This summer, Quinnipiac will play host to the 2010 Connecticut Film Industry Training Program, and according to students and staff who have participated in the past, it is well worth the time.
“It was the most enlightening and educational crash course into this industry,” senior David McRorie said of the program last year.
McRorie took the Assistant Directing course and learned the practical/logistics of film production such as paper work, pre-production/production process, and scheduling. This allowed him to learn class theory as well as first-hand skills on set.
“I learned more during that month than I ever did during school about the logistics and workings of the film industry,” he said. “It was intense, but worth it.”
The Film Industry Training Program is a one-month course that runs from June 7 to July 2. It trains people from ages 18-60 how to work on a film in a specific field. The 10 departments include Assistant Directors, Producing Office Coordinator, Script Supervision, Set Construction, Props and Dressing, Locations Management, Lighting and Grip, Camera, Sound, and Wardrobe.
In the last two years, the training has taken place at Norwalk and Middlesex Community Colleges, but this year it’s making its way to Quinnipiac University. Only one hundred applicants will be accepted to the program this year.
“This is one of the best things we do at Quinnipiac,” said Liam O’Brien, chair of the Film, Video and Interactive Media department. “There is nothing like this in the U.S. It’s the only one of its kind.”
Not only do students get hands-on experience from the program, but also the opportunity to build relationships with the motion picture professionals in the field.
“What is amazing about the program is that the trainers are real professionals,” O’Brien said. “The actors are Connecticut residents.”
McRorie came into the program with an open mind and said he participated in any opportunity he had.
“Go in with an open mind. Be willing to learn every little detail you can, even if it is someone else’s department or job, because it will always come in use in the future,” McRorie said.
To find out more information, contact Professor Liam O’Brien. Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 23.
