SWC film students capture reel life

Some Southwestern College grads seem lost. Mark Sission's students go to work on "Lost."

Well, not all of them, but some of the others go to work in TV news, motion pictures or documentary film work. Others go to prestigious universities, much to the delight of their ebullient professor of telemedia.

"Ours is an art form that is not that different to a symphony, graphic design, editing, business or science, said Sisson, himself an award-winning documentary filmmaker.
Word from SWC students is that Sisson's classes are fun but rigorous. His expectations are high and he demands good product. Some of his students' products are so good they are chosen for prestigious film festivals.

Film classes are split into different sections, which are introduction to production, camera film lighting and working with HD cameras. There are also courses that cover television, studio production and working with mu_lti cameras.

Joseph Cox, 21, a criminal justice major, said he was filling out his class schedule and saw telemedia. "The classes looked like fun and I had a curiosity about it and I felt like taking a class for fun," he said.

Enrollment in the film production classes is limited to just 24 students. SWC telemedia students have transferred to UCLA, USC, NYU, UC Berkley and a prestigious university in Madrid, Spain, Sisson said. SWC film students go all over the world to follow their dreams.

Other students have scored internships in the industry, like the camera operators this semester who intern at for NBC and KUSI. To do an internship students must submit a film screen or script and go through multiple interviews, competing with hundreds of other applicants.

Last year the telemedia department partnered with Ultra Cinemas to help produce film festivals, but due to budget cuts Film Club was not formed this semester.

Independent films are most popular with students trying to promote their work. A group of about 45 students venture to Los Angeles each spring to the Kodak Theater to independently film their own work.

Sisson said he has had students come back and tell him about their accomplishments like becoming Assistant directors to the show "Lost." Last year Sission took a group of students to the set of the show "24" and were able to ask the director questions about the show.

"Our goal is to get students prepared for the industry and to contribute to the cultural industry," said Sisson.

Mole-Richardson Company Lighting from Hollywood helped students in persuing film, even UC Berkley and UCLA have conjoined programs to assist film students.

Students at SWC have an advantage, the equipment they use is about 10 years old and in today's media the equipment is usually much older.

Caldweane Mundal, 26, telemedia major said he has learned volumes at SWC. "I've always loved watching movies and would like to become a cinematographer and to direct one day," he said.

Mundal, like Sisson's other students could just be writing their own happy ending.