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SPRING 2009

U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A

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ABOVE: Members of theClass of ’09 assemble forthe grand march into theShrine Auditorium.

LEFT: Pickford Awardwinner Shonda Rhimesand commencementkeynote speaker LauraZiskin.

worLD PremIere

PomP anD cIrcumstanceThe energy couldn’t have been

much higher at the Shrine

Auditorium on May 15, as the

School of Cinematic Arts, with the

help of industry greats Frank Price,

Shonda Rhimes ‘94 and Laura

Ziskin ‘73, lauded its most recent

graduating class and celebrated the

next generation of entertainment

artists and professionals.

“USC cinema alums have always taken

care of each other, been there to support

one another and have moved into the world

together,” Daley told the 394 undergrads,

grads and Ph.D. candidates, who, along

with hundreds of friends and family

members, packed the majestic landmark

auditorium.

“Many of you were able to come here

because of those who went before,”

Daley continued. “Now it’s your turn to

maintain that tradition, to write the great

books, make the great films, lead the

great companies and create the next

interactive experiences and always stay a

part of the SCA family. We, your faculty

and staff, eagerly anticipate your successes.”

Associate Dean for Academic AffairsMichael Renov introduced the first major

With 80 years of history-making experiencebehind it, the School of Cinematic Arts celebratedthe past and launched itself into the future withthe unveiling of its new campus at a March 29gala attended by university leaders, students,faculty, alumni, and supporters, includingfilmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg,Dean Elizabeth M. Daley and USC PresidentSteven B. Sample.

“This new home for the SCA family is where future

generations of women and men will continue along the

paths of those who have come before them,” Daley told

the crowd after the opening fanfare from the Trojan

Marching Band echoed across the facility’s central

courtyard. “And like the ones before them, they will go on

to redefine the boundaries of the cinematic arts.”

“When the School of Cinematic Arts held its first class

in 1929, the technology for ‘talking’ films was in its

infancy,” said Sample. “Today, the tremendous increase in

information and media is redefining the very core of

communication. In this rapidly changing world, there is one

thing that remains constant: this school’s ability to train

great artists and leaders.”

QuickTakesAlumni News PAGE 16

80 YearsBook Offer PAGE 9

Celluloid CeilingViola Travels PAGE 7

CURian Johnson PAGE 3

From left, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Dean Elizabeth M. Daley,USC President Steven B. Sample and filmmaker and alumnusGeorge Lucas ’66 at the unveiling of the new School ofCinematic Arts complex.

inmotion spring 20092

uscscHooLofcInematIcarts

sHows on tHe aIrIf you think delivering a term paper on timeis a challenge, try creating amini-documentarythat goes from concept, to creation, toglobal distribution in four months. Foreight student teams from the School ofCinematic Arts who competed in the CiscoDigital Cribs film contest this was theirtask. The fruits of this student challengewere shown on the big screen at USC’sNorris Theatre Complex during a red-carpetreception on Sunday, January 31, 2009.

The Digital Cribs contest began the first week of

October when 15 SCA student teams submitted

pitches and budgets to representatives from Cisco

(which specializes in networking and communications

solutions), Ogilvy (a world-leader in advertising) and

some of the renowned faculty advisors from the

school's production department.

Other than having to fall within a 30-second to

three-minute total-running-time, the only mandate

the films had was to explore how people use consumer

electronics and home networks to make up their

“digital crib.”

“I was attracted to the contest because I wanted to

put a lot of the skills I’ve been honing at USC to

use,” second-year M.F.A. production student Jeremy

Cohen said. “I’ve never really done a project like

this, so this competition gave me the chance to

learn on the go and apply lessons that I’ve learned

from other types of projects.”

In mid-October, after extensive consideration by the

representatives, eight SCA films got the green light

and accompanying production grants to move forward.

As soon as he found out his proposal was accepted,

second-year M.F.A. production student Michael

Koerbel headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to shoot

David and Amy Wenzel, a documentary about a

tech-savvy couple and the hardware in their home.

Using his Cisco production grant to hire a local

crew, Koerbel said that, “working outside of L.A.

was a wonderful learning experience—even though

it was freezing cold. We were filming in mid-November,

and it rained a very cold rain most of the time. That

being said, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Jeremy Cohen teamed up with second-year

production student Ross Cohen (the two are not

related) and trekked to San Francisco to capture

footage for Tim Ferriss’s Digital Lifestyle, chronicling

how the renowned blogger and author of the

best-selling The Four Hour Work Week uses

technology in his daily activities.

“Tim was an ‘early adopter’ of new technology

and we knew he would tell a different story than

that of other tech bloggers. He told how one can

use technology to free up your leisure time rather

than eat into it,” Ross Cohen said.

Though production was over, the students’ work

wasn’t. On December 16, Cisco posted the eight films,

along with eight from a simultaneous competition

at NYU, on the Digital Cribs site. As part of the

learning experience, the filmmakers had to promote

their shorts by getting people to vote for them.

When the selection process concluded on January

23, a panel of judges gave David and Amy Wenzel

the Grand Prize. Tim Ferriss’s Digital Lifestyle emerged

as the People’s Choice Award with 23 percent of

the 25,000 total views. The winners received

$5,000 and $2,300 respectively.

All the entries were screened and the top films

announced at the Saturday night gala hosted by

alumnus Randal Kleiser, director of such films as

Grease, The Blue Lagoon, and Love Wrecked.

The School of Cinematic Arts has a long history of

collaborating with groups such as Coca-Cola,

Heineken and others to support student productions.

“What was unique about this contest was that it

was very similar to a real world pitch situation, and

the students had the opportunity to work with a real

client but in a safe student environment,” said Senior

Lecturer Brenda Goodman, who oversaw SCA’s

participation in the contest and served as a faculty

mentor, along with Associate Professor Norman Hollyn.

Beyond supporting higher education, Cisco Director

of Consumer Marketing Mike Kisch described how

the contest presented a unique experience for the

firm. “The partnership with USC was an opportunity

for us to work with one of the most premier film

schools and it gave us an opportunity to work with

their students and see them take the concept of Digital

Cribs and tell their own unique story,” Kisch said.

In addition to Cisco and SCA, the event was also

supported by the USC Entertainment Technology

Center. The Entertainment Technology Center

studies developments that are critical to the creative

community, production companies, content owners,

distributors, exhibitors and technology companies.

DIGITaL crIBs

Award-winningstudent directorJeremy Cohen;Senior LecturerBrenda Goodman;student producerRoss Cohen; andCisco Director ofConsumer MarketingMike Kisch.

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/DigitalCribs

24—Evan Katz ’86, Executive Producer;Brian Grazer, Executive Producer

Beverly Hills 90210—Gabe Sachs ’84, Executive Producer, Writer

Bones—Carla Kettner ’83, Co-Executive Producer, Writer

Castle—Andrew W. Marlowe ’92, Executive Producer, Writer

Chuck—Chris Fedak ’98, Executive Producer, Writer;Josh Schwartz, Executive Producer, Writer

The Closer—Adam Belanoff ’90, Co-Executive Producer

Deal or No Deal—Scott St. John ’89, Executive Producer

Desperate Housewives—Charles Skouras III, Producer

Dexter—Melissa Rosenberg ’90, Co-Executive Producer, Writer

Fringe—Brian Burk ’91, Executive Producer

Ghost Whisperer—Ian Sander, Executive Producer

Gossip Girl—Josh Schwartz, Executive Producer, Writer

Grey’s Anatomy—Shonda Rhimes ’94, Executive Producer, Writer

Heroes—Tim Kring, Executive Producer, Writer

House—Bryan Singer ’89, Executive Producer; Garrett Lerner ’95 &Russel Friend ’95, Executive Producers, Writers; Greg Yaitanes, Director

Law & Order: SVU—Kam Miller ’02, Writer

Lost—Bryan Burk ’91, Executive Producer

Mad Men—Matthew Weiner ’90, Executive Producer, Writer; AmyWells ’80, Set Decorator; Marcy Patterson ’02, Associate Producer

Medium—Ronald L. Schwary, Executive Producer, Director;Davah Avena ’03, Writer

My Boys—Paul Maibaum ’75, Cinematographer

The Office—Paul Feig ’84, Co-Executive Producer, Director;Ken Kwapis, Executive Producer, Director; Jason Reitman ’99, Director;Jeffrey Blitz ’97, Director

Private Practice—Shonda Rhimes ’94, Executive Producer, Writer

Smallville—Brian Peterson ’97 & Kelly Souders ’97,Executive Producers, Writers

Southland—John Wells ’82, Executive Producer;Ann Biderman ’75, Executive Producer, Writer

Supernatural—Eric Kripke ’96, Executive Producer, Writer

Til Death—Cathy Yuspa ’95 & Josh Goldsmith ’95,Executive Producers, Writers

Ugly Betty—Chris Black ’84, Co-Executive Producer, Writer

Weeds—Craig Zisk, Executive Producer, Director;Jonathan Talbert ’02, Associate Producer

I was attracted tothe contest because Iwanted to put a lot ofthe skills I’ve beenhoning at USC to use.

“”


cinema.usc.edu

3

Rian Johnson, B.A. Production ’96, who seared his

way into noir fans’ hearts with his award-winning

debut film, Brick, has sought inspiration in a

new kind of criminal in his sophomore film, The

Brothers Bloom. Starring Adrien Brody, Mark

Ruffalo and Rachel Weisz, the film follows the

titular brothers, who go from unwanted orphans

to being the greatest con men in the world.

Along the way, as it often does, love changes

things for the brothers.

Johnson spoke with In Motion about mirages, the importance of

telling the truth about lying, and the search for an unwritten life.

Brick was inspired by noir authors like Raymond

Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. What was the

jumping off point for The Brothers Bloom? It just

started with the notion of doing a movie about con men, which

is one of my favorite genres. There’s something appealingly

terrifying about doing a con man movie because it seems to

be one of those things that either really lands or really

doesn’t. It’s a risky thing to take a shot at, and that was

exciting. It doesn’t seem like there’s much point in spending

a few years of your life on something if there’s not the

chance that you’ll fall on your face.

Talk about some of the visual and stylistic

influences of the film. Beyond big influences like

Mamet’s con movies and Paper Moon, what really spurred me

on was to make a film about storytelling, and [Fellini’s]

8 ½ is about a guy who gets lost inside storytelling and is

eventually redeemed by it, so there’s a connection there. A

movie like [Bertolucci’s] The Conformist is much more of a

straight visual reference; it’s one of the most beautiful

movies ever made, but I specifically wanted to look at the

way Bertolucci shoots environments in that movie and see

how he really makes you feel the spaces you’re in.

Dealing with a film where there’s a specialized

argot and extensive meta-references could have

resulted in it being precious. How did you avoid

that trap?When you’re dealing with tone, subject matter

or a conceit that could slip into that territory, the only thing

that can keep you from falling into that is honesty. It’s coming

at it with nothing besides a motivation to create a real world

with real characters that you as a filmmaker care about. No

matter what style your film is, whether realistic or sort of

heightened like Bloom, that’s the key to making the end

product something you can believe in.

How was it going from shooting Brick in the

town you grew up in to shooting Bloom all over

Europe?Having only done shorts growing up, before I

made Brick, the idea of shooting a film with real actors and a

film camera was scary. Before we started Bloom, I had the

same sense of feeling like I was looking at a terrifying mirage,

but when it came time to actually start making it, the mirage

went away and I saw, no, it’s the same exact road I’ve been

on the whole time. It’s just telling the story with a camera

and some actors. That sounds like a joke, but I really believe

that if you can make a movie with a video camera and your

friends from the drama department, you can make a movie

with a 35mm camera and Rachel Weisz.

Adrien Brody’s character, Bloom, is searching for

“an unwritten life.” What does that phrase mean

to you as the filmmaker? I feel like it’s a trap to search

for the unwritten life. I think we’ve all felt like we’re the

ones who are faking it, and that everyone else is doing the

real thing; we’re inside looking at life through a plate glass

window. Bloom misinterprets his situation as he has to get

out of this story that his brother’s been telling, and that he

has to start living an unwritten life, but what he finds in the

end is that he has to start writing his story himself. That’s

where the idea of storytelling about storytelling goes beyond

being just about writers or directors and becomes about

human beings. So much of life is about being a good

storyteller; taking in the world around you and telling it

back to yourself.

cu: rIan JoHnson

I really believe that if youcan make a movie with avideo camera and your friendsfrom the drama department,you can make a movie with a35mm camera and RachelWeisz.

“

”

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/CUJohnson

ABOVE: From left, Mark Ruffalo, director RianJohnson, Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody on theset of The Brothers Bloom.

BELOW: Bloom (Adrien Brody), Penelope (RachelWeisz) and Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) plot a seriesof alternately dangerous and whimsical cons inThe Brothers Bloom.



“Passing for Human: Bamboozled and Digital Humanism”Essay by Kara Keeling inFight the Power: The Spike Lee ReaderPeter Lang Publishing

“Re-wiring Baltimore:The Emotive Power of Systemics, Seriality, and the City”Film Quarterly (Winter 2008/2009 Volume 62, No. 2)By Marsha Kinder

The Lean Forward Moment:Create Compelling Stories for Film, TV, and the WebNew RidersBy Norman Hollyn

The Mickey Mouse Club Presents AnnetteDr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney MarshThe Chronological Donald, Volume 4, 1951 - 1961Walt Disney Treasures DVD seriesBy Leonard Maltin (host and co-producer)

“Film Collaboration and Creative Conflict”Journal of Film and Video (Spring 2009 Volume 61, No. 1)By Carroll Hodge

IInn PPrrIInntt aannDD oonnLLIInneeIt was a typical night at the InteractiveMedia Division workspace: tiny menwith umbrellas stopped time, whitegardens were splattered with blackpaint, and samurais ventured throughthe middle kingdom. The special partof the evening came as Associate Professor and Director of the ElectronicArts Game Innovation Lab Tracy Fullertonwas named the holder of the ElectronicArts Endowed Chair in Interactive Entertainment.

Fullerton accepted the chair at a formal ceremonyheld at the Robert Zemeckis Center for DigitalArts on December 9. Following a keynote addressby EA CEO John Riccitiello, Fullerton took thestage to raucous applause from the packed house.

“I now have a front row seat to all of the fantastical ideas the coming years of studentswill dream up,” said Fullerton, pointing to theclassic hardwood chair that commemorates herendowed position. “That means I get to beplay-tester number one for the future of interactiveentertainment. Something tells me I’m notgoing to be disappointed.”

Dean Elizabeth M. Daley spoke about Fullerton’scareer and her work at SCA, calling her a “dynamicforce in game design and education for years.”

“She has played a crucial role in the expansionof our interactive media curriculum at the school,”said Daley. “Her direction of the Electronic ArtsGame Innovation Lab has helped to set the standardfor game education programs around the world.”

Professor Scott S. Fisher, chair of the InteractiveMedia Division, took the stage and lauded thework of Fullerton, her fellow faculty members,and the students who were exhibiting work thatevening. “Their passion for this field is remarkableand the results of the work are extraordinary.”

Introducing Riccitiello, Fisher noted the executive’svision for both the company and the industry.“He has overseen a re-organization that’s focusedon creating incredible gameplay for the widestand wildest audience possible,” said Fisher. “Indoing so, he’s energized the entire industry and

has given players across the spectrum somethingto be excited about again.”

Upon taking the podium, Riccitiello wasted no timein commenting on the work of the SCA studentsthat he’d seen prior to the ceremony. “It was a realeye-opener. I saw game mechanics that I’d neverseen before,” said Riccitiello. “Games that aspireto be high art in turn inspire me. Too often, ours isa business that can be thought of as a toy, when itreally is a form of media.”

Riccitiello spoke warmly about EA’s relationshipwith the school. “Frankly, one of the best proponentsof our industry is USC. What’s happened underDean Daley’s and Tracy’s and Scott’s leadershiphas made a gigantic difference. What they’redoing in providing this level of leadership is creating a cadre of artists that are going to come

along with us and help us change just as much aswe have over the last 10 years,” said Riccitiello.

In 2004, Electronic Arts made a multi-milliondollar donation to the school to advance interactive entertainment and create a launchpad for the next generation of game design. The contribution, part of EA’s global educationaland talent development effort, funded two newfacets of the school’s Interactive Media Division:the Electronic Arts Interactive EntertainmentProgram and the Electronic Arts Endowed Faculty Chair.

The Electronic Arts Endowed Faculty Chair,previously held by Executive Vice Presidentand Chief Creative Officer of Electronic ArtsBing Gordon, is one of the key catalysts that enables the school to fulfill the intensifying demand for talented game developers who aresolidly grounded in visual storytelling and innovative game play.

Before and after the ceremony, interactive mediastudents exhibited demos of their games in theInteractive Media Division labs on the secondfloor of the Zemeckis Center. While game designerMatt Korba, M.F.A. Interactive ’08, showed onlookers how to play his Tim Burton-inspiredgame The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom,game producer Paul Bellezza, M.F.A. Interactive’08, revealed that Fullerton had another unofficial title amongst her students.

“Tracy’s our Jedi master,” said Bellezza.

BOARD OF COUNCILORS

Frank Price (Chair,Board of Councilors)

Frank Biondi, Jr.John CalleyBarry DillerLee GablerDavid GeffenBrian T. GrazerBrad GreyJeffrey KatzenbergAlan LevineGeorge LucasDon MattrickBill M. MechanicBarry MeyerSidney PoitierJohn RiccitielloBarney RosenzweigScott SassaSteven SpielbergJohn WellsJim WiattPaul Junger WittDavid L. WolperRobert ZemeckisLaura Ziskin

ALUMNI DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

John August ’94Polly Cohen ’95Bob Ducsay ’86Robert Greenblatt ’87Tom HobermanRamses Ishak ’92 James Ishii ’76Aaron Kaplan ’90 Michael Lehmann ’85 Laird Malamed ’94Michelle Manning ’81Andrew Marlowe ’92Derek McLay ’79 Neal Moritz, ’85Robert Osher ’81Santiago Pozo ’86Shonda Rhimes ’94Jay Roach ’86Bruce Rosenblum ’79 Gary Rydstrom ’81 Josh Schwartz ’99 Peter Segal ’84Stacey Sher ’85 Jason Shuman ’96John Singleton ’91 Scott Stone ’79 Randy Zisk ’81

Associate Professor TracyFullerton and ElectronicArts CEO John Riccitiellowith the Electronic Arts Endowed Chair in Interactive Entertainment.

Online:cinema.usc.edu/FullertonChair

PLaY tester numBer one

Tracy’s our Jedi master.“ ”

in motion spring 2009

cinema.usc.edu

5

In 1938, a mere nine years after theUSC program was founded, Herb Farmerarrived on campus and began a lifelongassociation that continues to this day.At an anniversary celebration held onthe Carson Television Center SoundStage on September 3, Farmer’s colleagues, friends and family gatheredto celebrate his 70 years of ongoingservice to SCA as a student, alumnus,professor and archivist.

“The man is absolutely loyal to the institutionthat has educated him, and he’s given back waymore than he ever got,” said Associate Deanof Academic Affairs Michael Renov. “Herb ispart of the living memory of what film educationhas become in the past seven decades.”

A video tribute to the 89-year-old Trojanchronicled how he drove across the countryfrom Buffalo, New York in a 1931 Dodge coupeafter reading about USC in a film magazine.

Upon his arrival, he became one of the producersof a monthly release called the Trojan Newsreel,shot football coaching films and surgical motionpictures for the university, and played thesousaphone in the marching band.

In 1942, a few months before his graduation,he took over teaching a motion picture historyclass from a professor who had been called toactive duty in World War II. Farmer, who alsoserved during the war, returned to USC to receivehis master’s degree in 1954, and has been educatingstudents about film technology ever since.

Currently, he dedicates his full-time efforts to

overseeing one of his most lasting legacies and

gifts to USC, an extensive archive of historical

films and equipment ranging from zoetropes

to the sound board from The Jazz Singer to

prints of Oscar-winning student films. The

archive, which is housed in the basement of

the Norris Theatre Complex, will supply a

trove of artifacts for rotating exhibitions in the

new SCA Complex.

The reception also featured a performance by

the Trojan 10-piece band, congratulatory letters

from Dean Elizabeth M. Daley (who was

overseas and unable to attend) and President

Steven B. Sample, and the unveiling of Farmer’s

first camera, a Bell & Howell model 70.

“When Herb arrived here 70 years ago, he was

a pretty big man on campus because he had a

camera and the school didn’t,” said Doug

Wellman, the school’s director of facilities and

operations. “Herb brought this camera with

him across country, and it became the official

camera of USC cinema. And as Herb taught

here and was a student here, he modified this

camera. He added the 400-foot magazine. He

added a motor drive. He added a variety of

lenses culminating in this zoom lens. And he

constantly improved it. And that is exactly

what Herb has done for this entire school.”

Farmer met the outpouring of gratitude in

kind. “It’s been a wonderful life working with

students here at school,” he told the audience.

“I’m grateful for the time that I’ve been able

to put into it. And I’d do it again if I had to or

could.”

For the past 22 years Professor Doe Mayer hasbeen at the forefront of using the cinematic artsto educate, inform and entertain. She’s taughtfilm, been a pioneer in employing media as atool for social change, and worked in variousphilanthropic fields. On April 14, that legacy ofdedication landed her one of USC’s most prestigious forms of recognition, the AssociatesAward for Excellence in Teaching.

USC Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias

presented Mayer, who holds the Mary Pickford Endowed

Chair, with the award during the 28th Annual Academic

Honors Convocation at Town & Gown.

“I am of course delighted and honored to be receiving the

Associates Award,” Mayer, who holds a joint appointment

in the Annenberg School for Communication, said. “I feel

so very fortunate that USC has encouraged me to stretch

intellectually and creatively in my teaching and has now

recognized in such a gratifying way my efforts to implement

new ideas and new courses across disciplines.”

Nikias described Mayer as an inspiring and passionate

teacher, as well as an international leader using film and

other media to make positive social change.

Mayer’s media and communication work has advanced

“education, health and nutrition, disaster preparation, and

disease prevention in developing countries,” Nikias said.

He also noted that “her creative talent and fieldwork in

Africa, India, China and elsewhere have enhanced her

teaching and mentoring of students who consider her

especially empathetic, supportive and enthusiastic.”

“During the 22 years I have taught at USC, what has been

most important is that I have been allowed to have my

teaching reflect the breadth of my professional interests, so

that my courses have included beginning and intermediate

core production classes at both the undergraduate and

graduate programs, as well as special topics as varied as

creativity and idea development, documentary production

and pre-production, women in the film industry, health

issues in entertainment media, communication campaign

design, and social change media,” Mayer said.

Mayer, a Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Senior Specialist,

has been the recipient of funding from the Bill & Melinda

Gates Foundation for a program to strengthen women’s

organizations in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda. She was

also the first woman hired on tenure track in the School of

Cinematic Arts Production Division, and was honored as a

USC Remarkable Woman and a Fellow in USC’s Center for

Excellence in Teaching.

“The School of Cinematic Arts must be one of the few

places on Earth where you actually have to tell students to

take time off, get some sleep, and have a life,” Mayer said.

“They are totally committed to making movies, and that is

inspiring and incredibly stimulating for a teacher.”

USC Executive VicePresident andProvost C.L. MaxNikias presentsSchool of CinematicArts Professor DoeMayer with the Associates Award for Excellence inTeaching.

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/MayerHonors

Doe maYer HonoreD

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/Cinematic70th

cInematIc 70 tH

TOP: Herb Farmer, center,tests equipment with cinema colleagues, circa1940.

LEFT: Professor EmeritusHerb Farmer and grand-daughter LindseyFarmer, who is majoringin production, celebratethe elder Farmer’s 70years at USC.

Fast TaLK



An American Affair—William Olsson ’99, Director

Angels & Demons—Ron Howard, Producer, Director;Brian Grazer ’74, Producer

Away We Go—Ed Saxon ’84, Producer

Brothers Bloom—Rian Johnson ’96, Writer, Director

Coraline—Bill Mechanic ’76, Producer; Tom Johnson ’81, Re-Recording Mixer

Duplicity—Robert Elswit ‘75, Cinematographer

Fast & Furious—Neal Moritz ’85, Producer

The Greatest—Katie Mustard ’01, Co-Producer;John Bailey ’68, Cinematographer

Hannah Montana: The Movie—Alfred Gough ’94,Miles Millar ’94, Producers

He’s Just Not That Into You—Ken Kwapis, Director;Nancy Juvonen, Producer; Abby Kohn ’96 & Marc Silverstein ’96, Writers; John Bailey ’68, Cinematographer

The International—Charles Roven, Producer

Knowing—Todd Black ’82, Producer; Juliet Snowden ’95, Writer; Marco Beltrami, Music

Monsters vs. Aliens—Eric Aadahl ’98, Sound Editor

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh—Rawson Thurber ’99,Writer, Producer, Director; Jason Mercer ’99, Producer; Pete Chiarelli ’99, Executive Producer

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian—Shawn Levy ’94, Producer, Director; John Schwartzman, Cinematographer

Phoebe In Wonderland—Daniel Barnz, ’95, Director

Race to Witch Mountain—Andrew Gunn ’93, Producer

The Soloist—Gary Foster, Producer

Two Lovers—James Gray ’91, Writer, Producer, Director; John Axelrad ’90, Editor

The Unborn—David S. Goyer ’88, Director, Writer;Jeff Betancourt ’96, Editor; Curt Schulkey ’75,Sound Editor

The Uninvited—Riyoko Tanaka ’00, Co-Producer;Doug Miro ’97, Screenplay

Yonkers Joe—Michael Fimognari ’01, Director ofPhotography

Representatives from 41 of the industry’s leading agencies, managementfirms and production companies gotfirst crack at the latest scripts fromSCA writing students on May 4, as 52writers showcased tales from everygenre during the eighth annual FirstPitch event.

Hosted by Brian Peterson (M.F.A. Writing

1997), writer and executive producer of the

CW’s Smallville, the posh invite-only evening

affair at the Four Seasons Hotel Ballroom in

Beverly Hills featured 20 rounds in which the

soon-to-graduate scribes delivered impassioned

synopses of their film and television projects.

“First Pitch was created by students and is

run by students. Many organizations have

copied this format, but there really is no one

who’s duplicated it,” Writing Division Chair

Jack Epps, Jr., told the industry guests and

undergraduate and graduate students.

“I like to tell my students that movies are

really about endings and new beginnings. And

for our students tonight, this is very much the

ending and the new beginning. They are ending

their advanced studies and beginning their

professional careers,” he added.

Peterson sought to put the anxious participants

at ease, sharing the journey of his own career

and making it clear that there’s no downside

to relaxing and trying your best when opportu-

nity calls.

“The one piece of advice that I got that I

probably remember every time I pitch is that

the person sitting across the table from you

really wants you to succeed,” said Peterson.

“They want to hear the best pitch they’ve

heard in months. They want to bring to their

bosses the best idea they’ve ever heard.”

And with that, he declared the first round

open. The students had been practicing for

weeks in advance of this moment through a

series of “tune-ups” organized by SCA and a

volunteer staff of grads and undergrads

headed by Jacob Michael and William

Nedved, both second-year M.F.A. writers.

Michael and Nedved ceded control of the big

night to their intern staff, all of whom will be

pitching themselves next year, as they geared-up

for a long night of meeting and greeting.

“I had a great event,” said Michael. “Everybody

really seemed to have a good experience and

the industry people were fantastic. I feel like I

was very successful, a lot of script requests.”

Since its inaugural session in 2002, First Pitch

has drawn representatives from some of the

entertainment industry’s most prestigious firms,

including CAA, William Morris, ICM, UTA,

Paradigm, Endeavor, Fuse, Management 360,

Sony, Paramount and Thunder Road, to name

but a few.

The format features a series of rapid-fire five-

minute sessions in which the soon-to-graduate

writers advance from table to table for meetings

that match their stories with the specific inter-

ests of the industry representatives.

A sampling of past First Pitch-ers who parlayed

their USC experience into careers includes:

Caroline Dries (Smallville), Christina Kim

(Lost), Kam Miller (Law & Order SVU), Brad

Riddell (American Pie Band Camp) and Aaron

Rahsaan Thomas (Numb3rs). Miller, the

founder of the event back in 2002, was on

hand at this year’s fete and looked back on

how First Pitch got its start.

“I literally looked around at all my classmates

and I thought they were the most talented

people I had ever met and there was no way

to start their careers,” said Miller. “It seemed

like a no-brainer that we put together a pitch

festival.” That pitch festival would prove

directly responsible for Miller and several of

her classmates finding both exposure and

representation. Miller can even trace her

present-day agent to the inaugural First Pitch

event. Besides the location (the Robert Zemeckis

Center was the initial venue), little has changed

since 2002, including the high success rate.

Graduate student Lizette Clarke went in

knowing full well that she too could have First

Pitch be the start of something big, but didn’t

let nerves get the best of her.

“I think it went great,” said Clarke. “It was

very nerve-wracking in the beginning, but

once you got the hang of it, you saw how easy

it was, it became kind of fun. I was surprised

at how quickly it went. It did not feel like 20

rounds at all, it felt like 20 minutes.”

Those 20 short rounds later, an excited, albeit

exhausted group of students left the Four

Seasons, having made their mark on Hollywood.

When asked how successful she thought the

night was on the whole, Clarke was optimistic,

but pragmatic.

“Time will tell.”

First Pitch 2009 was sponsored by the

A/H Foundation and Albert and Andrea

Friedman.

recent reLeases

ABOVE: Sarah Tarkoff, B.F.A. 2009, pitches her latestwork to representatives from Epigram Entertainment.

LEFT: Smallville Writer/Executive Producer Brian Peterson,M.F.A. 1997, welcomes First Pitch students as they taketheir first step into the industry.


cinema.usc.edu

7

A longtime criticism of Hollywood is that there

are relatively few females in top creative positions,

but as the entries in the recently concluded First

Look festival demonstrated, women are smashing

the celluloid ceiling in a big way.

The event, which took place from April 1 to April 7, featured

a total of 35 titles, of which 23 were produced, 15 were directed

and 12 were written by women. (Many films had women in

two or three of these categories, and women were also

significantly represented in sound, cinematography and

editing.) What’s more, this year’s festival also had three

titles that won prestigious Student Academy Awards, and of

that total, two were directed by women.

The number of women filmmakers succeeding at this year’s

First Look has been a source of pride for many at SCA who

make the festival possible. Larry Auerbach, associate dean of

Student Industry Relations, which hosts First Look, introduced

the festival’s screening of Forrest Gump on April 3 by paying

special mention to the record-setting numbers and earning

strong applause from the packed crowd in Norris Theatre.

Auerbach isn’t the only one excited about the increase in

female-helmed productions at SCA, with projections that

this year’s numbers represent much more than a short-lived

phenomenon.

“The increasing number of women enrolled in the program

and taking active part in the industry is hopefully not a

passing trend,” said Sandrine Cassidy, director of Festivals

and Distribution for SCA, including First Look, “but the

beginning of their strong involvement and recognition in

filmmaking, as well as art in general.”

One of the most notable standouts at First Look, female or

male, was Shih-Ting Hung, M.F.A. Animation ’07. Hung’s

thesis project, Viola: The Traveling Rooms of a Little Giant, was

an instant headliner at the festival, having already

captured top honors for experimental film at the Student

Academy Awards back in June. Viola follows its title character

from childhood onward through a series of dreamlike rooms,

each capturing a different time of her life.

“It was wonderful putting visions into practice,” said

Hung. “I loved it and enjoyed it completely. I am excited

about telling stories and communicating with the audience

emotionally.”

Another woman of SCA whose passion for film was shared

at First Look was Melanie McGraw, M.F.A. Production ’07.

Pitstop, written and directed by McGraw, was also honored

at last June’s Student Academy Awards with a third-place

finish for achievement in narrative film. The film depicts

the story of a young girl who is accidently left behind at a

desert gas station while on a family road trip as she struggles

to find herself as well as a way home.

“I was temporarily living in Utah when I finally had the

courage, at the age of 30, to admit that more than anything I

wanted to make films,” said McGraw. “I decided to take my

chances, move to LA, and try to get into USC’s M.F.A.

program. I had no idea at the time just how much that

decision, and my time at USC, would change my life.”

The director/writer was amazed by the resources available

to her as a filmmaker upon coming to SCA and praised her

all-female Pitstop producing team as she worked to make

the most of her time on campus. McGraw also cited another

group of women when discussing how her career has taken

so many steps forward in such a short amount of time.

“I hadn’t anticipated the extent of the exposure going to

SCA would afford me and my work, in terms of access to the

film industry and having my work get noticed by influential

industry players,” said McGraw. “Sandrine Cassidy, Allison

Melanson, Bonnie Chi, and Torrie Rosenzweig have worked

tirelessly in counseling me about how to achieve my

professional goals and navigate the industry as a whole.”

The staff at Student Industry Relations not only advised

McGraw on her career, they also helped make her First

Look experience possible. Now, after First Look and all the

hard work that came with the experience, McGraw is

reaping the rewards.

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Online:cinema.usc.edu/CelluloidCeilingcinema.usc.edu/FirstLook

sHatterInG tHe CeLLuLoID ceILInG

First Look Award Winners

Faculty AwardsOutstanding CinematographyThe Last Time I Saw RachelCarpet KingdomCollin Brink

Outstanding DirectingA Day’s WorkRajeev Dassani

Outstanding DocumentaryGet Jumped InDavid Kaleo Woo

Outstanding EditingCarry Me HomeJeannette McDuffie and Bret Cornish

Outstanding ProducersElevated Cat Youell and Eric Bergemann

Outstanding ScreenplayGrowing Up VegasAmber Beard

Outstanding Sound Blood DebtsSung Rok Choi and Sanjiv Solanki

Audience Award WinnerCarpet Kingdom

FotoKem AwardsGoldA Day’s Work

Silver In the Dark

BronzeViola: The Traveling Rooms of a Little Giant

Shot from Viola:TheTraveling Rooms of a Little Giant,

written and directed by Shih-Ting Hung, M.F.A.

Animation, ‘07.

I am excited abouttelling stories and communicating with theaudience emotionally.“

”



Ayoung girl

wanders into a forestand meets a satyr, who becomes

her best friend for life. Salome seducesan ancient king into beheading Johnthe Baptist. A woman discovers thesecret of her Aunt Nell when shefinds an old, mechanical peep box.These stories and others were amongthe short animated films screened atAdobe First Frame 2009, engagingthe audience that packed the DirectorsGuild of America Theater on March5 with bold narratives and imaginative visuals.

“When an animated film screens at AdobeFirst Frame, it is the culmination of years ofintense study and meticulous work,” saidGeer DuBois, a 2008 M.F.A. graduate of theJohn C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts [Hench-DADA] and creator ofthe screened Stranger’s Poem, an experimentalpiece that explores a relationship betweentwo strangers.

“The achievement becomes

an honor not only for the

filmmakers, but also for the

entire USC animation

community past and present,” DuBois said.

In addition to offering members of the general

public their first glimpse of the films, the

annual showcase also enables students and

recent alumni to meet with representatives

from across the entertainment industry.

“The show benefits the students and alumni

by giving them recognition and exposure,

networking opportunities, experience with a

theatrical screening, and a DVD which they

can use as a tool when looking for a job,”

Hench-DADA instructor and Exhibits Director

Lisa Mann said. “The show serves to promote

the division, the students, and animation as

an art form for the 21st century.”

First Frame begins each spring when the division

issues a call for submissions to current and

former students. Participants are invited to

contribute any original films or videos that

were completed while attending USC. The

selections that are presented at the event

undergo a rigorous selection process,

ensuring the highest quality.

“Every year since 2002, the Hench-DADA

core faculty have met and juried Adobe First

Frame, selecting only the films which excel

in terms of artistry, technical quality, bold

originality, and passion,” Mann said. “A

character animation with a traditional

narrative structure must meet high standards

relative to its genre; just as an experimental,

non-figurative animation will be judged on

quite a different set of criteria. The resulting

exhibitions have been wowing audiences at

the DGA for years.”

2008 Hench-DADA M.F.A. graduate Joanna

Griebel screened her film Tomboy, a short

about a young girl sent to a special camp to

“cure” her of her desire to be like a boy.

“It means a lot to me to screen the film in

front of a live audience,” Griebel said.

“When I’m with an audience who hasn’t

seen it, I’m able to watch it again like it is

the first time.”

Griebel said that while she was a student in

the division she felt free to tell the stories

that she wanted to and gained a lot from

working with well known professors who

were masters in their field.

“The professors were really great about

putting me in touch with people in the

industry,” Griebel said. “I got to shadow

people at the Cartoon Network and meet

people from the major studios. It was

through the very personal recommendations

that my professors gave me that I landed my

first job at Sony Pictures Animation as a

story production assistant.”

Like DuBois and Griebel, fellow 2008 Hench-

DADA M.F.A. graduate Benjamin Hendricks

also had a positive experience when he screened

his film Hircine Airlines, a CGI-animated film

about a wealthy corporation owned by a

greedy duck.

“First Frame served as a premiere for the

biggest project I’ve ever worked on, and it

served as a more personally relevant screening

than anything I had experienced at other

venues,” Hendricks said. “Not only were

there important industry connections to

make at First Frame, but the animation program

is full of meaningful friendships, which were

strengthened by us coming together and

putting on this show.”

When the Interactive Media Divisionpresented its first master of fine artsthesis showcase in 2005, studentprojects set the precedent for challenging and propelling thebounds of game, immersive, andmobile content. Taking place fromMay 9 to 15 on the Carson SoundStage, the 10 titles in this year’sLook and Feel exhibit pushed thosebounds to new creative frontiers.

“I was very impressed, many of these gamesdeal with some serious themes, the studentsreally took their creativity to another level,”said IMD Professor Anne Balsamo, who curated the show along with Research Associate Professor Perry Hoberman.

Pluff by Diana Hughes is one such game.Deceptively cute and simple at first, theproject incorporates an actual stuffed animalwith sensors built in (“e-textile technology”)that inform the game program of how and inwhat way the user is petting the creature. Onthe game screen one sees a display of Pluff’s(the creature’s) mood. As its mood changes,the user must physically care for the stuffedanimal to prevent it from growing depressed.

In designing the piece, Hughes had a directgoal in mind: “It’s sort of an empathy trainerfor autistic kids, to teach them how and

when to interact with others,” she explained.In a way, the game was comparable to tamagotchis, a Japanese toy/key chain onwhich the player pressed “hug,” “feed,” andother command buttons to keep a creatureon the tiny screen placated. But using agame mechanic that was once the nemesis ofelementary school teachers in the mid-’90s,Hughes has turned the technology into a toolfor special education instructors.

M.F.A. thesis student Jamie Antonisse continued this line of thinking with Spectre,

which aims to examine life, memories andthe things that make us who we are. Theplayer controls “an old man looking back athis life, and you choose the nine memories,from childhood to old age, that make up thestory of his life,” Antonisse said as hedemonstrated the game. Each time theplayer selects various choices, the life of themain character is shaped and shifted.

Besides Pluff and Spectre, Look and Feel alsofeatured AquariYum! by Al Yang, By Nature byMike Rossmassler, Carte Blanche by John

Brennan, Minor Battle by Andre Clark, NahuiOllin by Andrea Rodriguez, On the Shouldersof Giants by R.J. Layton, Runesinger by EthanKennerly, and The Tree: A Storied Experienceby Maya Churi.

Describing the games in this year’s show asdemonstrating a “special degree of maturity,”Balsamo said that quality stretched beyondthe game concepts and into the creative culturebehind them. When asked what lessons eachstudent took away from their experiences,the almost-unanimous verdict across theboard was “collaboration.” Swallowing theirpride and appreciating the feedback of theirfellow classmates and teachers, as well as returning the favors with their own, waslisted among the most valuable learning experiences of the process.

“I hope the students come away from thiswith an appreciation for how much cooperativework goes in to making these things work,”Balsamo said.

“My classmates’ tips were amazing, their insight was crucial to the game turning outthe way it did,” said Kennerly of his Koreanlanguage trainer Runesinger. Since the game isheavily music based, it would not have evenbeen possible without the help and cooperationof fellow students, chiefly those from theThornton School of Music, he added.

InteractIve sHowcase

Online:cinema.usc.edu/IMDThesis2009

Online:cinema.usc.edu/AnimationFirstFrame

Fest Best

Interactive Media Division projects fill the Carson Sound Stageduring the 2009 M.F.A. Thesis Show Look and Feel.

BuildingtheFuturesPecIaL suPPLement

Don’t miss your chance to land a piece of history.The School of Cinematic Arts has published Reality Ends Here: 80 Years of USC Cinematic Arts,an exquisite, limited edition coffee table-sizedbook celebrating SCA’s 80th anniversary. Packedwith anecdotes and rare photographs fromeight decades of USC’s cinematic history, thisbook is a fitting tribute to a school that has produced some of the most acclaimed and innovative creators and scholars in film, television, and interactive media.

The book was produced in a limited run and is not for sale. Whenyou make a donation to the School of Cinematic Arts of $250 ormore, you will receive Reality Ends Here as a token of our thanks.This is the perfect gift for a graduate, current student or anyonewho loves the cinematic arts.

In addition to receiving the book, you will receive one membership to the SCA Network, a select group of alumni and student leaders actively helping the school train the next generation of entertainment industry leaders with the best faculty, facilities, equipment and programs available. SCA Network members not only benefit the school, but also helpthemselves and their careers. By being part of this group, youenjoy numerous benefits with access to exclusive SCA Communityevents, services and gifts. (For more information on the SCA Network and a complete list of benefits, please visit cinema.usc.edu/Network).

We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to add this historical volume to your home library and to continue supportingthe USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/80thBook

80 YearsoF cInematIc arts

Reality Ends Here contains anecdotes and rare

photographs from eight decades of USC’s

cinematic history.

SPECIAL OFFER

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/NewComplex

During his remarks, Lucas reflected on his experience

as a student at USC. “One of the biggest parts

of my education was from just being here, talking

with my classmates,” the class of ’66 alumnus

said. “I’m glad to see that in this new complex,

kids are taking advantage of the open spaces to

do the same thing I did years ago. You spend

time with like-minded people and you talk

about the things you love, and in doing so, you

make every second you’re here a part of your

education.”

Spielberg posed a hypothetical question to the

attendees. “What if every SCA graduate working in

the industry didn’t show up to work on Monday

morning? This town would grind to a halt.”

Spielberg reeled off a list of impressive statistics:

since 1973, at least one SCA alumnus or alumna

has been nominated for the Oscar, totaling 256

nominations and 78 wins. In addition, since

1973, at least one SCA alumnus or alumna has

been nominated for the Emmy, adding up to

473 nominations and 119 awards. The top-17

grossing films of all time have had an SCA

graduate in a key creative position.

“These stats are amazing, but the bigger story is

this: there are hundreds, if not thousands of SCA

alumni, deeply involved in the industry, who

have made it a priority to continue supporting

their alma mater,” said Spielberg. “The financial

help has been important, but just as crucial is

the personal support that alumni have provided:

teaching classes, leading seminars, mentoring

students, and creating job and training

opportunities for graduates. This is the lifeblood

of the SCA family.”

In the early years after its formation in 1929,

the SCA family was a small, yet devoted cadre

of cinephiles who eked out their films on rickety

stages and with borrowed cameras. After decades

of being housed in “the stables,” in 1983 USC

created the School of Cinema-Television, making

it an independent academic unit within the university.

Over the ensuing years, an emphasis was placed

on expanding the definition of what a cinema

school should be. The John C. Hench Division of

Animation & Digital Arts, the Interactive Media

Division and the Peter Stark Producing Program

gave students a host of opportunities that did

not exist at any other cinema program. In 2001,

USC inaugurated the first university-based all

digital production facility for cinema, television

and interactive content with the opening of the

Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts.

The now-completed portion of the new complex

consists of the George Lucas and Steven Spielberg

buildings, which flank the Academy of Motion

Picture Arts & Sciences Courtyard that features a

bronze statue of one of the school’s founders,

Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.

On the ground level of both buildings is the

post-production area, including sound dubbing

stages, editorial labs and classrooms, and ADR

and Foley stages. The first floor of the complex

features the Ray Stark Family Theatre, the

Albert R. and Dana Broccoli Theatre and the

Fanny Brice Theatre, in addition to the Hugh

M. Hefner Exhibition Hall, and the Alfred and

Alma Hitchcock Lobby Court South. Both the

Lucas and Spielberg buildings have large open

lobby areas named for cinematic greats, Mary

Pickford and Harold Lloyd, respectively.

Level two of the complex houses the interactive

media division, the offices for the Summer Program

and Student Industry Relations, and features two

screening rooms, five classrooms, a graduate

student lounge and numerous rooms for student

group meetings. Offices for production, critical

studies, writing and the Peter Stark program

are all housed on the third level, along with

communications & public relations. Two more

screening rooms are on the third floor, along

with several informal gathering areas for students

and faculty. The office of the dean, along with

production faculty and external relations, can

be found on the fourth floor.

The remainder of the complex is currently

under construction, and will include the

38,000-square-feet Animation & Digital Arts

building and three additional production

buildings, housing four studio-sized

soundstages and a Production Services center.

Construction will be completed for these

remaining buildings in August 2010.

“It’s beyond words. It’s very regal,” said Ari

Sandel, M.F.A. Production ’05, when asked

about the new complex. He also lauded the

complex’s many open spaces. “So much of film

school is people getting together to congregate,

collaborate, share ideas. The more space you

can create for people to do that, the better,

because those spaces become classrooms.”

Freshman Ian Manka echoed Sandel’s sentiments

about the collaborative spaces. “I’m in a class

where we’re definitely using the courtyard and

other spaces to meet before class and work on

our presentations, so I can only imagine that as

the facility grows, the entire school will be able

to utilize it even more.”

“It’s fabulous to have a home that’s commensurate

with the status of the school. The building has

a real sense of permanence,” said Writing

Assistant Professor Ted Braun. “The classrooms

are truly 21st century classrooms. In my class, I

can show clips from the movies we’re studying,

then move effortlessly to the students’ work, to

media files, without a technical hitch. That’s

the way it should be in the digital age, and I

love it. As a teacher, it’s the equivalent of an

athlete not having to worry about the club or

the racquet or the skis on your feet. You just

do what you imagine.”

Continued from page 1

PremIere

1 The Cinematic Arts Board Room. The sweeping balcony faces east toward the location of the formerGeorge Lucas Instructional Building, which is currentlybeing removed to create a new green space for theuniversity community.

2 After years of being relegated to the subterraneanvaults beneath the Norris Theatre Complex, itemsfrom the school’s extensive trove of historic cinematicequipment can now be put on public display for thefirst time in the Hugh M. Hefner Exhibition Hall, locatedon the first floor of the George Lucas Building.

3 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf café offers students,faculty, staff and guests a great selection of beverages and light food.

4 Students edit their projects in one of the editoriallabs located on the ground floor post-production area.

5 The main entranceway on West 34th Street at night.

6 The new School of Cinematic Arts Complex is situated directly in the heart of USC’s University ParkCampus, and is a key element in restoring the culturaland economic vibrancy of urban Los Angeles.

7 By tradition, the main screening room in the cinemaschool has always been numbered “108.” That legacycontinues in the new building with the 200-seat RayStark Family Theatre, equipped with digital projectionsystems and 5.1 sound.

1

3

5

LEFT TOP: Slated for completionin August 2010, the six-BuildingSchool of Cinematic Arts Complex will be a fully equippededucational and production facility enabling students tohone their professional skillsand knowledge in every facet of film, television and interactive media.

LEFT BOTTOM: Artist’s rendering of the new home ofthe John C. Hench Division ofAnimation & Digital Arts, located directly to the west ofthe Steven Spielberg Building.

1 The Cinematic Arts Board Room. The sweeping balcony faces east toward the location of the formerGeorge Lucas Instructional Building, which is currentlybeing removed to create a new green space for theuniversity community.

2 After years of being relegated to the subterraneanvaults beneath the Norris Theatre Complex, itemsfrom the school’s extensive trove of historic cinematicequipment can now be put on public display for thefirst time in the Hugh M. Hefner Exhibition Hall, locatedon the first floor of the George Lucas Building.

3 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf café offers students,faculty, staff and guests a great selection of beverages and light food.

4 Students edit their projects in one of the editoriallabs located on the ground floor post-production area.

5 The main entranceway on West 34th Street at night.

6 The new School of Cinematic Arts Complex is situated directly in the heart of USC’s University ParkCampus, and is a key element in restoring the culturaland economic vibrancy of urban Los Angeles.

7 By tradition, the main screening room in the cinemaschool has always been numbered “108.” That legacycontinues in the new building with the 200-seat RayStark Family Theatre, equipped with digital projectionsystems and 5.1 sound.

2

4

6

7

Be a part of the new Cinematic Arts buildings.

Here is your opportunity to participate in

these new facilities and create a lasting

tradition of your own.

In supporting the building complex you’re ensuring that

future generations of talented women and men will have

a chance to make and study film, television and new

media for decades to come.

Your gift to the Building Campaign will also entitle you

to membership in the Leadership Circle, the school’s

premier support group, as well as the SCA Network if

you are a current SCA student or member of the alumni

community.

You can learn more about these groups and their extensive

benefits at: cinema.usc.edu/Network and cinema.usc.edu/LeadershipCircle.

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/RealityIsHere

reaLItY Is Here

Naming opportunities areavailable in interior andexterior locations throughoutthe new complex.

SCREENING ROOM THEATRE SEAT ($5,000)

The “Teatro” cherry wood seats

provide comfort, aesthetics and

durability for the SCA community

to enjoy a rich array of cinematic

experiences. What better way to be

recognized than having one or sev-

eral seats in one of the state-of-the-

art theaters of the new complex?

MARGET TEAK WOOD SOFA ($4,000)COFFEE TABLE ($3,000) ARMCHAIR ($2,500)

The Marget teak pieces are located in the

courtyard, balcony and fireplace areas for all to

use while having a cup of coffee or collaborat-

ing on a project. These four-piece sets can be

named separately or as an ensemble.

BISTRO TEAK TABLE ($5,000)TEAK CHAIR ($2,500)

The courtyard will feature bistro style

teak chairs with a matching bistro

teak table around the outdoor fire-

place, forming an ideal location for

students to review the latest draft of

their scripts, chat about cinematic

history, or relax after a late night in

the editing room.

FREESTANDING STONE BENCH($10,000)

Students enjoy sitting in the courtyard on

these eight-foot-long red sandstone benches

to network with fellow classmates or to do

some last-minute exam preparation.

TREE

Several tree varieties are part of the landscape.

The Jacaranda ($20,000), the Strawberry tree

($20,000), Mexican Fan Palm ($20,000), Sycamore

($50,000) and Kentia Palm ($50,000) and Canary

Island Palm ($100,00), all mature, will afford a

cool respite from the sun-drenched days. A plaque

will be placed at the base of each tree with the

donor’s name.

PLANTER ($15,000)

Light cream in color, these urn-shaped,

cast-stone planters are filled with

beautiful bougainvillea that

complements the stunning design of

the building.

Contribute to the future of the schooland leave your mark by joining theBuilding Campaign today.


cinema.usc.edu

13

1 November 18, 2008: Instructor of Cinema Practice

Jason E. Squire with guest speaker Jon Favreau, director of

Iron Man, which was the case study for Squire’s CTPR 386

class.

2 February 7, 2009: Filmmaker Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s

World) and Critical Studies Professor David James were

among the panelists delving into the music and cinema of

the Rolling Stones during the week-end long Rolling Stones

on Film Festival at Norris Theatre.

3 November 3, 2008: Actress Helen Mirren (The Queen,

Prime Suspect) chats with students during her appearance in

Howard Rosenberg’s Television Symposium class.

4 May 4, 2009: Representatives from some of the industry’s

leading agencies, management firms, studios and

independent producers check in at the Four Seasons in

Beverly Hills to hear the latest pitches from SCA writers at

First Pitch 2009.

5 March 29, 2009: Filmmaker and alumnus George Lucas ’66

autographs a student’s shirt at the opening of the new SCA

complex.

6 March 28, 2009: Actor Tom Cruise shares a moment

with filmmaker George Lucas during a tour of the new

SCA complex.

7 April 3, 2009: Forrest Gump writer Eric Roth, director

Robert Zemeckis and actors Gary Sinise and Tom Hanks gather

at Frank Sinatra Hall for a Q&A with students.

8 May 15, 2009: Board of Councilors Chairman Frank Price,

Dean Elizabeth M. Daley, Spiderman producer Laura Ziskin ’73,

and Grey’s Anatomy creator/executive producer Shonda

Rhimes ’94 at the 2009 commencement ceremony at the

Shrine Auditorium.

onLYat uscmoments

1

6

4

3

7

9

2

5



The SCA Network celebrated its first anniversary

on May 10 with a pre-release screening of

Angels & Demons that drew hundreds of alumni

and students to the all-new School of Cinematic

Arts complex.

Angels & Demons unspooled in the plush 200-seat Ray

Stark Family Theatre, where SCA Network members enjoyed

a sneak peek at alumni Ron Howard (director-producer) and

Brian Grazer’s (producer) much-anticipated sequel to The

Da Vinci Code. Guests were also treated to a visit from the

In-N-Out burger truck, which provided the catering for

the evening.

Besides film, friends and food, SCA Network members

enjoyed the opportunity to check out the school’s new

home (including guided tours) and to pick up the first

available copies of the 2009 SCA Alumni Directory, which

were hot off the presses.

The SCA Network is moving into its second year with over

700 members already, and it continues to be a vital force in

strengthening the school’s alumni participation rate, which

in turn affects USC’s national rankings. For 2008, the

participation rate rose to 27 percent, up from 15 percent in

2007. Whether you donate $25 or $2,500, the important

part is that alumni give something every year.

sca NetworK

2

“I am proud to be a member of the creative Trojan

family, and as such, made a pledge to myself that I

was always going to see what I could do to help out

the School of Cinematic Arts. For years I donated $15,

then upped it to $20, always knowing that whatever

I could do would help to ‘pass on’ the quality of

education and ‘hands-on’ practical experience that are

the legacy of this program. When I had more, I gave

more because of the connection I feel with everyone

who is a part of this place and the desire for it to

continue for as long as there are people around who

want to do no more than use their talents to tell a

good story through cinema.”

– Victoria E. Rhodes,’78

"What I didn’t realize until I graduated was that I

should be less concerned with the few dozen people

in my class and more with the few million that I’m

now competing with from all over the U.S. and the

world. Because the people that you meet and befriend

while here at 'SC become your most valuable

relationships. And to get to join an alumni group like

this not only strengthens bonds you may already have

with certain classmates, it also brings about new

friends and new contacts that all center around an

affiliation with the best film school in the world."

– Jason Shuman ’96

So, how do I become a part of the SCA Network?

It’s easy—just visit cinema.usc.edu/Network to viewthe complete list of benefits and giving levels. Then click on

the Join the Network link. You may use our secure Online

Giving site (cinema.usc.edu/OnlineGiving) tomake a donation, and to designate your gift toward such

areas as the Dean’s Fund, Parent Fund, or our New Building

Campaign. As long as you make a gift of at least $25, you’re

in the SCA Network!

In order to join the SCA Network, alumni and students must

activate or update their profile via the SCA Community Web

site (scacommunity.usc.edu).

In addition to the philanthropic benefits, members can benefit

their own careers by mingling with fellow alumni and students,

and attend advance screenings of Hollywood’s top films.

Over the past year, besides Angels & Demons, SCA Network

members received invitations to special showings of Indiana

Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Dark Knight,

Tropic Thunder, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and

The Hangover. Additional exciting events are being planned,

so alumni should stay tuned to the SCA Community Web

site (and their email) for more up-to-date information on

SCA Network activities and all the latest news and

happenings at the school.

If you have any SCA Network or SCA Community questions

or concerns, feel free to call the Office of Alumni Relations

and Annual Giving at 213.740.2804 or email us at

[email protected].

1

Join the SCA Network �


cinema.usc.edu

15

Success in the entertainment industry is a mix of what youknow and who you know. At theSchool of Cinematic Arts youlearned the “what,” and thanks tothe just-released SCA Alumni Directory, you can reach out tothousands of your fellow alumniwho are the “who.”

The directory includes contact informationand official degree information (if available)of Cinematic Arts alumni. The publicationalso contains records of some non-degreeholding alumni who attended the school aswell as records of non-cinema USC alumniwho are actively involved with the schooland in the entertainment industry.

In addition to the print edition, the schoolhas also enabled directory-eligible Networkmembers to access the same informationon the SCA Community Web site, (scacommunity.usc.edu). This site not onlygives you access to the latest information,but also enables you to add or update yourown data once you have signed up for an account. You can also choose whether toallow part or all of your own contact information to be visible to other alumni.

As the only directory of SCA alumni, thispublication is not for sale nor is it availableto the general public. Rather, it is offeredexclusively to members of the SCA Networkwho support the school through donationsof $50 or more.

sca aLumnI DIrectorY

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1 Anthony Lund B.A. Production ’07 checks in.

2 The crew from In-N-Out serves up a slew of

burgers, fries and soft drinks.

3 Alumni pack into the Ray Stark Family Theatre in the

new SCA complex to catch the opening of Angels &

Demons.

4William Tiki B.A. Production ’10 enjoys a bite to eat.

5 Jason Shuman B.A. Production ’96 and his sister

Kathy check out the brand new SCA Alumni Directory.

6 Kam Miller M.F.A Writing ’03, Barbara Stepansky

M.F.A. Production ’02 and Henry Lowenfels M.F.A.

Stark ’06 chat.

7 Alumni Relations Director Justin Wilson (left) and

Special Events Coordinator Alex Ago (right) with Kevin

Bjelejac of Sony Pictures, which provided the school

with the Angels & Demons print for the event.

To learn more and to get your copy, please visit: cinema.usc.edu/Network

Glenn Adilman ’90 was named executivevice president of comedy development atSony Pictures Television.

Malek Akkad ’06 of Trancas InternationalFilms will produce another chapter of Halloween for Dimension Films.

Judd Apatow is producing an untitledcomedy starring Sacha Baron Cohen for Columbia Pictures.

Jose Arinaga ’04 is slated to direct shortform Web content for HBO Mobile. He alsorecently started the editorial and productionhouse Sick Cuts.

John August ’94will adapt the supernaturalgraphic novel Preacher for Columbia Pictures.

Shyam Balse ’06 attached to direct a feature that is being produced by WolfgangPetersen for Radiant Productions. He andJoseph Itaya ’06 are also writing a featurescript concept called Last Ride, which will gointo production for Sure Crossing Films.

Brad Barber ’05 served as associate producerand co-editor of Resolved, a documentaryairing on HBO. The film was assistant-editedby Sheda Stiff ’05 and production sounddone by Joshua Wilkinson ’06.

Daniel Barnz ’95 will write and direct themodern day Beauty and the Beastadaptation Beastly for Storefront Films.

Beau Bauman ’01 will produce the pitchMr. Romance for New Regency. He will alsoproduce the romantic teen comedy Aaronand Sarah with fellow alumnus Jesse Israel ’04.

Walt Becker ’95 will direct Wild Hogs 2.He will also produce the comedy spec NoRelation for Fox Searchlight and the comedy pitch Still You for MGM.

Elisa Bell ’87 will executive produce andwrite the new series Barely Legal for NBCabout an 18-year-old who passes the California bar. Hillary Duff will star.

Marco Beltrami composed the music forThe Hurt Locker, which premiered at theToronto Film Festival.

Todd Black ’82 of Escape Artists will produceLoving Frank, Nancy Horan’s historical novelabout architect Frank Lloyd Wright, for

Lionsgate. He will also be co-producing theromantic comedy Plan B, starring JenniferLopez, for CBS Films.

Michael Bostick ’90 will produce thecomedy Mother Nature for Walden Media.Ellen DeGeneres will star.

Joey Boukadakis will write the remake ofthe ’80s comedy classic Back to School for MGM.

Sarah Boyd ’95 edited Nothing But the Truth,which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

Carlos Brooks will direct the thrillerBurning Bright for Sobini Films.

Bryan Burk ’91 will produce the comedyMorning Glory for Paramount.

Michael Caldwell ’90 is producing anuntitled George Washington project aboutthe life of America’s first president.

Alex Canawati ’91 produced the featureReturn to Babylon, a black and white silentfilm that pays tribute to the movie stars ofthe silent movie era.

Sandre Chen ’96 contributed a chapter tothe book Writing for Video Game GenresFrom FPS to RPG.

Sereita Cobbs ’94 is now coordinatingproducing on the live weekday show SportsCenter for ESPN.

Ryan Colluci ’04 and Dikran Ornekian’04 have sold their action thriller script Loboto Stone Village.

Ericson Core will direct the crime thrillerMurder, Inc. for Anonymous Content.

Nelson Cragg ’03 was nominated by theAmerican Society of Cinematographers forhis work on the season finale (the episode titled “For Gedda”) of CSI Crime Scene Investigation.

Karen Croner ’87 wrote the indie filmDaughter of the Queen of Sheba, in whichAmy Adams will star.

R.J. Cutler will executive produce PrettyWicked, a new reality series for Oxygen.

Chad Gomez Creasey ’03 and DaraResnik Creasey ’03 wrote the romanticcomedy Aaron and Sarah for Fox 2000.

Steve Crystal ’93 is producing the Marvinthe Martian feature for Warner Bros.

Scott Derrickson ’95 is set to direct HyperionCantos for Warner Bros. and GK Films.

Jonathan Dillon ’06 had his feature filmRigged, which he directed and produced,was accepted by the Dances with Film andthe Action on Film International Festival in LA.

Josh Donen ’79 will produce an adaptationof the comic book Sleeper with Sam Raimi.

Jackie Doslak ’03 created the show Exiled for MTV with fellow alum StephenAmstutz ’01.

Susan Downey ’95 is producing Book ofEli, a drama staring Denzel Washington andthe drama Sherlock Holmes for Warner Bros.She also produced RocknRolla.

Daniel Dubiecki is producing Up in theAir, an adaptation of the Walter Kirn novel,alongside director Jason Reitman ’99.

Jon Dunham ’00 produced and directedthe documentary Spirit of the Marathon,which was part of Docuweek NY.

Steven Edell ’08 won the Gold CircleAward for outstanding student film at theCaucus Awards.

Breck Eisner ’95 will direct the remake ofthe 1973 George Romero film The Crazies.

Kevin Ellis will write the pilot for an HBOseries based off the American Tabloid booksby James Ellroy.

Dan Etheridge ’92 co-producing Party Downfor Starz. It follows a group of Los Angeleslocals who work for a catering company.

Rick Famuyiwa ’96will direct Family Wedding.

Kevin Feige ’95 will produce CaptainAmerica, which is slated to release in 2011.

Gary Fleder ’93 will direct and executiveproduce the TV dramedy Light Years. He hasextended his overall deal with ABC Studios.

David Foster will produce a remake of the1982 film The Thing for Universal with fellowalumnus Eric Newman. He is also producingthe upcoming Marvin Gaye biopic titled Marvin.

DeVon Franklin ’00 was promoted to vicepresident of production at Columbia Pictures.

Andy Friendly ’73 is producing a new series on Discovery’s new Planet GreenNetwork called Supper Club.

Jonathan Glickman will produce LeapYear starring Amy Adams.

Liz Glotzer ’85 will produce an untitled romantic comedy starring Sarah JessicaParker and Hugh Grant for Columbia Pictures.

Al Gough ’94 and Miles Millar ’94wrote and will direct Salisbury for Disney.

James Gray ’91 will direct The Lost City ofZ starring Brad Pitt.

Brian Grazer ’74 is executive producing theseries Lie to Me for Imagine TV and 20th CenturyFox and the drama Tehran for Imagine Entertainment. He will also produce the remakeof the French film My Best Friend, which willbe written by Wes Anderson. Grazer will alsoproduce the Pharrell Williams music-themedfilm Zoom and the Universal film Cartel.

Robert Greenblatt ’87 is producing thestage musical of 9 to 5

Luke Greenfield ’94 will direct My Momis Hot for ABC and Broke Friends for Fox,which he will also executive produce.

Larry Guterman is set to direct My Middle Earth Crisis aka Wizard of Sanduskyfor New Regency.

Kristina Hackel ’00 was nominated for aWebbie award for her web series Speedie Date.

Taylor Hackford ’68 will be directingTenn, a drama about playwright TennesseeWilliams, for Infinity Media.

Jason Dean Hall wrote Spread, starringAshton Kutcher, which premiered at the2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Jack Heller ’04 of Caliber Media will execproduce a reality show starring WWEwrestling legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austinwith fellow alumnus Dallas Sonnier ’02.

Barry Hershey ’87 completed directingthe feature film Leading to War.

Kara Holden will adapt the novel The Opposite of Love.

Ming Hsiung co-directed and designedthe short film Lighthouse for Liberty Mutual’sResponsibility Project.

Brant Jones ’00 is now the cinema technician at Denison University.

Richard Kelly ’97 produced the dark comedyWorld’s Greatest Dad for Darko Entertainment.

Scott Kosar ’89 will write the screenplayfor the remake of The Crazies.

Sandre Chen ’96



aLumnI QuIcK taKes

Jeff Prugh ’07

Jason Dean Hall

Brian Krinsky ’98 served as producer ofthe comedy short Dish. Fellow alums Geraud Brisson ’99 and David Miraglia ’00 served as editor and sounddesigner, respectively.

John Kroll ’84 will supervise visual effectsfor Rango, an animated feature for Paramount.

Tim Krubsack ’92 has been appointed Sci Fi Channel’s vice-president of alternativeprogramming.

Kurt Kuenne ’95 directed the documentaryDear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.

Nolan Lebovitz ’01 and AdamLebovitz ’05 sold their feature thriller Tortured to Sony Pictures Worldwide.

Alexander S. Lee ’02 premiered his filmThe Real Shaolin at the 2008 Toronto FilmFestival.

Barry Levy ’96 will adapt the best-sellingnovel Paranoia for Gaumont.

Shawn Levy ’94will produce NeighborhoodWatch for 20th Century Fox; will direct DateNight, starring Steve Carrell; will develop andproduce for 20th Century Fox the comedyHow to Talk to Girls, based on the adviceguide written by nine-year-old Alec Greven;will direct an adaptation of the Adena Halprennovel The Ten Best Days of My Life; he willalso produce the dramedy The SpectacularNow for Fox Searchlight; and will be directing the coming-of-age story The WayBack for Mandate Pictures.

Jack Lewis ’94 the documentary OperationHomecoming, based on his short stories, has received numerous nominations includingthe International Documentary Associationfeature film award and the Pare Lorentz award.

Joe Lia ’03 directed and wrote his first featurefilm Sweet Thing. Matt McUsic ’03 served asdirector of photography, Guillermo Rodriguez’04 as editor, Francois Dompierre ’04 assound designer and post-supervisor, andPatrick Kirst ’04 as music designer.

Doug Liman will direct Fair Game aboutthe outing of CIA Agent Valerie Plame.

Alex Litvak ’95 has sold his spec scriptMedieval to New Regency.

Robert Liu ’66 was awarded the CareerAchievement in Television Award by American Society of Cinematographers.

George Lucas ’66 is producing Red Tailsbased on a short story about the TuskegeeAirmen.

Jason Lust ’00 will produce the Jim Henson Co. film Happytime Murders.

Laurence Malkin ’94 wrote the dramaCrossroads, which will be produced forWarner Horizon TV and McG’s Wonderlandcompany.

Michelle Manning will produce ColdWarrior, to be directed by Shane Black.

Stephanie Mardesich ’77 was honoredwith the Pioneer Woman of the Year Awardfor her work with the LA Harbor film festival.

Corey May ’01 and Dooma Wendschuh ’01 of Sekretagent Productionsare executive producing the drama The Dogsof Babel for Mandate Pictures.

Kevin McCollum ’89 will executive producean adaptation of the Broadway musical Inthe Heights.

Jen McGowan ’05 is directing the romanticcomedy Half of Two for Puzzle Pictures.

Neil Moritz ’85 will produce the disasterfilm Skyscraper; will produce an untitledcomedy from Jeremy Garelick.

Eric Newman will produce Dante’s In-ferno, a film adaptation of an unreleasedElectronics Arts video game.

Cinco Paul ’93 wrote Despicable Me inwhich Steve Carell will star; wrote the Eastercomedy I Hop for Universal.

Jeff Prugh ’07 produced the web series TheHustler, launched by Sony Digital Entertainment.

Nick Pustay ’95 has been tapped to adaptLisa Lerner’s dark comedic novel Just Like Beauty.

Matt Reeves ’88 will write and direct Letthe Right One In for Overture Films.

Patricia Resnick ’75 wrote the book version of the stage musical of 9 to 5.

Jay Roach ’86 will produce an untitled divorce comedy for Universal from EdwinCannistraci and Fredrick Seton.

Robert Rodat ’83 will write Tom Thumbfor Warner Brothers.

Charles Roven will produce the comedyWinter’s Discontent for Atlas Entertainment;will produce Season of the Witch starringNicolas Cage.

Andrew Russo ’08 was awarded as runner-up for Best Cinematography in a Student Film by the American Society of Cinematographers this year.

Michael Rymer ’85 will direct and co-produce Witchblade, a feature film adaptation of the Top Cow comic.

Josh Schwartz ’99 will write the screenplayfor X-Men: First Class, the next installment ofthe X-Men franchise; will make his directingdebut with the adaptation of Jay McInerneynovel Bright Lights, Big City for MGM.

Peter Segal ’84 and his company CallahanFilmworks, gained a three--picture first lookdeal with Warner Bros which will start withthe film Liam McBain: International TennisStar and Proper English Geezer.

Garo Setian ’95 won three Golden TrailerAwards for his work as trailer editor for Lionsgate.

Stacey Sher ’85 will produce an untitledfilm about a family who gets lost on anAfrican safari and must find their way backhome; will produce an untitled college comedy film for DreamWorks.

Ian Shorr ’07 wrote the spec script Substitution, which was acquired by AlconEntertainment and Warner Bros.

Jason Shuman ’96 is producing MiddleMen starring Luke Wilson.

Bryan Singer ’89 is in negotiations to produce the superhero feature Capeshootersfor Warner Bros. His company Bad Hat Harrywill also develop a live-action feature fromthe comic book Freedom Formula: Ghost ofthe Wasteland for New Regency.

Stephanie Smith ’01 sold a pilot to theCW entitled Body of Evidence and premieredher first feature Sex & The USA at theDeauville Film Festival.

CB Smith-Dahl ’96 worked with YouthFilmmakers in Oakland for the CaliforniaCouncil for the Humanities to produce a documentary short on Cambodian Americans.

Stephen Sommers ’93 will direct Tarzan

for Warner Bros., produced by Jerry Weintraub.

Matt Spincer ’05 and Max Winkler ’06

wrote The Adventurer’s Handbook, which

was recently acquired by Universal.

Mimi Steinbauer ’90 was recently named

president of Hyde Park International.

Stephen Susco ’00 wrote High School,

starring Adrien Brody; will adapt the Spanish

horror film Anguish for Sam Raimi’s Ghost

House. It will be redubbed The Dorm.

Doug Tenaglia ’81 is directing his first

full-length independent film All Me, All the

Time.

Andy Tennant ’77 will direct Chasing

Harry Winston, an adaptation of the Laura

Weisberger novel; will direct an untitled

bounty hunter project with Columbia

starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler.

Neil Moritz ’85 is set to produce.

Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd will

produce The Romantics for Plum Pictures.

Liv Tyler will star; will produce Celeste and

Jesse Forever for Fox Atomic.

Jon Turteltaub ’97 will direct

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

John Wells ’82 will be writing and

producing the U.S. version of England’s

iconic blue-collar television drama Shameless.

Jared Yeager ’02 is the associate producer

for the video game Monsters vs. Aliens

based off the DreamWorks animated feature.

Robert Zemeckis ’73 will produce the

motion-capture film Mars Needs Moms.

Laura Ziskin ’73 will produce the

adaptation of The Spellman Files, written by

Josh Stolberg ’97. The script follows the

life of a single private eye juggling dating

and a caseload.


cinema.usc.edu

17

Kurt Kuenne ’95

LEFT: Joey Boukadakis

RIGHT: Patricia Resnick ’75



Nina Foch

Hundreds of friends, students and colleagues gatheredat the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences onApril 14 to pay tribute to Nina Foch, the widely respected teacher and veteran actress whose creditsstretch back to the golden age of Hollywood film noir.

Foch, who passed away on December 5, 2008 at age 84, taught theAdvanced Seminar in Directing Actors for Film, where she passedalong lessons learned from a lifetime of acting in acclaimed films likeAn American in Paris, Spartacus, and Scaramouche. For her portrayal ofErica Martin in the Robert Wise-directed Executive Suite, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.She was equally comfortable in film and television, appearing inclassic series like Lou Grant, The Mod Squad and Gunsmoke. As recently as 2007, she appeared in an episode of the critically-acclaimedTNT series, The Closer.

“Believe it or not, teaching is the most rewarding thing I do,” Fochtold United Press International in 1994. “It has been the most successful thing I’ve done in my life.”

“Nina taught our students one of the most difficult skills in the cinematic arts: how to turn the words on the page into compellingperformances,” said Dean Elizabeth M. Daley. “She inspired andinfluenced generations of USC women and men, who in turn wenton to shape the direction of both cinema and television. We are alltruly saddened by this loss.”

“It was electrifying to be in her classroom,” said Assistant ProfessorTed Braun, M.F.A. Writing ’88, director of Darfur Now. “Her stampis on all of us who studied with her. Everything that I teach now issomehow influenced by the understanding of drama and cinemathat I gleaned from her.”

Randal Kleiser, director of Grease and Flight of the Navigator, spokewarmly about Foch. “I took her class 40 years ago, and she wentfrom being a teacher to a mentor to a best friend,” said Kleiser. “Her unique teaching style reflected her influences, ranging fromLee Strasberg and Stella Adler to Vincente Minnelli and StanleyKubrick. Several generations of filmmakers are lucky to have beentrained by her, and you can see their funny and touching recollections at the Tribute to Nina Foch page on Facebook.com.”

Online: cinema.usc.edu/NinaFoch

In memorIam

Charlene Sun ’06

2006 M.F.A. Production Alumna,Charlene Sun, 34, who approachedcinematography from the uniqueperspective of an artist painting images with a camera lens, died ina tragic automobile accident in LosAngeles on January 27.

Since childhood, Sun dreamed of being afilmmaker. While majoring in Theatre Artsat Cornell University, she took every filmmaking class they offered. She joinedthe graduate production program in 2003 topursue that quest.

Her skills and passion as a director of photographycame to the fore on three short films, Underpass,Meeting in Cars and Marwa. Sun, who wasalways willing to help out on classmates’ projects,did everything from gaffing to driving equipmenttrucks. During her time at USC, she contributedto more than a dozen USC thesis films.

Fellow production alumna Rain Breaw,M.F.A. ’07, struck up a friendship with Sunduring an editing class early on in their USCexperience. That friendship grew into a professional relationship after graduation,with the two of them forming SunRain Productions, a film/video production andWeb development company. Together, theycreated numerous short video projects andover 50 Web sites.

“As the Sun of SunRain, Charlene was theperfect balance for me,” Breaw said duringthe memorial service for her friend. “Sheconstantly reminded me to enjoy life, andenjoy our work, and not take it all so seriously(though our perfectionist friend did putgreat seriousness into all of her work). Shebrought beauty to our work. Our styles wereopposite and yet we had similar taste. Shewas the night owl while I worked during theday. We could not have been a better match.”

In addition to being a talented cinematographer,Sun was also a gifted artist and an accomplishedwriter. She was in the midst of completing hersecond feature script with her writing partner,Steven Edell, M.F.A. ’08. They were takingmeetings at over 20 production companiesand studios for their first feature script Raftof the Medusa.

Arrangements are underway to create ascholarship at the school to honor Sun’slegacy. For more information and to sharetributes, please visit: cwsun.sunrainproductions.com

Margaret Mehring

Dr. Margaret Mehring, arenowned scholastic writer, filmdirector, and humanitarian, aswell as a long-time professor inthe School of Cinematic Arts,passed away on July 3, 2008 at 82.

The beloved academic innovator of theFilmic Writing program was also a politicalactivist who led the university in creatingthe only monument dedicated to the FirstAmendment, entitled, “Blacklist,” basedon the Hollywood 10—the blacklistedwriters during the McCarthy era of the 1950s.

Of her varied accomplishments, Mehring’sbook, The Screenplay, A Blend of Film, Form,and Content, is still used by universitiesacross the country. Her textbook on howsmall groups could create a grassrootsmovement entitled, How to Win: A DemocraticGrassroots Handbook, was initially writtento aid a fledgling Democratic congressionalcandidate named Henry Waxman in winninghis seat in 1974. These stories and 50other educational and documentary filmsdemonstrate her depth of understandingin exploring the democratic process.

Shortly after her husband, filmmakerWilliam Samuel Mehring died in 1957,she and her son Will, who was 18 at thetime, led a band of Iranian filmmakers todocument their history dating back to4000 B.C. And, in the last years of her lifeshe encouraged young people of theOglala Lakota Tribe to employ methods inmedia to document and teach all of ushow to environmentally guard the world.

John Furia, Jr.

Venerated television and filmwriter John Furia, Jr., whofounded the school’s division ofWriting for Screen & Televisionand was an ardent activist forwriters across the industry, diedFriday, May 9 at the age of 79.

Furia, whose credits included some oftelevision’s landmark programs such asThe Twilight Zone, Hawaii Five-O, TheWaltons and Kung Fu, also served asthe national chairman and past presidentof the Writers Guild of America (WGA)and past president of the Writers Guild Foundation.

“John was the writer’s writer; observingthe raw essence of the human experience

and infusing that into truly movingcharacters and stories,” said Dean Elizabeth M. Daley. “What’s more, hehad an unsurpassed ability to excite andinspire his students to do the same, andthat legacy lives on in literally thousandsof film and television scripts.”

In 1995, Furia served as the foundingchairperson of the writing division,joining together the Filmic WritingBachelor of Fine Arts Program with theGraduate Screenwriting Program. In doingso, the division became a powerhousefor teaching scribes in film, television,and more recently interactive and onlinemedia. Students who went through theprogram after the division was startedinclude Josh Schwartz (The O.C., GossipGirl), James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, Basic)and Stephen Chbosky (Jericho, Rent).

“John has left a very rich legacy at theWriting Division and I know he hastouched the lives of all of us who hadthe special pleasure and honor to knowhim,” said current chair Jack Epps, Jr.“One of our family has fallen and wewill miss him greatly.”

In creating the writing division, Furiasaid in a recent interview that both thebachelor’s and master’s programssought to “stress that amateur writerswrite when the muse visits them, butprofessionals write on demand.” Thedivision intentionally structured the bulkof the writing courses to take place insmall, highly collaborative workshopsbecause, in Furia’s words, “We believeyou learn how to write from writing,not talking about writing.”

Online: cinema.usc.edu/JohnFuria


cinema.usc.edu

19

Online:

cinema.usc.edu/Commencement2009

honor of the day, the Staff Recognition Award,which went to Facilities and Operations DirectorDouglas Wellman, followed by the presentationof the Mary Pickford Alumni Award by endowedchair holder Doe Mayer to Grey’s Anatomy andPrivate Practice creator Rhimes, who is a 1994alumna of the Graduate Screenwriting Program.

“Shonda’s incredible success shares parallelswith Mary Pickford’s career,” said Mayer.“Both were inveterate storytellers who beganin the theater. Both took chances by choosingto follow their passions over immediate financial stability. And both made a career outof creating strong, realistic, flawed and utterlyengaging female characters.”

“I don’t have any wisdom,” said Rhimes withdeadpan delivery. It didn’t stop the GoldenGlobe winner from looking back from her owncommencement onward to give out advice thegraduates would remember.

“Do your own thing. Whatever it is, be original,”said Rhimes. “Enjoy it, your career, the highsand the lows. Enjoy every single moment, because this is it. It happened, right now. Thisis why you went to film school all this time.”

The third honor preceding the commencementaddress was a surprise. Price, chairman and CEOof Price Entertainment, as well as a USC trusteeand chairman of the SCA Board of Councilors,came to the Shrine to give an introductoryspeech for the keynote, Ziskin. But the famedexecutive behind Oscar winners like Kramervs. Kramer, Tootsie and Gandhi was nearlymoved to tears when he learned he would alsoreceive the second-ever SCA Honorary Alumnusaward in recognition of his contributions to boththe school and the film/television industry. Pricejoins only Clint Eastwood in having received this rare and prestigious designation.

“I’m speechless,” said Price. “I came here prepared to do one thing and I’ve been hit bythis delightful event, this surprise. I’m notsure if I ever told [Dean Daley] that when Iwas in high school in Flint, Michigan, that Idid want to go to USC. I didn’t do it. I couldn’tafford to do it. Frankly, I most wanted to helpmake sure that kids who couldn’t afford itwould be able to do it.”

Price joked about his emotional response tothe award before moving on to introduceZiskin. The producer of hits like As Good As ItGets, Pretty Woman and the Spiderman franchise,began her address by acknowledging the chal-lenges ahead for the 2009 graduates, only toremind them that the challenge is worthwhileand that the industry isn’t going anywhere.

“They’ve said sound will kill the movies. Television will kill the movies. Video will killthe movies. DVDs will kill the movies. Videoon demand will kill the movies. Visual effectsmovies will kill the movies. The Internet andvideo games will kill the movies. Deliverymethods may change and grow,” said Ziskin,“but the power of the medium will remainunassailable, because you all will make it so.”

Ziskin recognized the opportunity that comeswith telling stories on the screen, citing thevalue and impact a motion picture can have for so many people.

“There are seven billion people in the world,”said Ziskin. “How many of them get up everyday and say they are going to use whatever resources they have to make the world a betterplace? You can and must do so with the poweryou will wield, coming from the enormous opportunities you’ve been given here. Andthere is no more powerful resource ever createdthan the power of a great story well told.”

With that, came the presentation of the degrees. Writing M.F.A. grad Zahir McGheelooked at his commencement and time at SCAas the right start for the road ahead.

“I think it gave me the foundation, the buildingblocks, the ability to move forward,” said McGhee,a USC Annenberg Fellow and graduate withdistinction.

Another aspiring filmmaker moving forwardwas critical studies B.A. grad, Cameron Siemer.However, Siemer didn’t see himself having totravel very far to take the next big step in his career.

“My plans are to apply to the production graduateschool and use what I know from critical studies,”said Siemer. “All the foundations I’ve learned,how to dissect a film, will help me to createfilms in the future.”

Siemer also noted the value of networking helearned in his four years and how he’s met notonly people who can help him with his career,but “meeting people I’m probably going to befriends with for the rest of my life.”

The books are closed on the class of 2009 and

now only time will tell what the future holds

for these graduates, what wisdom they may

someday share as special commencement

guests years from now or what stories they

may someday tell online, on televisions or on

the silver screen.

“I’m writing Spiderman 5,” joked McGhee.

“Starting tomorrow.”

Continued from page 1

commencement

CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: Laura Ziskin ‘73delivers her commencement address; ProfessorDoe Mayer presents alumna Shonda Rhimes‘94 with the Mary Pickford Foundation Award;soon-to-graduate students take in words ofadvice; families, faculty and friends congratulatethe new alumni at a reception in the SCAcourtyard; SCA Board of Councilors ChairmanFrank Price and his wife Katherine; DouglasWellman (left) receives the Staff RecognitionAward from Associate Dean Michael Renov.

University of Southern California

School of Cinematic Arts, SCA 370

Los Angeles, California 90089-2211

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cinema.usc.edusca aLumnI screenInG serIes

Roberto A. Gomez

Janet CaoAlyx CarrRyan Gilmour

Alan Baker

Steve Cohn

Caleb Coppola

Peter DiFazio

Roberto A. Gomez

Jacqueline Jocson-Bolanos

Mike Lee

Slobodan Pikula

Design

Researchers

Contributing Photographers

Elizabeth M. Daley

Marlene Loadvine

John Zollinger

Mel Cowan

Josh EiserikeJimmy KellyTeresa LoCristy LytalJustin WilsonJohn Zollinger

Dean

Senior Associate Dean,External Relations

Assistant Dean, Communications

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Contributors

Looking to link up with old friends, meetnew ones and see some of the summer’shottest films? Then come on down to campusfor the SCA Alumni Screening Series.

Running from June 1 through August 5, the showings

will include a dynamic selection of studio blockbusters,

festival-winning indies, docs and foreign films, as well as

new feature films by SCA alumni. The films will play in

Norris Theatre as well as the new Cinematic Arts Complex

screening rooms. A sampling of screenings includes

Surveillance, The Cove and Grace.

The SCA Alumni Screening Series is open to all USC students,

faculty, staff and alumni, but please note the theater will

be overbooked to ensure capacity and the RSVP list will

be honored on a first-come, first-served basis.

SCA Network members will be given exclusive windows

to RSVP first for some of the most popular titles. Please

stay tuned to scacommunity.usc.edu and your email for

more information on SCA Network events.

The SCA Alumni Directory is out. Are You In? Page 14

SPRING 2009

For more information on the SCA Network, visit:cinema.usc.edu/Network

For more information and reservations, see: cinema.usc.edu/AlumniScreeningsgs


wor rcumstance - USC Cinematic Arts | Home · Bones—CarlaKettner’83,Co-ExecutiveProducer,Writer...

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