The University of Texas at Austin’s Los Angeles Center opens its doors to students from other universities

AUSTIN, Texas — Feb. 11, 2008 — The University of Texas Los Angeles Center (UTLA) has opened its “Semester in LA” program to non-University of Texas students interested in a career in the entertainment industry.

Beginning this summer, students from 20 colleges and universities across the country can spend a semester studying and working in the entertainment capital of the world. UTLA will open the program to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the following academic institutions:

• Arizona State University School of Theater and Film

• Bradley University College of Communication and Fine Arts

• Columbia University School of the Arts

• Elon University School of Communications

• Florida State University Film School

• Georgia State University Department of Communication

• New York University School of the Arts

• North Carolina School of the Arts

• Ohio University School of Film

• Rice University Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts

• San Diego State University TV, Film and New Media Program

• Southern Methodist University School of the Arts

• Southwestern University School of Fine Arts

• Syracuse University School of Public Communications

• Temple University Department of Film and Media Arts

• Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts

• Trinity University Department of Speech and Drama

• The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Film Program

• The University of Kansas Department of Theater and Film

• The University of Nevada-Las Vegas Department of Film

The summer semester, which is a nine-credit program (six credits for graduate students), and the fall and spring semesters, which are 12-credit programs (nine credits for graduate students), offer a series of upper division courses, including “How Hollywood Works: The Business of Show Business”; “The Creative Process of Film and Television Development”; “Horror & Fantasy Writing Workshop”; “How Music Works: The Business of the Music Industry”; and “Topics in Entertainment Professions.” Students also will complete an entertainment industry internship for academic credit.

“Television, film, theater and communication programs across the country enable students to develop their art and learn their craft,” said UTLA Executive Director Philip Nemy, a 20-year veteran of the motion picture, television, theatrical and non-profit industries, and author of “Get a Reel Job,” a reference guide for aspiring filmmakers. “But those programs don’t give students the opportunity to get their foot in the door, apply their craft in a real-world environment and network with working professionals—many of whom can employ them. The ‘Semester in LA’ program gives students this opportunity.”

In addition to coursework and internships, students participate in extracurricular activities, including behind-the-scenes tours of key industry facilities, including Warner Bros. Studios, Panavision and Westwind Media Post-Production, observing recording artists at work from the Capitol Records control room and attending Hollywood screenings and premieres.

“Living in Los Angeles while taking classes at the UTLA Center gave me a chance to see what the city and industry are truly like through the safety net of school,” said Jason Semko, a paid two-year intern at Panavision Hollywood, where he prepares camera packages for big name clients and productions. “Despite Panavision receiving an overwhelming amount of resumes for this position, I landed the job through my previous internship through UTLA’s Semester in LA program, which gave me the chance to show them my skills while working for free.”

“Coming from out of state, you’re at an enormous disadvantage when you try to break into the entertainment industry,” said Tom Glinkowski, VFX production assistant on the forthcoming movie “Iron Man,” starring Robert Downey Jr., Terrance Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow. “The Semester in Los Angeles program levels the playing field by providing a network of contacts and practical knowledge about all aspects of the business. Thanks to the contacts I made during my semester at the UTLA Center, I was able to get a great job during the heart of the writer’s strike when everyone else was losing jobs.”

In Burbank, a Los Angeles suburb, the UTLA Center is The University of Texas at Austin’s West Coast hub of teaching and research on film, television and electronic media, as well as a location for industry and alumni activity. The center features multi-media classrooms, meeting spaces, a common area for students and a computer lab. It’s also within walking distance of The Oakwood-Toluca Hills apartments where UTLA students live.

Applications for the summer and fall semesters are due March 1 and are available online at the UTLA Web site, www.utla.utexas.edu.

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Contacts:
UTLA Executive Director
Phil Nemy
323-512-9200

UTLA Program Coordinator
Mike Perlin
323-512-9200, ext. 1

University of Texas at Austin Public Affairs
Erin Geisler
512-475-8071