At USC-Universal Producing and Directing Program

- Welcome Class of 2008 - Blog

- Announcements

- Pre-Production Notes

- Production Notes

- Post-Production Notes

	WORKSHOP PROFILES - WEEK 1
	Joel Cox - Editor (Link)   Jim Bissell - Production Designer (Link)

For over 30 years, the annual summer USC / Universal Studios Producing and Directing Program has always been a rare opportunity to explore the history and current workings of one of the true giants in the entertainment industry – Universal Studios – through a series of lectures, demonstrations, behind-the-scenes private tours of the facilities and meetings with highly successful creative people in all areas of the industry. It is the oldest and one of the most popular classes within the summer production workshop offerings.

The course is a combination of practical experience gained from actual hands-on production of motion pictures and video and the opportunity to meet and ask questions to professional filmmakers who are actively engaged in the production of film and television projects. The program lasts for six weeks - from June 25th to August 2nd. During the week, students attend classes, seminars and practical workshops on the University of Southern California campus, working on productions in both Digital Video and 16mm (Universal Shoot). On Wednesdays, students meet on the Universal Studios Lot for lectures, demonstrations, and seminars.

The class introduces the student to the professional essentials of filmmaking on the USC campus, where they will complete three projects. For one of the group project the class will form crews and make one 16mm project utilizing the Universal Studios back-lot for locations. They will choose from a variety of genres pioneered by Universal Studios, including comedy, horror, romance, adventure, mystery, and others .

This course correlates what students learn at the studio to the work they do on their own projects. One of the great benefits for students in Los Angeles is their proximity to the studios and their opportunity to receive information from the professionals themselves. They have the opportunity to present their own production questions, problems and interests in discussion panels.

In previous years, we have had many guest lecturers share their experiences with us: Producers Paula Wagner (Mission: Impossible I, II, III, The Last Samurai, War of the Worlds, Murder in the First), Marshall Herskovitz (Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Traffic, Legends of the Fall), Arnold Messer (Zodiac, All The King's Men), Neal H. Moritz (Evan Almighty, Click, The Fast and The Furious, Sweet Home Alabama, Cruel Intentions), Betty Thomas (Guess Who, Charlie’s Angels, 28 Days, Private Parts), Chuck Gordon (The Girl Next Door, Waterworld, October Sky, Die Hard); Directors Steven Spielberg, USC Cinema-Television Alumnus Robert Zemeckis (Monster House, Polar Express, Cast Away, What Lies Beneath), Taylor Hackford (Ray, Proof of Life, Dolores Claiborne), , Tom Shadyack Evan Almighty, (Bruce Almighty, Dragonfly, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, Ace Ventura), Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 1, 2, 3, Red Dragon, X-Men 3: The Last Stand), Richard Donner (Superman I, Lethal Weapon, The Omen), Todd Philips (Old School, Road Trip, Starsky & Hutch), and Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville, Big); Cinematographers John Schwartzman (Seabiscuit, The Rookie, Pearl Harbor, Armageddon, The Rock), Lazlo Kovacs (Easy Rider, Frances), Dion Beebe (Collateral, In The Cut, Chicago, and the upcoming Memoirs of a Geisha and Miami Vice), and Don Burgess (Polar Express, Terminator 3, Cast Away, Forrest Gump); Editors such as Stephen Mirrione (21 Grams, Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic), Peter Honess (Troy, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, The Fast and The Furious, The Kid, L.A. Confidential); Production Designers such as James Bissell (300, Good Night and Good Luck, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, E.T.), William Sandell (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, The Perfect Storm, Total Recall, The Flintstones), Alex McDowell (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, The Terminal, The Cat In The Hat, Minority Report), Location Manager John Grant (Fear Factor, The Majestic), Costume Designers, Sound Effects Designers, Make-up Artists, Production Managers, Marketing and Distribution Heads such as Jeff Blake have all contributed to a well-rounded understanding of what makes the giant and Hollywood tick.

Past workshop students of the USC/Universal Workshop have include James Jacks owner of Alphaville and Producer of Intolerable Cruelty, and The Mummy, Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River, Man on Fire), Visual Effects Supervisor Ken Ralston (Polar Express, Cast Away, Forrest Gump, Death Becomes Her, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future), Master Van Ling (Vanilla Sky, Titanic, Men in Black), Tom DeSanto (X Men and X Men II), George Hickenlooper, co-director of the award-winning documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, The Man From Elysian Fields and Tyger Williams, writer of Menace II Society.

The students who attend this program are highly motivated people who believe that that filmmaking is a powerful medium and all of them have a great passion and commitment to become part of this.

* * * * *

Professor Donald J. Zirpola, Director of the USC-Universal Producing and Directing Program is a Professor of Film and Television and has been a working professional in the industry for over twenty five years. As a Producer, he is currently in pre-production on his fourth independent feature. Prof. Zirpola is also a full time member of the School of Film and Television at Loyola Marymount University where he teaches courses in Producing, Directing, and Advanced Film, as well as serving as Director of the Film/TV Internship Program. He has held office as the president of the University Film and Video Association, and served as the Associate Dean of Arts and the Head of the School of Film and Television at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He is currently a Vice President for CILECT, the International Association of Film and Television Schools throughout, which is based in Brussels. This is Don’s 29th year with this prestigious program.