering

BY JANELL SHEARER

A man of boundless energy, endless enthusiasm and a true zest for living

A

lthough it is difficult to take the measure of any man, members of the Dodge College community found that challenge multiplied many times over as they marked the passing of Dodge College benefactor Lawrence K. “Larry�

Dodge at a celebration of life service on December 16.

Dodge College faculty and staff were joined by community leaders and personal friends of Dodge from all walks of his life to share remembrances of the man constantly cited for his larger than life personality, his boundless energy, endless enthusiasm and true zest for living.

2

R AT E S T H E L I F E O F L A R RY D O D G E

Top left: Laurenz Dodge, center, with her sisters at the ceremony recognizing her father.

Top: Larry's son Todd joins Dean Bob Bassett at the celebration of life.

Bottom: From left, Dean Bassett, Trustee Don Sodaro, Larry and Kristina Dodge and Chapman President Jim Doti at the 2004 groundbreaking ceremony for Marion Knott Studios.

“In many ways, Larry and Kristina Dodge helped make Dodge College what is it today,” says Dean Bob Bassett, noting the transforming effect of their $20-million gift that “laid the foundation for the international reputation that Dodge College now enjoys.”

Bassett shared the times that Dodge stepped in with the “10,000 foot view” when Bassett found himself discouraged during the difficult fund-raising days of 2008. “He always had a plan,” Bassett said. “Larry was a man whose glass was always half full,” having an unwavering sense of optimism that defined the man as much as any other characteristic.

“I think everyone here has a great many stories they could share about the extraordinary energy, passion and generosity of this man,” Bassett said — an observation that played out over the course of the event.

Among the many comments shared by speakers at the celebration were the following, which, together, offered a loving picture of this multi-faceted man: TERRY GOLDFARB-LEE, a friend of more than 30 years, remembered so many instances of “sitting on the floor with Larry playing games, and laughing till we cried.”

MARK CHAPIN JOHNSON, community leader and Chapman trustee, talked fondly about Dodge having “a personality so big that he was happy even when he shouldn’t have been,” citing, in particular, “Larry’s joy at empowering Bob’s vision.” Noting Dodge’s love of football, his singular focus on arts and education, his involvement in politics and so many other interests, Johnson called him “truly a Renaissance man.”

3

D O D G E C O L L E G E FA M I LY C E L E B R GWEN BARRY BROWN, Dodge’s longtime assistant at his company, told stories of “his big heart,” remarking that “Larry always wanted the best for everyone.”

Even when she visited him when he was ill, Brown said Larry ended their visit asking, “What can I do for you?”

MICHAEL KOWALSKI, associate dean of Dodge College, compared the difference Dodge made to an era of “before Larry and after Larry.” Kowalski drew a contrast between the “before” days when student films shot in an old bus barn standing in as a “sound” stage had to stop shooting when trucks and trains roared by, and the “after” days when Dodge College is “known around the world” with an iconic building that represents “who we are.”

CHUCK MARTIN, long-time Chapman trustee and community leader, remembered the early days when Dodge was almost invisible on the Orange County charity landscape. Martin and his wife, Twyla, were backing the film school as they “loved Bob’s vision and entrepreneurial spirit” and so they facilitated an introduction between Bassett and Dodge. “Larry’s ideas were often in left field,” Martin remembered with a smile, “but they were always full of creativity. He was a person of deep character, who was loved by all of us.”

4

R AT E S T H E L I F E O F L A R RY D O D G E Left: In 2005, Dodge led a Chapman group to China on the first of many trips to explore international film school partnerships. Center: Film school campaign chairman Trustee Paul Folino, joins Dean Bassett, gala chair Twyla Martin, Trustee Marion Knott and Larry and Kristina Dodge at the grand opening celebration for Marion Knott Studios.

Bottom: Dean Bassett and Larry and Laurenz Dodge on the set of the film Dark Matter with star Meryl Streep.

Opposite page: A photo shoot for the cover of Newport Beach 714 featured Dean Bassett, Twyla Martin and the Dodges as key people among the driving forces behind the building of Marion Knott Studios.

Center: Larry Doge and Paul Folino worked tirelessly to raise the funds for the state-of-the-art building that has earned accolades from industry guests as well as from faculty from film schools around the world.

PAUL FOLINO, leader of the film school fundraising campaign, philanthropist and former Chapman trustee, recalled how Dodge committed himself “not only financially but committed his time and energy to building ‘the finest film school on the planet.’” Dodge, Folino said, “enjoyed making a difference,” supporting organizations such as the Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Orange County High School for the Arts and many others, and backing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s political career. “He was all about caring for the people he got involved with,” Folino concluded.

Dodge passed away December 1 after an ongoing illness. He is survived by his sons Todd and Randy from his first marriage and by his daughters Laurenz, Tatiana, Cozette and Alexandra, his children with Kristina.

5

PR Students Create an Open Conversation about Mental Health

6

he stories were sad and brave, heart-breaking and full of hope.

“When I was in high school, I was hospitalized for suicidal ideation and diagnosed with MDD. Being hospitalized gave me the opportunity to get better and see how much of the world and life I still had to experience. I’m now pursuing a psych degree to help people like me.”

“In high school, my friend dealt with severe depression, eating disorders, self-harm. I was the only friend she felt she could confide in because she felt judged for the way she was feeling. I can’t recall the number of times my friend told me how badly she wanted to end everything, and how many nights I stayed up with her convincing her why she shouldn’t. I kept a journal under my mattress that I’d made that had 110 reasons why she should stay alive. She’s now flourishing at a university where she started its first NAMI club (National Alliance on Mental Illness).”

Students who shared their personal struggles with mental health are the driving force behind the SeeMe/CU: Facing Mental Health Together campaign launched by five public relations and advertising students competing in the Public Relations Student Society of America Bateman Case Study Competition. This year’s client, The Campaign to Change Direction, is dedicated to changing how people talk about and deal with issues of mental health, helping people to recognize that emotional health is as important as physical health.

T

s a key goal of the national campaign is to get people to recognize the five signs of emotional pain — personality change, agitation, withdrawal, poor self-care and hopelessness — the Chapman team conducted a month-long campaign to educate the campus and local communities about the five signs and to encourage open dialogue about mental health. They created a “wall of transparency” where students could share their personal stories in an open way, inviting the campus to “SeeMe/CU,” to be honest about the whole individual, to not hide one’s struggles.

A featured event was the Self-Care Fair offering information about the five signs, and inviting students to participate in conversations and positive activities that address emotional suffering. Students took the pledge to know the five signs and to

A

be “Stigma Fighters.” The campaign team also offered educational programs to oncampus student groups, to new freshman and to resident assistants, and to the community at the local farmers’ market and at an open mic night at Starbucks.

“People stigmatize mental health so often and so horribly that it makes the environment that much more hostile and difficult for those who want to seek help, and it needs to change,” says team member Allie White, (BA/PRA ’18). “For me to be a part of something that might create this dramatic of change in society about something I care so deeply for is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

The campaign was particularly meaningful to students such as Bryan Macias, Com. ’18, who has personally struggled with Bipolar II, taking long walks at night without anyone knowing where he was.

Students shared very personal stories on the wall of transparency created for the campaign.

“I think that this campaign is important because it brings to light all the wrong stereotypes that people have about mental health.”

BRYAN MACIAS, COM. ’18

In one instance, he was missing for two or three days when his family had no idea where he was. However, Macias has “recently started to come to terms with what I have” to “live in a way that I can persevere past my own internal struggle.”

With increasing rates of particularly anxiety and depression among young people, a campaign such as See Me/CU means less stigmatization and more people empowered to get help, Macias says. “I think that this campaign is important because it brings to light all the wrong stereotypes that people have about mental health.”

For the team members conducting the campaign, the project brought rewards that were both personal and professional. Katie Page, (BA/PRA ’19), found the project reassured her that she is in the right field. “It also taught me an immense amount about mental health conditions and how to help people who are struggling, which has been an incredible gift.” Or, as Mara Conway, (BA/PRA ’18), put it, conducting a real world campaign like this “gives me a competitive edge as I move forward in the world of public relations.”

Opposite page, top: The Bateman team members, all Public Relations and Advertising majors, and their advisors, from left, Mara Conway ’18, Sabina Hahn ’19, Professor Veston Rowe, Allie White ’18, Skye Sinyard ’18, Katie Page ’19, and Professor Janell Shearer at the Self-Care Fair.

7

TOMA MAN TELLER'16 WHO ISN'T BOUND

BY TIME OR SPACE

BY JEFF HEIMBUCH

lthough that description also applies to Teller’s thesis film Icarus, finished last year when he graduated from Dodge College, it also applies to his seeming ability to be everywhere at once, and tackle more projects in one week than most people can do in a year.

Teller, who is currently back at Chapman University earning his MBA, has had a very busy past few years — traveling to film festivals where his work continues to win prizes and, just recently, being selected as one of five filmmakers out of more than 1,000 to create a 30-second spot for Coca-Cola.

Teller has built his burgeoning career, and now founded his own company, on ambitious stories and an accomplished use of visual effects.

8

As an undergraduate, his Advanced Production film, Hum, earned recognition worldwide. The story of a dish-washing robot who learns of the world beyond the basement where he works by interacting with a hummingbird has screened at more than 150 film festivals, on all seven continents, winning multiple awards and a Student Academy Award nomination.

Hum

His thesis film, Icarus, also employed ambitious visual effects in a story set on Mars.

Though a science fiction tale, the story of the relationship between a mother and her son won audience acclaim on the film festival circuit. following an official debut in New Zealand at the Show Me Shorts Film Festival traveling show, and going all the way down to a screening in Antarctica. It’s also up for a few awards at

Icarus

the Watersprite Film Festival in the United Kingdom, which Teller will be traveling to shortly for the awards ceremony.

Most recently, Teller and his team produced a 30-second spot as part of a Coca-Cola/ Regal Films competition. The grand prize winner will have their spot screened before films at Regal Cinemas across the country. The contest had more than 1,000 submissions; Teller’s pitch was one of the five

chosen to go into production.

With a $15K budget, he shot on location at a local Regal Cinema, creating a story about a movie theater standee that comes to life due to the power of cinema and the allure of Coca-Cola.

“We submitted 3 proposals to begin with, but of course, the most time-consuming, CGI-intensive one was the one that was picked,” he says.

As part of the contest, Teller was flown to CocaCola headquarters in Atlanta, to meet with their executives, and plan his production. Now in the editing phase, he’s also learning valuable lessons about client relations.

“You quickly learn how to please everyone,” he says.

“One exec will make a note that conflicts with another exec’s, so you have to find the happy medium to find what the clients are looking for.”

This lesson should be invaluable for Teller, since he recently opened his own company, Frame 48 focused

on making commercials with a narrative bent, with a few music videos along the way.

“Running a business is harder than I thought,” he says. “But earning my MBA is definitely helping me fill out that skill set.”

“When you make films in high school, it’s usually you doing all the work,” Teller said.

“During my time at Chapman, I found people who are better than me at doing certain things.

So finding these people, connecting with them, and being able to work together as a team, both at Chapman, and now, with Frame 48, has been really rewarding.”

Julian Conner (BFA/FP ’17) is COO of Frame 48, and the two of them run the company’s operations together. Depending on the jobs they pick up, they bring on anywhere from 10 to 40 other people, including many Chapman alumni.

to see. Eventually, he plans to use some of the profit from the commercial work to start making narrative films as well.

“Bringing on friends to make stuff, and getting paid for it, really is the best situation any graduate can hope for,” he says.

Teller is also taking advantage of Dodge College’s Filmmakerin-Residence program this year, meeting with producer Richard Gladstein (Reservoir Dogs, The Bourne Identity, Pull Fiction) every other week.

“It’s great because not only is he helping me with a feature script, but he also is giving me life advice for Frame 48,” Teller says. “I love the program because it puts me in the position to talk, and ask questions, with someone who knows the business.”

As his own career unfolds, Teller advises students to find their passion.

“Everyone has an aspect of filmmaking that they love the

“Everyone has an aspect of filmmaking that they love the best. Find out why you love to do it, whatever it is.”

Though Frame 48 started only four months ago, the company has produced a few commercials and are making a name for themselves. Based locally, they are moving the company up to Los Angeles in June to a more centralized base of operations.

“Right now, we’re finding other companies to work with and building relationships,” he says.

Teller is taking his narrative filmmaking skill set and bringing it to brands to make the commercials the clients want

best. Find out why you love to do it, whatever it is,” he said. “If it’s directing, is it because you love the team aspect of it? Or do you love telling visual stories? Whatever it is, follow your passion.”

At the end of the day, he credits Chapman with being the reason he continues to love what he does.

“At Chapman, you have the chance to explore a little bit, to see what you really enjoy about filmmaking. Dodge is the best school for that.”

9 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

N

EW OPPORTUNITIES COME IN

MANY SHAPES AND SIZES. WHEN

DODGE COLLEGE OFFICIALLY

OPENED THE THIRD BUILDING OF THE FILM SCHOOL CAMPUS - CHAPMAN STUDIOS WEST (CSW) — IN JANUARY, STUDENTS AND GUESTS WERE WELCOMED TO A 900-SQUARE FOOT SCREENING ROOM, A 2,000-SQUARE-FOOT CINEMATOGRAPHY STAGE, 6,000-SQUARE-FOOT SCENE SHOP, AND AN 18,000-PIECE PROP/SET WAREHOUSE — WITH MORE TO COME (AN UNFINISHED 7,000-SQUARE-FOOT SOUNDSTAGE AND HOUSING FOR THE ODLE COSTUME COLLECTION ARE ONGOING CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS).

DODGE COLLEGE EXPANDS NEW SPACES OPEN NEW

10

From Left: Doug Kimmelman, Dhont Foundation director Bob Topp, Andre Dhont, President Daniele Struppa and Dean Bob Bassett

WEST: W OPPORTUNITIES

The new scene shop will double the shooting capacity of the existing sound stages in Marion Knott Studios, as students will not have to take up what could be shooting time by building sets on the stages themselves. Now that sets can be built in CSW, more productions can shoot on the sound stages.

11

CSW prop house assistant Jazmin Pollinger and stage assistant Karli Jo List keep things in order. (Photo credit Dennis Arp)

Home to the new Dhont Documentary Center, CSW will be a focal point for Dodge College’s bourgeoning documentary filmmaking program. In addition to its funding of the physical building, The Dhont Family Foundation has provided generous funding for the Community Voices Documentary Filmmaking Program, which has enabled students to support 52 organizations throughout Orange County since its creation in 2010.

“Each documentary that has come out of here in its most elemental form represents discovery and understanding, first for the students that create them and again for the audiences that experience them,” said Andre Dhont of the Dhont Family Foundation. “If the past is indeed prolog, I know the work that comes out of here will be truly phenomenal.”

While success can be measured by world-class facilities as well as the remarkable work of students and alumni alike, Dean Bassett credits the ongoing success of Dodge College to its human foundation, “built by friends like the Dhont Foundation and Doug Kimmelman and many others that believe in our vision.” Kimmelman, a donor and father of a Chapman alumna, echoed these sentiments, noting that while buildings are great, “it’s the positive environment created by positive people” that makes Dodge College stand out among the competition.

The Impact of a Documentary Education Destination Africa: Malawi afforded me the opportunity not only to improve as a documentary filmmaker working in a third world country, but also helped me embrace an entirely new culture, fostering relationships that will last me a lifetime.

- Bella Pinel (BFA/TVBJ ’17) Community Voices: We’ve learned a lot about documentary filmmaking, but also we’ve been given an opportunity to be involved in our community in a way that we wouldn’t otherwise have. For many of us, this is the first time we’ve been able to mix our love of film with any sort of service or community outreach.

- Tommy Garber (BFA/FP ’16) This program now has a name in the community; people in Orange County who are doing social issue work know that Chapman is one place they can come to when they feel that their mission should be put on screen and shared. Community Voices students learn to use their hearts and their creativity to access at-risk populations and to convey them in a compelling and intimate way on film. – Community Voices Professor Sally Rubin

12

Support us!

We hope to continue growing Chapman Studios West even more in the coming year with the addition of a 7,000-square-foot multipurpose stage, the largest to join Chapman Studios. This space will allow us to accommodate even more student projects while eliminating additional costs from a film production’s budget. To support Dodge College in the capital campaign, please contact the Office of Development at (714) 516-5611.

In Electronic Cinematography for News & Documentary, students learn how to light for documentary and news programs like 60 Minutes and 20/20.

(Photo credit Lia Hanson)

Meet Our Newest Employees!

Dodge College has hired two new staff members to support our facilities and technology.

MARITA TYLER The finishing suite at CSW features the latest Christie projection system, immersive 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound, 4K DaVinci Resolve colorgrading and Eizo monitoring as well as Avid online editing station and Pro Tools S6 sound mixing.

It is connected via 12-strand fiber to a half Petabyte SAN Media storage system insuring real-time playback and grading for multiple 4K streams.

Stage Manager (MFA/Film Production & Cinematography ’11) Tyler maintains the sound stages at Marion Knott Studios, Digital Media Arts Center and now Chapman Studios West. When she’s not at work, though, you can probably find her at Hogwarts, as she is a huge Harry Potter fan.

ERIC GRESSINGH Digital Systems Technician Eric Gressingh supervises all of the editing suites within Chapman Studios West, providing support to faculty and students working in the building. In his spare time, Gressingh shoots wedding videos and spends time with his family.

13

From YouTube to TV series?

Netflix chief advises what it takes Many a student dreams of launching a career through YouTube — putting up a show or a series and “being discovered” by the likes of Netflix. Does that ever happen? Well, yes and no, according to Ted Sarandos, Chief Operating Officer for the streaming giant Netflix, during a visit to Frank Chindamo’s Art and Business of Web Video class.

14

Ted Sarandos, COO of Netflix, center, offered real world advice to students in Professor Frank Chindamo's Art and Business of Web Video class.

INDUSTRY GUESTS “There exists an ongoing discussion of being discovered on YouTube versus traditional methods such as community theater, commercials or other ways you get exposure,” says Sarandos. “Creating YouTube videos is a really efficient way to reach a lot of people fast.”

Coincidentally, it is also a way of sourcing content that comes with its own built-in viewership, which Netflix has captured with its creation of Miranda Sings’ comedy series Haters Back Off and Cameron Dallas’ unscripted reality show Chasing Cameron.

“Both tell stories of them and their world – the way House Of Cards is just Francis Underwood’s world. It’s just a character in a place” and both got their start starring in videos on YouTube.

But sourcing content from the social world can be a gamble, admits Sarandos, who compares social stars to comets: “They burn brightly for a few minutes and then fade out as they’re replaced with the next big thing. These fans are used to consuming two minutes of content so making the transition to 30-minute episodes can prove to be difficult.” Luckily for Netflix,

the gamble paid off with Sings, whose audience embraced the 30-minute episode format resulting in a second season renewal for Haters Back Off. While Sarandos admits the likelihood of turning a YouTube video into a show is pretty rare, it isn’t impossible. Just like the difference between a great game of baseball and a shutout, the reality of your series being optioned comes down to one thing: the pitch.

“If a network is going to invest in you to make 8-13 hours of television you have to be able to say what it is. If you can’t do it in a room in 30 minutes, you won’t be able to tell the world in 13 hours,” Sarandos says. Chapman alumni Matt and Ross Duffer’07 are a testament to this fact. They were able to tell the story of their “ambitious show” Stranger Things within 30 minutes, winning over the imagination of Sarandos and everyone else in the room who “fell in love with the idea of the pitch and them.”

“Nothing exists,” Sarandos says simply, “without the pitch.”

Advice on telling a real story — lead with passion

“It’s really important that when you’re working with unscripted and doc content that you’re passionate about the subject matter because that passion affects your ability to tell the story in way that the audience will understand it,” says Sarandos.

At the time this article was written, Netflix had in production 30 scripted series, 12 feature films, 60 docs and 45 childrens shows.

For example, the Netflix documentary television series Making a Murderer was originally the thesis film of two Columbia graduate students who shot for seven years before running out of money. They brought about 350 hours of footage to Netflix looking for funds to finish what they had as a feature film. Lisa Nishimura, who runs the documentary division for Netflix, said yes to the project after watching the footage. The students shot for another three years, came back and cut it into “one of...Netflix’s loudest original content series ever,” Sarandos says, explaining that “the marketing budget for Making a Murderer was non-existent – it was all word of mouth.”

“The documentary filmmaking world is a very specific, tightknit community that relies on one another,” he says.

“Getting an internship at a big agency probably won’t help you much. Try checking out documentary festivals instead and see how you can get involved—volunteer, be in the world and get to know the people that are in that world.” Similarly, “Penetrate the zeitgeist and the culture with something that is really relatively easy to produce. Storytelling is what’s most important.”

When it comes to your craft, whether it be filmmaking, screenwriting, or editing, Sarandos advises that practice makes perfect: “Shoot, shoot, shoot, that’s the beauty of digital, there’s no excuse. Shooters have to shoot, writers have to write, cutters have to cut.”

15

BY MEAGAN O'SHEA

Sage Advice from a Savage

16

Students lined up after Savage's lecture to have the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one. (Photo credit Chelsie Green)

INDUSTRY GUESTS If you want to break into the industry, cold call like a Savage. Fred Savage, that is. “So many things in my career, to this day, happened because I just picked up the phone and called people,” Savage told students enrolled in the New Era of Television class last fall. “If there’s someone you admire, call them. It doesn’t matter where you are in your career.”

Despite an impressive acting career that began at the age of five, Savage wanted to break out of the acting mold and move into other areas of production — from producing to directing. But it didn’t come easily, even after six years of playing America’s beloved Kevin Arnold on the ABC hit series The Wonder Years.

Savage knew he wanted to be in the business, he just didn’t know how or in what capacity. And, at that stage, he hadn’t learned the value of picking up the phone and making that call.

So he mulled the question over while pursuing a degree in English at Stanford University. As it turns out, he came back to the business, still in acting, thanks to writer/producer turned Chapman professor Bill Rosenthal who hired Savage to star in his NBC show Working.

But in the second season Rosenthal and his producing partner gave Savage the opportunity to direct an episode.

“He changed my life,” says Savage.

“The whole second act of my career started with Bill.”

From there, Savage moved on to direct for The Disney Channel on

another multi-camera production Boy Meets World, starring his younger brother Ben. In a production era dominated by multi-camera network shows, Savage aspired to work with a single camera, like in film, to tell stories for television when he heard about the Disney show Even Stevens.

He called up the production company and asked if he could shadow on set.

Savage treated shadowing as if it was a real job, arriving thirty minutes before call every day, refusing to sit down (even when they brought him a chair), and diligently taking notes to prove he was serious. His commitment didn’t go unnoticed, and after five weeks of shadowing he was asked to direct an episode.

“I didn’t know shadowing was a thing, and now I do, and I recommend it highly to anyone interested in this business. Reach out to somebody and get on set. I promise you their story started with a similar phone call.”

Take the Savage challenge. Call your idol and get on set. “The only thing crazier is not doing it.”

Savor these additional Savage soundbites

On Chapman: “Chapman is singular, unique, it defies expectations.

The industry is aware of Chapman grads, they’re excited about the work you’re doing. Chapman is on the map, and you guys are ahead of the game.”

On his career: “The acting part was accidental, it was ridiculously dumb luck. I take no responsibility for it at all. But the directing part was much more thoughtful, I really felt like I earned the directing. I just really wanted to do it.”

On being a director: “Trust your instincts. As director by definition you have a point of view, and if you don’t express it you’re not being a director. I had a point of view, and it was coming from a real, honest place, and they listened to me.”

On comedy: “For me, the most effective comedy and the most resonate comedy comes from a very real place. There’s no comedy if there’s no truth to it.”

“Honestly, Fred Savage reenergized my passion for the industry and made me excited for the future. He spoke about how even after he got his foot in the door he still cold called professionals just for the chance of shadowing them for a few days.

Fred even suggested we do the same now. He truly pushed the notion that every moment is a learning moment no matter the stage of your career.”

CHELSIE GREEN (MFA/SW ’17)

Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold in The Wonder Years.

17 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

From Pulp Fiction to Avatar: Filmmakers-in-Residence share their unique experiences For nearly 20 years, Dodge College has brought some of the biggest names in the film industry to campus each week to share their unique experiences with students. Producers, directors, writers and those working in a variety of other capacities — including Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs — have screened films, individually mentored chosen scholars and met with classes to share their industry insiders’ perspectives.

18 Joyce Cox with Pankey Scholar Mathew David Anderson. (Photo credit Nicole Doiron)

INDUSTRY GUESTS • “The industry has changed, but getting into the industry is the same — start as an assistant.”

• “Most directors don’t want to repeat themselves; don’t show Scorsese a gangster script.”

• “The best studio execs were producers; they understand what you’re going through. Others give you the wrong notes at the wrong time or want you to fix something that you started six weeks ago.”

Thoughts from Cox:

• “You can’t really manage visual effects if Richard Gladstein

This semester, two-time Academy Award® nominated producer Richard Gladstein (The Hateful Eight, Pulp Fiction, The Bourne Identity) and acclaimed VFX producer Joyce Cox (Avatar, Titanic, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Dark Knight) have been named Marion Knott Filmmaker-in-Residence and the Pankey Chair, respectively, joining a list of previous filmmakers-in-residence that has included William Friedkin (The Exorcist), Mace Neufeld (The Hunt for Red October), David Foster (Collateral Damage), Leslie Dixon (Gone Girl), Don Hahn (The Lion King) and Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious), among many others.

Sitting around a dinner table with students each week, this semester’s filmmakers have shared invaluable advice, jaw-dropping stories of production madness and technical challenges, insight into how they built their careers and their ongoing passion for what they do.

Thoughts from Gladstein:

• Gladstein, who has worked closely with Quentin Tarantino since he directed his first feature, Reservoir Dogs, says one of Taratino’s key gifts is “to create unbelievable tension.”

• “The role of the producer changes with

you’re not near the director — that’s the point of volatility. You need to know what the director wants and how that affects the movie’s creative, technical, budgetary and financial goals and restrictions.”

• Her key to success? “Maintain altitude — keep a wide enough view of everyone’s challenges and agendas to help steer toward what is best for the director’s movie. Humans are tribal people. Everybody’s afraid something will go wrong and is looking for a safe place to avoid failure or blame.

I try to help minimize that and pull everyone together into a focused cohesive effort.”

• “The VFX producer’s job is to manage the schedule, the budget and the political dynamics around visual effects.

How do I navigate a lot of this stuff?

Through humor.”

• “The hardest thing in the industry is to know what you’re good at.”

• Coming onto Avatar four years into the project with one year left to go, Cox found a rough cut of 2700 shots, with only 15% completed. It took six months to “find out where the clog was” lay a plan and bring on 11 additional visual effects facilities to distribute the work over enough human resources to get things moving and make the release date.

Scholars reflect on working one-on-one with industry giants

“In our first meeting, I was • delighted to find out that Joyce has an immense passion for budgeting and that she feels it is one of the most important aspects of her job. As this is my favorite component of producing, I am excited to learn about visual effects budgeting from her.” — Alexandra Corvino (MFA Film/TV Producing ’17)

“I love the story about • James Cameron insisting on ‘frame 14’ instead of ‘frame 17’ for a particular shot in Avatar. It inspires me to strive towards that level of preparation and technical proficiency, as a Director.—Matt Marlin (MFA/FP/Directing, ’17)

“Richard has offered an • incredible amount of

memorable advice over the last several weeks; one of the many points that has really stuck with me is his advice for directors with scripts.

You need to own the script, then bring them the script, and it needs to be so good that they want to make it, so good that when they try to bring you on as one of the producers instead you can say no, you will be directing.

When you have a script that allows you to do that, then you have a film on your hands.” – Tom Teller (BFA/FP ’16, MBA ’17)

the experience of the director.”

19 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

Over dinners, at receptions and after screenings, students learn from industry insiders A NIGHT TO REMEMBER WITH MARTIN SCORSESE Earlier this year, Professor Harry Ufland took a group of students to a private event in Los Angeles for a night to remember with Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese. “I was invited to meet one of my heroes and inspirations in cinema,” says Stephawn Christopher Spears (MFA/Film Production ’19). “This was definitely a dream come true for me.”

Scorsese (left) meets with his former agent, Professor Harry Ufland and his students following the event. (Photo credit Dennis Arp)

FIST FIGHT WRITING DUO DELIVERS COMEDIC JABS AT POST-SCREENING Q&A “It was a challenge to write it,” said Robichaux.

Writing partners Van Robichaux and Evan Susser treated the Dodge community to a pre-release screening of their feature Fist Fight, released in February. Following the film, they spoke with students about how they broke into the industry as well as the writing and rewriting cycle. Of the film: “We wrote it more like poetry, and gave less details. But then they wanted every single beat of the fight laid out, so we had to make that work,” said Susser. “We were nervous about seeing it come to life, but it does very much did feel like what we had in mind,” added Robichaux.

20

From left, screenwriters Van Robichaux and Evan Susser discuss their creative process with moderator and screenwriting Professor James Dutcher.

(Photo credit Jackie Domi)

INDUSTRY GUESTS DEADPOOL DIRECTOR TIM MILLER BRINGS A NEW CLASS OF SUPERHERO TO THE SCREEN “Tim Miller’s visit meant a lot to my fellow students and me. My greatest takeaways from talking to him were about how to lead a team of hardworking people. He showed me how treating your team with respect and honesty goes a long way for the favor to be returned.”

– Kyle Harrington (BFA/Digital Arts’19).

“One thing that stuck with me was when Miller said he wouldn’t hire someone who’s brand new. He mentioned he would only hire them once they’ve been in the industry long enough to know what being taken advantage of feels like. Once they know that, then they know how far they should be pushed before it becomes unfair. It also proves their skill in their art,” says Taos Whittaker (BFA/Digital Arts’18).

JAMES FOLEY SHARED THE DARK SIDE OF DIRECTING FIFTY SHADES DARKER “Foley mentioned knowing a lot of talented people with great ideas who couldn’t communicate them, and that he couldn’t tell us what they’re doing now.

He emphasized the importance of needing to be able to articulate our ideas to succeed,” says Aaron Keteyian (BFA/Creative Producing ’18). “I have long believed that successful people are those who haven’t given up, no matter what comes their way. They persist, outworking the competition, and along the way are able to convince those around them that their ideas have value.”

VFX OSCAR-WINNER DESCRIBES THE WORK BEHIND THE MAGIC Two-time Academy Award-winner Andy Jones (The Jungle Book, Avatar, Titanic, Superman Returns, World War Z) gave students an inside look at the making of Avatar, which he called “truly groundbreaking in virtual filmmaking.” Although all the pieces of virtual filmmaking had existed previously, director James Cameron was the first to put them all together, Jones recounted. The process “made the virtual world feel real because the camera movement felt real.”

Recently, Jones has been consulting on the creation of the animatronics for the new Avatar ride at Disneyland and is off to Africa for the upcoming live action remake of The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau.

Digital Arts students dine with Deadpool Director and founder/President of Blur Studios Tim Miller (center).

Foley and Professor Madeline Warren examine the bare necessities of directing closed set scenes.

Jones brought his newly won Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for The Jungle Book for a photo opp with Pankey Filmmaker-in- Residence Joyce Cox, who was the visual effects producer on the film.

21 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

INTERTERM TRAVEL Travel courses and semesters abroad are rites of passage where students can immerse themselves in new cultures while creating memories and forging connections that last a lifetime. This January, Dodge College students traveled to New York; Washington, D.C.; Panama and to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and discovered that for storytellers, travel is a must.

“Overall, Sundance rocked my world.

Even though I knew it would be full of opportunities, I had not anticipated learning so much about the continual growth of streaming, as I did with Amazon Video Direct and the Episodic Digital Shorts program. Even more, I had not expected the diversity of films I would see, diversity on and offscreen. But mostly, I was totally overwhelmed by how inspired I felt with every conversation, every film, every Q&A, and every panel. Seeing and hearing filmmakers succeeding and sharing their wisdom gave me so much hope and motivation to continue working hard.”

– JUDIE MUHREZ, JUNIOR, SCREENWRITING

From left, freshman Alex Gruneich (BFA/Film Prod.), and his parents Kevin, second from left, and Donna Gruneich (far right) with Professor Janell Shearer, center, and Dean Bob Bassett at the Chapman Sundance reception.

22

SUNDANCE

FILM FESTIVAL

“This trip was something that has ultimately changed the way I view my education and also my time as a Chapman student. I met some of the most amazing people, made connections with professionals in the broadcasting industry at such a young age, and really got to connect with my professor.”

– CATHERINE ADCOCK,

FRESHMAN, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING

NETWORKING IN NEW YORK AND D.C. The students from the Networking in New York and DC course meet with news anchor Gayle King (center) on the set of CBS This Morning.

“We went to the Mayor’s Office which is where filmmakers in New York get their permits if they are filming on public property. I learned some value information: permits only cost $300, you get police assistance, and the locations themselves do not cost money. I thought this information was very useful to have as a producer because if I find myself needing locations I now know the basic rules and have a contact in the city.”

– RACHEL GYSIN, SOPHOMORE,

CREATIVE PRODUCING

Students on the Filmmaking Outside Hollywood class meet with the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting at the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment in New York.

NEW YORK FILMMAKING OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD

23

“Documentary filmmaking is an intimate line of work. I find myself falling in love with every person and place I film. My camera could hardly get enough of the colors, textures, and people of the historical city of Casco Viejo, Panama. The stories within its streets fascinated me. Immersing yourself in an unfamiliar culture takes curiosity, intuition, and knowledge. Telling one’s story through documentary work requires not only courage, but great, great empathy, something which I’m continuously learning and challenged by.” – ARIANA VICTOR, SENIOR, FILM PRODUCTION

PANAMA 24

TRANS-CULTURAL DOCUMENTARY

DODGE COLLEGE

NEWS BRIEFS

CHAPMAN STUDENTS PRESENT TROPHIES AT THE 89TH ACADEMY AWARDS

S

tudent Academy Award-winners Brenna Malloy (MFA/ FP’16) and Brian Robau (MFA/FP’17) were selected by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to present Oscar trophies at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

“Strolling onstage at the Dolby Theatre during the 89th Academy Awards, holding an Oscar in each hand, is not something I ever imagined doing in my wildest dreams,” says Malloy. “The experience of being a trophy presenter at the Oscars was more wonderful than I could possibly describe, but without a doubt, the highlight of the whole experience was watching the dreams come true of so many great artists that I look up to and admire.”

Robau also struggles to put the opportunity into words: “My experience as a trophy presenter at the Oscars was incredible,” he says. “It’s difficult to sum it up in words. It’s hard not to feel really humbled and grateful after experiencing something like this that most people don’t get a chance to.

I thought I’d be star-struck or overwhelmed by the spectacle of it all — and at times I was — but really I was more inspired

Credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

than anything. Being surrounded by some of your filmmaking heroes, not only humanizes them a little, but also instills in you a belief that if they can do it, maybe you can too.”

In 2016, Malloy and Robau earned silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the narrative category at the 43rd Student Academy Awards.

INTRODUCING THE DODGE CAST: THE DODGE COLLEGE PODCAST

S

torytelling encompasses multiple mediums and formats. To sate our community of aural learners, Dodge College launched The Dodge Cast, the official podcast of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Each episode explores a topic of interest to the school from all around the Dodge community – from celebrating the work of our current students and

alumni to discussing current trends and the trajectory of the industry.

The inaugural episode explores virtual reality with the head of the Institute for Creative Reality, Professor Madeline Warren; current student and VR advocate Sho Schrock (BFA/ CRPR ’19) and alumni Sam Warner (BFA/DA’15) and Matt Rebong (BFA/ CRPR’15) from Well Told

Entertainment, a creative reality application developer. The Dodge Cast is available on the iTunes Store, GooglePlay and Android, or by visiting chapman.edu/dodgecast.

25

FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

DODGE COLLEGE

NEWS BRIEFS

BY KEVIN HARMAN

EXPLORING EUROPEAN CONNECTIONS

International exchanges and filmmaking opportunities for students have long been a hallmark of a Dodge College education. In addition, Dean Bob Bassett has traveled around the world cultivating new connections and learning how film programs in other countries address the challenges of simultaneously teaching both the art and craft of storytelling.

O

ver Interterm, Associate Dean Michael Kowalski and Film Division Chair Pavel Jech continued that tradition, visiting four European film schools where they explored different methods of teaching film as well as creating connections for international collaborations in the future.

“Chefs like to look into each other’s kitchens,” says Jech, “filmmakers like to visit their colleagues sets, and professors benefit from visiting other classrooms. For Michael and I, it was very illuminating to look behind the scenes of how some of the world’s best film schools organize their programs.”

and Sound (RITCS) in Brussels, Belgium, and the prestigious Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

At NFTS they met with director Nik Powell and Director of Curriculum and Registrar Dr. Jonathan Wardle to discuss their modular curriculum design, a scheduling system that Dodge is exploring for its graduate program.

Using this plan, students work intensely in a project-based environment for one or two weeks on only one subject, like directing actors. They work morning until night during this period with a laser focus just on one topic based on

also very helpful to hear about the great advantages of this type of curriculum from educators that have actually been practicing it for decades. These are some of the best film schools in the world, so the proof is in the pudding.”

The takeaways from their visits provided food for thought as Dodge faculty continue to review curricula and teaching methods.

“It was very illuminating to see how different schools addressed similar challenges — such as coordinating specialized instruction, and adapting to rapidly changing technical norms,” Jech says.

It was also clear that cultural norms play a role in shaping the culture of each institution. As Jech observes, “Looking behind the scenes, we saw how the British film school offices had the pleasant aura of a creative mess, the Germans had their facilities immaculately ordered, and in Brussels, they preferred to meet in the cafe — which can be roughly translated into English as the pub.”

“Chefs like to look into each other’s kitchens.” – JECH

From left, Jech and Kowalski with Wardle and Powell at Britain's National Film and Television School.

Kowalski and Jech visited the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in Beaconsfield on the outskirts of London; the Institut national supérieur des arts du spectacle (INSAS), a long-storied Belgian film and theater school and also the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema, 26

the idea that they will learn much faster and the lessons will take hold more deeply because of this immersion.

“It was very valuable for us to see how a modular curriculum for the study of film production is actually designed and implemented,” says Kowalski. “It was

At the end of the school visits, Kowalski went on to Beirut, Lebanon, to teach a five-day sound workshop at the Académie Libanaise Des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) and to meet with the heads of the film program at Notre Dame University – Louaize (NDU). For Jech, formerly dean of the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague, a visit with friends and family was a welcome end to the trip.

THE INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE REALITY

D

odge College continues its foray into the fields of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) with the newly created Institute for Creative Reality (ICR), an incubator dedicated to testing new and emerging technologies for content creation in immersive media. The Institute brings together students and faculty from across Chapman to explore, research, and develop the best strategies and practices for storytelling in this exciting new format.

A new minor in VR is currently in development.

“As VR and other forms of immersive media become an increasingly important part of the mainstream entertainment landscape, Dodge filmmakers will be able to apply their storytelling skills to the new technology to create exciting and impactful new works,” says founding member professor Madeline Warren.

ICR serves as a university-wide interdisciplinary research and development facility for faculty wishing to augment their current instruction with new technology, and as a resource for students wishing to create and share immersive content.

Along with Warren, founding members include Chief Technology Officer Dan Leonard, and Professors Roy Finch, Bill Kroyer, and Eric Young. The ICR is made possible through the generosity of AMD, one of the world’s leading technology companies, and Roy Taylor, AMD Corporate VP of Alliances and head of its new VR unit.

Dodge faculty and students were treated to a special tour of IMAX’s new VR facility in Los Angeles by IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond. Learn more about IMAX VR at http://imaxvr.imax.com/.

27

From Buzzfeed to Pixar, Chapman alumni follow many paths in Life After Film School Chapman alumni outside the BuzzFeed office in Hollywood. From left: Michael Reilly, Megan Baxter, Micki Taylor, Cyrus Kowsari, Alex Allsup, Devon Joralmon, Chris Joseph, Jacob Moncrief.

(Photo credit: Nicholas De Bellis)

28

CHAPMAN ALUMNI MAKE THE LIST AT

BY MEAGAN O’SHEA

You may have heard of BuzzFeed from your friend’s Facebook post revealing which Disney princess she resembles, or 10 songs likely to make a dude cry — but you may not know that the company is more than personality quizzes and pop culture. BuzzFeed is a global news organization that serves up news and entertainment segments for the next generation of socially connected media consumers. It is also the employer of the next generation of innovative content creators — many who also happen to be Chapman University alumni.

“Not only are Chapman alumni equipped with a strong technical foundation, they show a unique commitment to continued learning,” says Andrew Gauthier, Executive Producer of BuzzFeed Motion Pictures. “All of the Chapman alumni on our staff are hardworking and skilled, but what perhaps truly separates them is their curiosity and desire to uncover new areas of opportunity.”

In true BuzzFeed style, here are the thoughts and experiences of 12 Dodge College grads on life at BuzzFeed.

THE 12 CHAPMAN ALUMNI WORKING AT BUZZFEED ALEX ALLSUP (BFA/TWP ’16) Junior Production Coordinator – 8 months MEGAN BAXTER (BFA/TVBJ ’14) Production Manager – 1.8 years RYAN BERGARA (BFA/TVBJ ’13) Video Producer – 2.5 years CRYSTAL HOUSE (BFA/FTV ’04) Editor – 1.8 years CHANTEL HOUSTON (BFA/TVBJ ’13) Senior Producer – 3 years DEVON JORALMON (BFA/CRPR ’15) Production Coordinator – A little over a year CHRIS JOSEPH (’02) Branded Video Editor – 1.5+ years STEVEN KANTER (BFA/FP ’13) Video Producer, Development Team – 1.5 years CYRUS KOWSARI (BFA/FP ’12) Freelance Editor – 4 months JACOB MONCRIEF (BFA/CRPR ’15) Production Manager – 9 Months MICHAEL REILLY (BFA/FP ’06) Video Editor – 1.5+ years

The Buzzfeed team in Rio producing content for NBC's Olympics Snapchat.

MICKI TAYLOR (BA/SW ’06) Video Research Associate -3 months 29

FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

How these alumni landed their jobs: • Four saw the job or internship online and reached out to the alumni working there “4 teaspoons of connections, 3.5 ounces of luck, and a gallon of Elmer’s glue.” - ALEX ALLSUP ’16 • Two worked their way up through the internship and fellowship programs • Two applied online and had inside referrals • One has a father with hookups “My dad (who’s a chiropractor) had been treating a family for forever. Their daughter was my age and had my same interests. Our parents talked about us to each other for years, but we never met. One day, my dad told me that she was working at ’Something... buzz? Something???’ I replied, ’Buzz...

Feed???’ to which he said, ’No... that’s not it...’ Long story short, I concluded that he was talking about BuzzFeed. I knew that I wanted to create content, and I knew that BuzzFeed Video was new and was making all kinds of content. I applied to be an intern and was hired within a week. And the rest is history...” CHANTEL HOUSTON ’04.

• Two straight up cold applied “I randomly saw a post on Facebook requesting an editor for BuzzFeed and decided to throw my name into the hat since I thought the company was doing some really cool stuff.” - CYRUS KOWSARI’16

“I also got a job as a lab assistant even when I wasn’t super familiar with Avid.

It forced me to have to learn everything I could about troubleshooting and the technical side of editing.” – CRYSTAL HOUSE’04

Courses or Dodge experiences that helped these alumni succeed at Buzzfeed:

Collaborative, high energy, experimental, progressive, always changing, young, silly, fun, creative, diverse, unpredictable, positive, spontaneous, vibrant, supportive

Intro to Visual Storytelling, Production/ Set Management, Production Financing, Senior Thesis, TV pilots, location documentary, editing, hands-on experience of any kind, film history, screenwriting, and Byte-sized TV. In short…“All of them. The folks that have that diverse background; writing, directing, cinematography, editing, seem to have the most success. The better you know the craft of everyone you’re working with, the better and more streamlined the communication will be.” - CHRIS JOSEPH ’02 “There is a huge variety of projects at BuzzFeed and they span a variety of genres, tones, and formats, but consistently finding stories and ways to tell them is something that I always try to implement and the classes at Dodge really helped build that reflex.” CYRUS KOWSARI’16

• One is freelancer with a great reputation

Ryan Bergara, Crystal House, and Chantel Houston working with fellow BuzzFeed staff at the NBC headquarters in the International Broadcast Center.

Words that describe the culture:

“You can be working on one big project one moment and then get thrown into something else immediately after that’s wrapped. It sounds exhausting, but the free snacks keep you up.” – DEVON JORALMAN ’15 “Free lunch a couple days a week which is: ‘pretty dope’ - Everyone, 2017.” – STEVEN KANTER’13

“I’ve never been surrounded by so many creative people. It’s diverse, challenging, fun, collaborative, unpredictable.” – MICHAEL REILLY ’06

“The culture is by far the best part of working at BuzzFeed. I’ve worked at many media companies as a full-timer and freelancer, and I’ve never worked anywhere like BuzzFeed.” – CHRIS JOSEPH ’02

Tips on landing an interview: “Watch lots of BF videos to see what kind of content you are most interested in.

Take time to compose a unique resume and cover letter that reflects who you are as a person. Don’t be afraid to ask your favorite professors or anyone you have worked with to write you a letter of recommendation. Submit to buzzfeed.com or any other job posting site. If you don’t hear anything back, keep trying! I applied to the internship many times before hearing back.” – MICHAEL REILLY ’06 “Keep a close eye on that job board. The company is growing at a crazy rapid pace, so positions are opening up constantly.

If you find something of interest, reach out to one of your connections or alumni at the company.” – CHRIS JOSEPH ’02

30

“Positive people who are open to learning from each other. Internet content is constantly changing and evolving and you have to be willing to take risks and experiment.”

– CRYSTAL HOUSE ’04

“I think it isn’t limited to any person which is pretty cool.” – RYAN BERGARA ’13 In short, an open-minded, positive, multiple-hat wearing, risk taking, creative team player without an ego who gets the job done.

TOP 6 THINGS BUZZFEED IS BEST KNOWN FOR (SELF-PROCLAIMED):

1

Exploding watermelons

5 On their way to try the latest Buzzfeed challenge, Chapman alumni illustrate the company’s culture with a little help from Pete the Panther, via Photoshop. Back row: Ryan Bergara, Micki Taylor, Michael Reilly, Steven Kanter, Alex Allsup, Megan Baxter, Devon Joralmon, Crystal House, and Jacob Moncrief. Lower front: Chantel Houston.

“If you see a position open on the website reach out to one of your fellow Chapman alumni who work here. We stick together, I’ve hired fellow Chapman alumni as freelancers on projects because I know they can get the job done.” – DEVON JORALMON ’15 “Have a background and materials to show in the digital video space.

Anything YouTube or Facebook is a plus.” – STEVEN KANTER ’13 “Reach out to alumni, ask them if you can meet them for coffee or a drink. Chapman alumni are the perfect place to start when looking for any job.” – JACOB MONCRIEF ’15

3

2

The Dress (proves color is a state of mind…or vision)

Tasty (video recipes on speed for those of us that want cooking to be easier) Award-winning news investigations

Quizzes

6

4

Lists (like this one)

People/Personalities that fit in most: “Someone who is eager to learn and wants to collaborate with a variety of people. Someone who also likes to ‘wear multiple hats.’ There are a lot of cross-departmental projects that happen. The lines are often blurred between your actual title and what you do. For example, as I type this I’m on a plane on my way to Nashville for a travel shoot. I will be handling all production/logistical aspects of the shoot - but will also be shooting and helping produce these videos.” – JACOB MONCRIEF ’15

Devon Joralmon (second from right) with the “Am I Doing This Right?” crew at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.

31 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

Paying it Forward in the Arena

Al Raitt, BFA/TBJ ’10, puts in hours of work before the puck ever hits the ice. But when it does, Raitt and the five current Chapman students he’s hired are ready — to capture key plays, highlight crowd craziness, and help the Ontario Reign, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, create the promotional videos that drive attendance and revenue.

R

aitt is the Supervisor of Game Presentation for the Reign, a job most people probably don’t even know exists. But game fans are certainly aware of the impact of what Raitt does, because going to a game is no longer simply about watching the action, but also about being an active part of a highly produced show.

Raitt’s job is “to make game days exciting and engaging for our fans. Without a positive experience, we wouldn’t have any season ticket members or new fans coming to our games,” he says. “I love entertaining fans and creating a new experience for them.”

The work is fast-paced, using multiple cameras, switchers, graphics, and music in a live event environment to replay action, put fan moments on the jumbotron, create highlight reels and call out close-ups of key moments.

Kathryna Napier, a freshmen Television Writing and Production major, is thrilled to have the opportunity to learn “what will lift

32

a crowd’s spirits when the team is losing and to see what will make people go even crazier when the team is winning.” She’s worked the slasher/game cam, the color camera and instant replay — learning to anticipate the action, work in the middle of an unruly crowd, and capture B-roll for promotional uses.

She particularly enjoys finding crowd shots for the “Kiss Cam, Muscle Cam, Banjo Cam, Dance Cam” and more. “Putting fans up on the jumbotron is honestly one of the best parts of the job for me,” she says, “because it’s those moments that you can see a person’s face light up with excitement, especially the kids.”

Raitt, whose career has included similar game production jobs with the Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, LA

Al Rait

Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC, got his start with the help of another Chapman alum, Heather Capizzi, BFA/FTV/BJ ’05, as a part-time stage manager with the Angels and worked his way into a production role. That leg up inspired him to pay it forward and bring the current crop of Chapman students on board with the Reign.

“Since I started by having Chapman alumnae hire me, I have always felt the need to give back to Chapman,” Raitt says. “At the Reign, I was in need of quality production crew

members and didn’t hesitate to reach out to (television studio engineer) Dave Goedhart and ask who he trusted and would work hard.”

Raitt credits his Chapman education and ongoing relationships with Chapman faculty and staff with his success.

“Without the TVBJ program at Dodge, I would not have been able to get where

“The ability to get hands on training from day one of Dodge, allowed me to gain experience that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” he continues. “I was able to direct newscasts, help produce the late night talk show Nightcap and the Cecil Award shows and learn from the best in the business, like my Advanced Videography class with

“Without the TVBJ program at Dodge, I would not have been able to get where I am today. I can especially point to Pete Weitzner and David Goedhart who had a dramatic impact on my career. Their passion inspires me to learn and their mentorship has been truly invaluable to me.” RAITT I am today. I can especially point to Pete Weitzner and David Goedhart who had a dramatic impact on my career. Their passion inspires me to learn and their mentorship has been truly invaluable to me.

Dave Turner. I point out that class because we were challenged to create stories without classic reporting narration and had to create dynamic pieces using b-roll and interviews.

Without them, I probably wouldn’t

be doing what I am doing today.”

Like Raitt, Kathryna Napier is enjoying the opportunity provided by another Chapman alum paying it forward. As a freshman, she says, “I didn’t think I could get any decent internships let alone a professional gig with an AHL team. Being a part of a crew that has a direct connection with an NHL team (the LA Kings) has so many opportunities for other jobs. As long as I trust that I am doing my best and show that I am willing to work and learn, then I have the chance to be noticed by producers or other game broadcasting professionals.

“The film industry requires hard work and talent to move up,” she says, “but a lot of the best positions are honestly found and achieved through connection and the building of relationships and friendships with other people in the industry.” For Napier, the Reign is just the start.

Working Amid Fan Frenzy

Sports fans are certainly not known for their quiet demeanor.

Enthusiasm is a big plus for the team, but also presents a real challenge for a production crew. For Napier, fans demanding to be on the jumbotron can be not only a major distraction but even a real hazard.

“My first game working a slasher camera, I had a man, who I assume was a bit intoxicated since I was positioned near a bar, constantly yelling at me because he wanted to be on the jumbotron,” she says. “This was in the middle of the game when we weren’t doing crowd shots, and even if we were, he’s obviously not someone we’d want to put on screen. I had a hard time hearing my director, and I missed a couple possible highlights because I was distracted by the yelling.”

Camera operators also “struggle with people jumping in front of the camera during a shot. This not only can startle the camera operator, but it puts the equipment and fans in danger,” Napier says. “We’re there to make the fans’ experiences better, but sometimes unruly fans can really make that job difficult.”

Regardless, she’s learning a lot about “working with a bustling and sometimes fickle crowd. As an artist 33 of any myMEDIA job to ARTS give people something that FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OFkind, FILMit’s AND AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY makes them feel something, even in sports.”

METAVERSE APP W

CREATE YOUR OWN (VIRTUAL) REALITY WITH

BY JEFF HEIMBUCH

ith virtual and augmented reality being such hot items these days, it seems like it would take a team of programmers working year-round in order to make something in this realm. But what if there was a tool that made it easy to create your own augmented reality quests…one that only used your own phone and the push of a button?

“We wanted to put the power into people’s hands to make things happen. We want people to be able to make engaging augmented reality experiences without having to code anything.”JOHNNY MILLER Metaverse is an app for your iPhone which will take the world around you and allow you to step into a new reality. Created by Jonathan Miller (BA/PRA ’15) and Sean Thielen (BA/English ’17), this new app will change how you view the world around you.

34

Six short months after Miller’s graduation last year, both he and Thielen teamed up with Dmitry Shapiro, a former Google engineer, and launched the company. With help from 23 angel investors, including former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, former CEO of MySpace Mike Jones, and many engineers from Google & Microsoft, they were able to raise $2 million in seed money to launch the app.

“We wanted to put the power into people’s hands to make things happen,” says Miller.

“We want people to be able to make engaging augmented reality experiences without having to code anything.”

By October 1st, they had a cured version of the app, and launched it with a scavenger hunt in San Diego. They created a story where an alien crash landed on Earth, and it was up to the people playing to help find all five parts of the ship they lost.

“For added incentive, there was a cash prize

Miller, left, and Thielen consider consider how an app might interact with a local environment.

of $500 for the first person to finish,” says Thielen. “But doing that was a good way to get people to test the app for us.” And help it did, as hundreds of people showed up to try to win. The huge turnout even resulted in the local CBS station doing a story on them, gaining them a little more publicity. It went so well that they did two more scavenger hunts; one in Santa Monica and another for Halloween, also in Los Angeles.

“We want people to use Metaverse for telling their own stories,” says Miller.

“Michael Eisner told us it was a new interactive form of meda.”

Both Miller and Thielen have always enjoyed telling stories, but when Pokemon GO erupted last year, they felt they could do more for the medium. They believe that if you give people the tools, they can do much more, and will create their own experiences in augmented reality.

Once someone opens the app, it opens a map of the surrounding area.

If no “official” quests are nearby, the app will automatically spawn images

algorithmically around them. For example, you might see the floating head of Jennifer Anniston around the corner from you, or perhaps a cartoon character who might task you with finding a virtual item for him.

When the father and son team of Evan and Scott Gordon wrote a book called The Tinker and the Fold, they used the app to create their own scavenger hunt around a shopping center where they held a book signing. Not only did it engage the crowd, but it also brought them into the world of the book, allowing them to live out an adventure of their own.

While the app is currently available on the iTunes Store, the development tools are still slowly being rolled out to creators. However, interested users can sign up to request access to the developer tools, to begin telling their own stories today.

“We are looking for more creative people to help tell these stories, to create these experiences,” says Thielen.

Once granted access, creators can upload their own graphics, or use the ones already in the app, to drag and drop scenes over a map of their location.

From there, they can connect scenes together and make interactions, all in the name of creating a unique experience. Those with a little more coding experience are also welcome into the back end a bit to help expand upon their stories even more.

Of course the app is not just for these scavenger hunts. Users have create a tour of San Diego’s historic places, teachers have used it in their classes to create a more creative educational experience, restaurants have used it to host giveaways, and one man even used it as a way to propose to his girlfriend.

“We don’t know what people are going to come up with,” says Miller.

“We build the pieces and have no idea how people are going to connect them. It’s very exciting.”

For more information on Metaverse, see www.gometa.io 35

FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

At Pixar: A marriage of cinematography

&computer science

BY JANELL SHEARER

ELLIOTT CATTELL (BFA/FP ’15) CAME TO CHAPMAN TO PURSUE HIS LOVE OF CINEMATOGRAPHY. LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT BOTH HIS ACADEMIC AND CAREER PATHS WOULD TAKE A SHARP LEFT TURN, ONE THAT WOULD LAND HIM A JOB AT THE STUDIO WHERE SO MANY STUDENTS DREAM OF WORKING — PIXAR. ALTHOUGH HE NEVER IMAGINED A CAREER IN THE WORLD OF ANIMATION, HE’S FOUND THAT HIS CLASSES IN CINEMATOGRAPHY CONTINUE TO SERVE HIM WELL.

36

hat sharp left turn started with a summer course in computer science at Stanford after his sophomore year. “Surprised to learn how creatively fulfilling programming was,” he began “looking for ways to merge my two interests.”

He declared a minor in computer science and when he heard about a technical internship at Pixar, Cattell applied “with no expectation of getting an offer.”

In 2012, he became a technical intern at Pixar, joining a class-room based summer program where undergraduates learned Pixar’s technical pipeline by completing projects in modeling, shading, rigging, lighting, simulation, and effects using the company’s in-house software.

Although the program “blasted” the

T

interns with “a relentless firehose of information,” Cattell says, he found that “the most valuable takeaway wasn’t technical — it was learning to apply the guiding principles and processes that compose Pixar’s unusual creative culture.”

For Cattell, the Pixar culture offers a clear philosophy about how to work and how to learn. At Pixar, Cattell says, the mantra is “Fail early and fail fast.

Mistakes are the unavoidable result of trying new ideas, and it would be a far greater error to let the fear of mistakes curtail creativity.” This kind of thinking changed the way he approached both creative and technical problems following the internship, he says, leading him to “pick a direction quickly and then allow for iteration to iron out the kinks (and

don’t be afraid to throw it out and start over when it’s not working).”

That approach has proven invaluable in his current position as a technical director in Global Technology at Pixar, a position in which he designs and implements film-specific technologies for the company’s render, lighting, and shading departments. For example, optimizing software can help decrease artist iteration time, since, as animators know full well, “iteration is the principal means by which we refine our art and story,” he explains. Cutting iteration time allows greater experimentation — more time to fall early and fail fast — right in line with the Pixar philosophy. At the same time, Cattell’s work writing and rewriting software helps the animators create looks or effects “not possible with the software that we have used on previous films,” he says, thereby directly supporting new creative directions.

Between the time of his internship at Pixar and his current job, Cattell also worked for Blue Sky Studios in Greenwich, Conn., as a production engineer dedicated to optimizing their studio pipeline. To some, Cattell’s work at both Blue Sky and Pixar “deep in the pipeline” might seem purely technical, but he sees the larger picture —how the artists are directly impacted by pipeline changes that enable new artistic directions or simply faster iteration.

He also sees the impact of his film education: “how live action principles inform how we design tools for artists from layout to lighting.

“As rendering algorithms have become increasingly physically based and global illumination has become ubiquitous,

lighting techniques have grown more similar to live action than they had been in the past,” he explains. Today, “camera handles are designed to emulate the real world physicality of their live action analogs through concepts like cranes and dolly tracks rather than xyz translation.”

Thus, Cattell’s study of film helps him see how interface design can work to best serve a story.

Certainly his experience has reinforced the importance of learning how to learn — and not getting caught up in any given piece of software. It’s better to focus on technical and artistic theory than on the use of a specific software package, he advises students, because not only do each of the major studios have their own proprietary software, but that software changes often. When he returned to Pixar for the second time, he “felt like a student all over again,” having to learn the release of RenderMan’s new RIS framework.

His current project is integrating some new, still mostly theoretical compositing technology into Pixar’s pipeline — work so new “that my reference materials are limited to just a few academic papers.”

But that doesn’t intimidate Cattell, who finds it “one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever had.

“Finally,” he adds, “although this might be glaringly obvious, I also enjoy making movies. Nothing beats watching an unpolished sequence of boards gradually transition into a finished film.” This is Pixar we’re talking about, after all.

37 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

INTERNSHIPS How did you find your internship?

Pan

Landyn

Senior, Public Relations

and Advertising,

Multiplatform Strategy intern – Comedy Central, fall 2016 - current Previous Internships: interned at ABC Integrated Marketing and NBCUniversal Diversity & Inclusion

Television Minor

I’ve only interned within entertainment companies. I was at ABC this past summer (2016) and one of my favorite projects was working on the Bachelorette Snapchat after show.

It got me thinking about digital content creation and digital marketing so for my fall internship I searched specifically for ones in digital strategy.

Like every semester, I sent my resume everywhere and Comedy Central was the most appealing company that got back to me.

What was a typical day at your internship?

It’s a little different every day. I asked to work on social media ideas for new show launches so that’s what I’ve been doing this semester. I also do a lot of competitive research that I put into presentation decks for the higher employees. Otherwise, I help pull GIFs, clips, image moments for social media and keep track of trending hashtags and topics.

What was the highlight of the internship?

Whenever I get to give ideas or do competitive research. Some of my stuff has appeared on certain shows’ social media and some ideas have been presented to higher employees, but even if the ideas don’t work, I get great feedback on it. I also got to watch two Snapchat Discover shoots last week.

Also, all the people are great.

38

FROM INTERNSHIPS TO JOB

Comedy Central really fits me personally because I like being able to dress casual and I love political humor, which is a lot of Comedy Central’s content.

There’s free breakfast food every day.

What courses, professors or skills learned at Dodge were most helpful in your internship?

Any of my advertising classes where we had to make a campaign book like NSAC, the capstone campaign class, case studies, and Principles of Advertising. I took these books to interviews and have landed 3 out of 4 internships as well as my upcoming full-time job.

What advice would you offer students looking for internships in the industry?

I didn’t know anyone in the entertainment industry and it’s definitely a competitive one. My first internship was with NBCUniversal and people kept telling me it wasn’t going to be possible, but I held on to a connection I had. This guy who was a friend of a friend was a current intern and when he eventually got hired full time a year later, he introduced me to his old boss. For most of internships that I applied to, I knew someone at the company already. This doesn’t necessarily mean they have the power to vouch for you or send a note to HR (because remember, talking to other Chapman student interns is a great idea), but they at least tell you what

it’s like to be inside the specific company and offer some advice. I always recommend informational interviews. You can find Chapman alumni at practically every entertainment network or production company there is. It’s easy to reach out on LinkedIn. One of the Comedy Central TV development VPs went to Chapman.

Your professors have a lot of connections too. People are usually very open to talk with students about their jobs. If you’re cold-emailing without an introduction from someone else then just only reach out to people on the assistant or coordinator level instead of the VP.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’m going to join Comedy Central New York’s Social Media Strategy team this summer as part of the Viacom Summer Associates Program, which picks ten recent college grads to place in digital focused departments across the company. After that, most people in the program end up working for the company for many years. I love Comedy Central, so hopefully I’m still there in five years! When picturing the future, I try not to think about specific positions though because I think there will be new areas and departments that don’t exist yet. But in general in my career, I just want to be part of a group that takes creative risks and pushes creative boundaries.

OFFERS, STUDENTS RECEIVE FULL TIME JOBS PRE-GRADUATION From agencies to studios, production houses to major networks, popular television shows, and even hospitals, Dodge College students interned at more than 100 companies this past fall. Internships are not only a great way to get real world experience fast, but sometimes, as seniors Landyn Pan and Taylor Panconi learned, they can lead to your first career opportunity even before you graduate.

How did you find your internship?

I found my internship on the Lionsgate website.

What was a typical day at your internship?

Panconi Taylor

Senior, Public Relations

Theatrical Marketing Intern – Lionsgate Premiere, fall 2016 Previous Internships: Clips and Clearances intern at Conan; Publicity intern for Warner Bros.

Panconi is now the Lionsgate Premiere Assistant in Theatrical Marketing for Lionsgate Premiere, which is a marketing arm of Lionsgate that handles smaller, more indie films that often get day-and-date releases such as Arsenal, Man Down, Solace, and Operation Avalanche. Her boss, however, is not only head of Lionsgate Premiere but also head of Lionsgate Research, so she also helps out on research projects with some of the larger upcoming titles, like Power Rangers, The Shack, and Hitman’s Bodyguard.

and Advertising

My internship started off with mostly social media. I created social media calendars for our slated films using set photography and quotes from the films.

I also wrote cross promotional copy for social media pages of other related Lionsgate films.

Eventually, I started helping out organizing and processing invoices and expenses for Lionsgate Premiere, typing internal meeting notes, updating film web pages, and other miscellaneous tasks.

What was the highlight of the internship?

Technically, the highlight of my internship was getting hired! I was not expecting to be asked back, but a position opened up while I was there and things really fell into place. During my internship, my highlight was writing copy for the social media calendar and cross promo. I liked that it was my own words from my own mind that were playing a real role in the films’ campaigns.

What courses, professors or skills learned at Dodge were most helpful in your internship?

Writing for PR and Entertainment Marketing helped me the most during my internship. While I

wasn’t writing press releases at my internship, my Writing for PR class with Veston Rowe made me more detail-oriented which was imperative for my internship. Entertainment Marketing helped, because it informed a lot of my decisionmaking during my internship.

When deciding on what set photography to use for social media or various PR exclusives, I used the ideas and principles of film marketing that Jim Fredrick would discuss in that class.

What advice would you offer students looking for internships in the industry?

In terms of looking for an internship, never assume you are underqualified for a position. It can't hurt to apply.

Now that I help hire interns for my department, I recognize that a lot more goes into the hiring process than just past internship experience. More than anything I want an intern who is detail-oriented and a good communicator. I recognize how extremely detail-oriented a member of Greek life involved in recruitment needs to be, or someone who has coordinated volunteers for a non-profit.

Being able to bridge those seemingly unrelated experiences in a strong way goes really far on your application. Internship interviews are also a really good test of not only your ability to speak, but your ability to listen. I am impressed by candidates who can not only answer my question fully,

but can also refer back to things I’ve said throughout the interview. That tells me the candidate is listening carefully and I can be confident in their abilities to take direction from me during the internship.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

One of the reasons that I turned my senior year on its head for this job was the opportunities that exist at Lionsgate. The person who I replaced in my current position was an assistant for a year before being promoted to a theatrical marketing coordinator.

Our Director of Theatrical Marketing held my position only 3.5 years ago. While I can’t be sure that I will move up as quickly as my predecessors, their success demonstrates that it’s possible.

I would ideally like to stay at Lionsgate for the next 5 years and move up the ladder here.

I love the company, I love our films, and I know that Lionsgate wants to see me succeed here just as much as I do.

39 FOR STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DODGE COLLEGE OF FILM AND MEDIA ARTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS 40

RACHEL BASS (MFA/FP ’18)

BLACK MAGIC DGA Student Film Awards – WINNER Best African-American West Region Filmmaker Jury Award, Hollywood Black Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION CEYLAN CARHOGLU (BFA/FP’16) & NICOLE JORDAN-WEBBER (BFA/FP’16)

GARDENERS OF THE FOREST Ozark Foothills FilmFest – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Reel Teal Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Durango Indpt. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Beaufort Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Taos Shortz Film Fest – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Spokane Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Green Bay Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION

RILEY GEIS (BFA/FP’16)

THE WITCHING HOUR Skyline Indie Film Fest – OFFICIAL SELECTION, San Jose Intl.

Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Dam Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Los Angeles Intl. Children’s Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Oxford Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Intl. Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Beaufort Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, BUFF Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Super Geek Film Festival – WINNER Best Horror Film, KidFilm Festival – Official Selection, ASC Student Heritage Awards – NOMINATION Best Undergraduate Cinematography KENDALL GOLDBERG (BFA/FP ’17)

SWIPE RIGHT Austin Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Lone Star Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, LA Shorts Fest – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Ojai Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Durango Indpt. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Beaufort Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION

BRENNA MALLOY (MFA/FP’16)

ROCKET UCFTI Expo Film Competition – WINNER 1st Prize, HollyShorts Monthly Screenings – WINNER Audience Award, San Luis Obispo Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Ozark Foothills FilmFest – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Route 66 Film Festival – WINNER Best Student Film, Sedona Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Dam Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION DEREK O’DELL (BFA/DA’16)

AEON Intl. 3D Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Animasyros Intl. Animation Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, San Jose Intl. Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Film Crash Film Festival – WINNER Best Animated Film, Linoleum Intl. Contemporary Animation and Media-Art Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Locomocion / Experimental Animation Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Intl. Animation Film Festival – Gdansk – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Chester Intl. Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Newport Beach Film Festival – SHOWCASE SCREENING LIN WANG (MFA/FP’16)

DEATH IN A DAY Atlanta Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Aesthetica Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Kyiv Intl. Film Festival Molodist – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Cinequest Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Bogota Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, San Diego Asian Film Festival – WINNER Best Short Film, North America Chinese Directors Short Film Tour – OFFICIAL SELECTION, CAAMFest – OFFICIAL SELECTION, London Short Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION, Winter Apricots: Prilep Intl. Film Festival – WINNER Best Cinematography, LA Asian Pacific Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION 41

DODGE COLLEGE

ALUMNI NOTE

Nichole Acevedo (MFA/FP ’16) is a post-production assistant on Lucifer and a freelance editor.

Justin Benitez (BFA/CRPR ’13) is the Coordinator, Production & Development, at 2.0 Entertainment.

Nico Aguliar (BFA/FP ’16) and Brodin Plett (BFA/FP ’16) were the cinematographers for adjunct professor Kelly Galindo’s documentary on sex trafficking in Cambodia and Thailand. Anthony Deng (BFA/FP ’16) is editing the film under the mentorship of Professor Scott Arundale.

Kate Brogden (BA/Screenwriting ’16) was a semi-finalist in the 2016 Austin Film Festival screenplay competition for her thesis script “Something’s Wrong with Peter.”

Kyle J. Castellanet (BFA/FP ’15) is working as a development assistant at Echo Lake Entertainment.

Sam Argier (BFA/TBJ ’02) is the full-time meteorologist at Fox5 Las Vegas.

1

Michael Aronson (MFA/ FP ’11) screened his short film Nutcracker at the New Orleans Film Festival and the DCFMA Alumni Showcase. The film now lives online as a Vimeo Staff Pick and Short of the Week.

2 Laura Avila Tacsan (BFA/ CP ’10) produced the film Entonces Nosotros, a USA/Costa Rica coproduction, which screened in Costa Rican theaters for seven weeks. During its opening weekend it had attracted a higher attendance than Angry Birds, Captain America, and The Jungle Book.

Lauren Badalian (BFA CRPR ’14) is a currently creative executive at River’s Edge.

Ashley Beall (BA/PRA ’07) has joined the sales team at SXSW (South

by Southwest) as their Business Development Manager and will be working with brands to promote themselves during the SXSW Music, Film, Interactive, Eco, and Education Conferences and Festivals.

42

2

1

Leon Cheo (BFA/CRPR ’10) was named a finalist in Justin Lin’s Short Film Competition for his short film Nuts.

Nick Corporon’s (MFA/FP ’09) debut feature film Retake has been acquired for distribution

by Breaking Glass Pictures.

Corporon worked alongside several Chapman alumni including producer/DP Collin Brazie (MFA/FP ’09), associate producers Richie Yau (MFA/FP ’09), JC Diaz (MFA/FTP ’09), and Mel Natnat (MFA/FTP ’11), and sound designer Yu-Ting Su (MFA/FP ’11).

3

Justin Deimen (BFA/CRPR ’12) of Aurora Media Holdings has launched a new global media firm out of Singapore.

One of its first projects is 100 Yards which Deimen is producing with Ross Campbell (BFA/CRPR ’13) who wrote and directed the film. The company is also reintroducing a second edition of

ES the SE Asian Film Financing Forum that will feature Kathy Morgan, executive producer for The Danish Girl, as a keynote speaker.

Jared Egol (MFA/Screenwriting ’10) has been named a finalist in

films as the key production assistant and the 2nd assistant director before joining the crew of ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat where he now works as a production assistant.

Melissa Fisher (BFA/FP ’10) worked as the second assistant camera on La La Land, HBO’s Westworld and A Wrinkle in Time.

Robin Gonsalves (BFA/FP ’02) received her first feature editor credit for her work on Rules Don’t Apply, directed

by Warren Beatty.

Gus Hoffman (BFA/CRPR ’14) was promoted to executive at Warner Bros. Television.

4

three categories in the Global Script Challenge with the Oaxaca Film Fest for his script, “Clay Tommy,” which was written under the mentorship of Chapman University professors Larry Gross, Ron Friedman, Julie Kirkham and Tom Mankiewicz. Egol also signed with manager Derrick Eppich of Lee Stobby Entertainment.

Ingrid Eskeland-Adetuyi’s (BA/Screenwriting’15) script Twin Blades, a female buddy action spec, was acquired by China-backed Cristal Pictures with Lauren Shuler Donner (Logan, Deadpool) set to produce. Cristal will fully finance as a Chinese co-production.

3

Gabe Figueroa (BFA/FP ’15) completed working on two feature

5

Houston Hooker (BFA/CRPR ’15) is working for Al Kennedy, the VP of Production, Advertising and Promotion at CBS, as the Production Coordinator of On-Air Promotions.

Kanan Hooker (BFA/CRPR ’15) is working as the assistant to the EVP at Rebel Entertainment Partners, a company that deals exclusively with above-the-line talent in non-scripted programming.

Alex Ivany (BFA/TBJ ’15) was the assistant editor on Ava DuVernay’s documentary 13th which won Best Documentary at the British Academy Film Awards and was nominated for an Academy Award. He is currently editing an indie drama called Skin in the Game.

Farisai Kambarami (MFA/FP ’13) has joined the International Cinematographer’s Guild and worked as a camera loader on Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time.

Cameron Kelly (BFA/SA ’15) guest starred in an episode of Rosewood which aired in February 2017 and performs every month at The Comedy Store.

4

Lara Larkin’s (BFA/FP ’03) spec script “Fangirls” has been included as one of the best scripts of 2016 on the Hit List.

5

Justin Leo (MFA/Screenwriting ’06) has been named Senior Research Coordinator at National Research Group in Hollywood.

Noelle Liljedahl (BA/Screenwriting ’16) was a 2016 Nicholls Fellowships semi-finalist and a 2016 Script Pipeline finalist for her thesis script “We Were Here.”

Tasha Hunter (MFA/FTP ’10) is currently serving as the President of the Arts Council for Long Beach and is also working as the Executive Director of Uptown Business Improvement District.

Jason Lisenbee (BFA/CRPR ’16) and his partner have started their own production company, Monogram Entertainment, which specializes in creating high production value content.

Samer Imam (MFA/FP ’12) is working as a Producer of Creative Services for FOX Networks Group.

Christian Logan (MFA/FP ’15) is the key post-production assistant on Gotham.

43

ALUMNI NOTES DODGE COLLEGE 44

6

Kelley Mack (BFA/FP ’14) produced, edited and acted in A Knock at the Door, a short horror film that took home the Jury Choice Award at the Atlanta Horror Film Festival. The film has been accepted to festivals in Amsterdam, New York, Tennessee, Washington, Finland, and California. www.aknockatthedoor.com Mischa Marcus (BFA/FP ’06) wrote and directed the feature film I Am Still Here had its world premiere at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival in February. The film won Best Independent Film at the festival and is nominated for Best Picture.

Lindsay Mayer (BA/Com ’05) has earned her second Emmy award, this one for her work as a producer on the A&E show Born This Way.

Matt O’Neill (MFA/Screenwriting ’05) sold a sports medicine drama series, produced by LeBron James, to NBC that is inspired by world renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews.

Bobby Pollack’s (BFA/FP ’16) thesis film Golden Boy was screened at the Laughlin International Film Festival and the Orlando International Film Festival.

Naomi Rivas (MFA/Producing ’15) is a receptionist at Creative Artists Agency, Los Angeles.

8 Grant Rutter (BFA/TBJ ’11) works for NBCUniversal International as an executive assistant and is a Podcaster at AfterBuzzTV, Grants Rants Hollywood Live!

On Bidchat, and Grants Rants Hollywood Talk on iTunes.

Zane Schwartz (BFA/FP ’15) is currently working as the Development Coordinator for the VP Development and SVP Creative at Discovery Productions.

Ana Sena (MBA/Business Admin. ’15) is an assistant in the Global

Isaac Rosales (MBA/MFA Producing) is the Manager, Partnerships and Operations at Univision Communications in Los Angeles.

Paul Montoya (BFA/FP ’14) is a Local 80 Grip.

Carter Moon (BA/Screenwriting ’16) optioned his thesis script “Emily’s Inferno” to producer Max Gottlieb.

Kaelyn Moore (BFA/FP ’15) is the executive assistant to the Vice President and Director of Development at Atomic Monster, a company headed by director James Wan. 7

Adrina Movsesian (BFA/TBJ ’15) is the CEO of AdrinaRose Media, a West Coast-based lifestyle hub for fashionable millennial women. The company also functions as a full-service multi-media production and content house that produces the weekly webseries Fashion Talk.

Do you have a recent accomplishment you’d like to share? Email Alumni Coordinator Sorrel Geddes, sgeddes@chapman.edu, so we can share your success with the Dodge College community.

8

6

9

7

Strategy and Corporate Development department of Creative Artists Agency, Los Angeles.

Alexandra Sgambati (BFA/SA ’13) is the editor-in-chief of an online women’s magazine, Estia Collective, which is a platform for women’s empowerment. She has also worked as an actress on Blue Bloods, Sleepy Hollow, and The Originals.

Rakan Sindi (MFA/FP ’15) is a post-production assistant and runner on Gotham.

John Swetnam’s (MFA/Screenwriting ’05) female-driven action spec script Ruthless was recently purchased by Amblin Entertainment.

9

Stacy Thornton’s (MFA/

Screenwriting ’05) latest screenplay was selected as the Best Drama Screenplay at the GO West Film Fest in Oakhurst, Calif.

10 Carles Torrens’ (BFA/FP ’08) most recent feature, the psychological horror-thriller Pet starring Dominic Monaghan (The Lord of the Rings, Lost) and Ksenia Solo (Orphan Black, Lost Girl) received rave reviews at SXSW and Fright Fest and won a major award at Spain’s SITGES International Film Festival. It was released in theaters December 2016.

Big

Five Chapman sound designers were nominated for their sound work on both thesis and cycle films alike at the 64th Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards competing for the Verna Fields Award for Student Filmmakers. With only eight nominations in this category total, Chapman overwhelmingly led the pack.

Paarth Trivedi (BFA/CRPR ’15) was promoted to Manager, Digital Marketing, at Skydance Media.

11 Kay Tuxford (BA/Screenwriting ’08) and her writing partner won the Grand Prize for Script Pipeline TV for their original pilot “40 Elephants.”

Pete Villani (BFA/FTV ’02) shot a film for Leila Djansi called Like Cotton Twines that premiered in the LA Film Fest last year. The film won Best Narrative Feature at the Savannah Film Fest and received 12 nominations and 8 wins at the Ghana Movie Awards including Best Cinematography and Best Editing for alumna Ting Yu (MFA/FP ’16).

10

Dodge Sound Design Students Score

Oliver Young (BFA/FP ’13) was the cinematographer on Shadows of the Dead which premiered on the Syfy Network in October 2016. Arjun Prakash (BA/FS ’13), Nick Roney (BFA/FP ’13), and several other alumni were crew members on the film.

Gerry Vazquez, left, shared top honors for his work on Icarus.

The nominees were Taylor Scherer (BFA/ Film Production ’16) for Eden, Gerry Vazquez (BFA/Film Production ’16) for Icarus, Xiang “Lisa” Li (MFA/Film Production ’17) for It’s Just a Gun, Xiaodan Li (MFA/Film Production ’16) for Jerry, and Peiqi “Peggy” Duan (MFA/ Film Production ’18) for Shallow Grave.

At the gala evening at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles in February, Chapman student Gerry Vazquez tied with a student from National Film and Television School to win the award for Icarus.

Another top honor for sound work went to Wenrui “Sam” Fan (MFA/Film Production ’16) on the same night. Fan won the Cinema Audio Society’s Student Recognition Award and was presented with a check for $2500, an award supported by both IMAX and Avid Technology.

Emily Wilson (BFA/TBJ ’07) is the new co-host role for The Hero Effect on OWN. 11 Wenrui Fan, center, takes home honors and a check from the Cinema Audio Society.

45

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Orange, CA Permit No. 58

One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866

UPCOMING EVENT:

For more events, visit events.chapman.edu

Dean Bassett and the faculty of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts are proud to announce that Don Hahn, Oscar-nominated producer of Disney’s The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Maleficent, will give the keynote address for the 2017 Dodge College Commencement Ceremony.

Hahn’s return to campus follows his Spring 2016 semester as the Pankey Chair in Media Arts, in which he mentored students and shared his industry experience weekly.

A reception with light refreshments will follow at Marion Knott Studios. No reservations are required for the ceremony or reception.

Saturday, May 20, 2017 4:30- 6:30 p.m.

Wilson Field Chapman University

DODGE COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY 2017