CSULB Film Class Continues To Provide Hands On Experiences To Students

For years students in the Independent Media Production class also known as “Surfside Productions” have received hands on training and made an impact in Long Beach and the surrounding communities. Each semester the class takes on different projects where students get to work with real clients from small businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and even on campus clients like the College of the Arts. Each project requires a unique perspective and approach to communicating with professional clients and finding ways to meet their needs all while producing exemplary work that showcases the uniqueness of each organization.  

Some of the past organizations this class has worked with have been the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation, California Highway Patrol, Harmony Project, Playmakers, The Miller Foundation, and many more. Students who have participated in this class appreciate the real-world application of the skills they are learning while pursuing their film degree at CSULB. “I had to be the one emailing them, regarding preproduction and post production. It was cool being in touch with a client outside of school and working with an actual company. It taught me a lot about communicating and interpersonal skills in this industry” says Amanda Ortiz, a former student of Surfside. For the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation project, students produced 90-second profiles of three different veterans whose lives have been changed by the meaningful work of GCVF. Daniel Reyes, who worked on the GCVF project noted “I learned how to work with clients, take notes and adjust on the fly. That’s something I haven’t gotten from any other classes. It taught me a lot about learning how to edit after the interview and finding what’s most important and needs to come through in the final cut.” Throughout the duration of the semester, students in the class have the chance to work with each other and gain valuable collaborative experiences with their peers both on and off set. 

The Independent Media Production course continues to offer students hands on learning to hone their skills in the film and creative industries. These types of professional projects mixed with service to the community are perfect examples of the impact students can have in our community while preparing them for the industry and the creative endeavors they choose to embark on after graduating.