Business of Entertainment Stories

Doniger Donation
Peyton Place Director Donates Archives to USC
May 07, 2008
Golden Globe nominee Walter Doniger, a creative force behind television classics like Marcus Welby, M.D., Ellery Queen and Night Gallery, has donated his personal archives of film and television memorabilia to the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

CU: Jon M. Chu
Stepping Up from SCA to The Industry
May 05, 2008
In Motion sat down with Jon M. Chu, director of "Step Up 2: The Streets" to ask him about USC, making a dance extravaganza in five weeks and the power of Miley Cyrus.

The World In 2050
IBM Research and Cinematic Arts Envision the Future
May 05, 2008
On the evening of April 30, five of IBM’s top research scientists joined with School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) students, alumni, faculty and members of the entertainment industry to brainstorm about the art of the possible—circa 2050. The reception and discussion kicked off a collaboration between SCA and IBM to inspire a new generation of film, television and interactive artists, as well as suggest creative directions for researchers.

TV Turns 10
Trojan Vision Celebrates A Decade Of Service
May 05, 2008
When it started 10 years ago, Trojan Vision was short on facilities, personnel and equipment, but long on the dream of what could be. A decade later, the dream has become reality, with the station serving the university, winning national awards and providing hands-on experience that has enabled students to launch their careers.

First Pitch 2008
Alumnus Matthew Weiner (Mad Men, The Sopranos) Hosts
April 21, 2008
The freshest film and television writing talent from USC will go one-on-one with reps from leading agencies, management firms and production companies during First Pitch, hosted on Monday, May 5 by alumnus Matthew Weiner, Dean Elizabeth M. Daley announced.

Screening Kudos
Industry Professionals At First Look 2.0
March 31, 2008
The School of Cinematic Arts hosted its annual student film festival, First Look 2.0, this weekend, incorporating for the first time an awards system to recognize top student films. Forty-six films debuted at the festival, which USC community members and entertainment industry professionals attended.

Hecho En LA
Alumni Produced MADE IN LA Doc Takes On Sweatshops
March 13, 2008
An award-winning documentary, produced by Stark alumnus Robert Bahar, about garment workers who take a stand against the retailer responsible for their low wages and sub-standard working conditions, made its SCA debut at the Taper Hall of Humanities on March 11, 2008.

Entertainment Partners
Gift Funds High-Tech Production Lab
March 13, 2008
Entertainment Partners, the largest provider of production management services in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years, will provide students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts with state-of-the-art production management training thanks to a new 10-year partnership agreement and a technical and financial gift to create a teaching facility and high-tech production lab in the new Cinematic Arts complex.

Academy Gift
AMPAS Donates $3 Million To The School of Cinematic Arts
February 22, 2008
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has donated $3 million to support the new complex construction at the USC School of Cinematic Arts marking the latest step in a relationship that began with the joint creation of the nation’s first university-based film program in 1929.

First Look 2.0
Transforming SCA’s Premiere Festival
February 14, 2008
The hottest films to come out of the School of Cinematic Arts this year will hit the big screen during the First Look 2.0 festival, taking place at the Norris Theatre Complex from March 28 – 30. And for the first time ever in its history, the festival will present juried award winners at all of its screenings, including a Special Awards Ceremony at the Directors Guild of America on April 2.

24/7 Summit
Landmark Conference Draws Global Video Experts
February 13, 2008
Video creators, scholars, activists, policy makers, technologists and entrepreneurs gathered at USC to focus on the fate and future of visual media in the 21st century during 24/7: A DIY Video Summit—a first-of-its-kind international event held at an academic institution.

Broccoli Donation
James Bond Legacy Fuels Record-Breaking 14th Endowed Chair
February 05, 2008
The Dana and Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli Foundation has donated $2 million for a record-breaking 14th endowed chair at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The chair, with its holder of extensive producing credits yet to be selected, will fund a faculty position dedicated to teaching the business and practice of film producing.

Golden Age Gold
Movie Memories And More At The Warner Bros. Archives
February 05, 2008
How do you build a small family business into a multi-billion dollar industry giant? Bit, by bit, as researchers have discovered over the past 30 years of combing through the School of Cinematic Arts Warner Bros. Archives, whose contents offer a unique glimpse into the Golden Age of the Hollywood studio system.

Eyestorm Productions
Production Alums Make Some Noise With The Newest THX Trailer
December 04, 2007
Although Michael Klima ’03 and Kyle Ruddick ’04 say that their work at the School of Cinematic Arts was just as hard as any project created at their recently launched creative production company Eyestorm Productions, both admit the biggest hurdle before them is juggling multiple opportunities now that their latest collaboration—the next installment of the famous THX trailer gets ready to hit theaters nationwide.

Legendary Publisher
Hugh Hefner Donates $2 Million To The School of Cinematic Arts
November 15, 2007
Hugh Hefner, the multi-media entrepreneur and longtime supporter of the University of Southern California, has donated $2 million to the USC School of Cinematic Arts to fund the central exhibition space in the heart of the school’s new 137,000-squarefoot headquarters complex, as well as an archival repository that will house decades of student films, production-related records and other priceless historic resources.

Beowulf Reigns
Alumnus Robert Zemeckis Brings His Newest Feature To USC
November 15, 2007
Academy-Award winning director Robert Zemeckis ’73 delivered an early holiday present to the School of Cinematic Arts with a special screening of his adaptation of the classic Old English epic BEOWULF in Leonard Maltin’s 466 course on November 1 followed by a benefit premiere of the film on November 5.

Dream Advice
Jeffrey Katzenberg Gives Students An Inside View Of The Industry
November 12, 2007
Undergrads and grads alike took advantage of the unique opportunity to ask questions and solicit advice from the DreamWorks Animation SKG CEO, who visited campus on November 2.

Serious Laughs
The Wonder Years Meets Homeland Security In Aliens In America
November 02, 2007
Striking a balance between story and message is a daunting task for any TV show, especially a sitcom, but the CW’s Aliens In America is taking that challenge head-on as it chronicles the trials and tribulations of a teenage boy and a nation coming of age in the post-9/11 world.

Darfur Now
Ted Braun's Story Of Hope In One Of Humanity’s Darkest Hours
October 26, 2007
Bringing to life the conflict in Darfur and the people living through what the United Nations has described as “the world’s greatest humanitarian and human rights catastrophe,” Writing Assistant Professor Ted Braun’s new documentary Darfur Now shines a light on tragedy and illustrates how the actions of single individuals can make a difference to millions.

THE GRADUATE
40 Years Later, Larry Turman Reflects On His Iconic Production
October 04, 2007
Producer Larry Turman reflects on a film that still resonates with audiences today, forty years after its debut.

Global Picture
Thinking Outside The [U.S.] Box
October 03, 2007
For years Hollywood success meant topping the U.S. box office, but mastering today’s entertainment world means thinking about the entire world, said Ignacio Darnaude, executive vice president of International Creative Marketing at Sony Pictures Releasing International, during a recent on-the-lot session for Peter Stark Producing students.

Mad Men
Alumnus Matthew Weiner's Hit Show Probes Where The Truth Lies
October 03, 2007
1960s Madison Avenue advertising firms would be the last place you’d expect to look for the truth, but with his new hit Mad Men, Matthew Weiner ’90 has tapped an emotional current that transcends the decades and exposes the reality of life then and now.

Cagney & Lacey
New Book Tells The Tale Behind The Emmy-Winning Series
September 27, 2007
In a contemporary telescape filled with strong female leads, it’s hard to believe there was a time when a program about two women detectives would be considered groundbreaking. But as producer Barney Rosenzweig recounts in his new memoir, the 1982 launch of Cagney & Lacey turned programming, and the industry, on its head.

Complex Cam
A Bird's-Eye View Of The School's New Facilities
August 14, 2007
Over the course of the summer, visitors to the University Park campus have watched the construction on the new cinematic arts complex make great strides. Now, as construction heightens, any one can track its development thanks to a 24/7 camera.

Reel Talent
New DVD Compilation To Benefit The School of Cinematic Arts
August 08, 2007
On August 21, a new DVD from Fox Home Entertainment will treat film enthusiasts to a rare glimpse into the formative early works of nine directors who, in addition to having made unique and indelible impressions upon the industry and the movie-going public, can all trace their roots to the School of Cinematic Arts.

Future Of Film
LA Conference Unites Film and Technology Decision Makers
March 13, 2007
Film and technology decision-makers are set to network and share ideas with over 300 of the industry’s most innovative digital media insiders at the very first Future of Film conference in Beverly Hills on March 21, 2007.

Career Czars
Student-Industry Relations Puts Jobs In Focus
March 13, 2007
If you’re wondering what life will be like after graduation, then in the corner of the courtyard at the School of Cinematic Arts is an office under the auspices of Associate Dean Larry Auerbach that, although small in size, will make a huge impact on your career in the industry.

Scene at Sundance
SCA Films Screen at Prestigious Festival
January 30, 2007
Though Park City temps were sub-zero, School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) alumni, students, and faculty were in the glow as they celebrated the official USC screenings selected for this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Entertainment Leader
Hollywood Veteran David Wertheimer To Lead ETC
January 16, 2007
The Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California (ETC-USC), a neutral, non-partisan research organization in the School of Cinematic Arts that studies entertainment technology developments that are critical to the creative community; production companies; content owners, distributors and exhibitors; and technology companies has tapped entrepreneur, technologist, and Hollywood veteran David Wertheimer to lead the organization.

Record-Breaking Groundbreaking
School of Cinematic Arts Celebrates New Name and Complex
October 05, 2006
With hundreds of students, alumni, faculty, and supporters on hand, USC’s cinema program made history on October 4, celebrating a record-breaking $175 million gift from George Lucas’ Lucasfilm Foundation that will fund new buildings and launch a major endowment campaign.

Agent Extraordinaire
Marking The Installation Of The School's 13th Endowed Chair
May 12, 2006
At a star-studded gala that began with the fanfare of the Trojan Marching Band, friends, family, scholars, students, and supporters of Associate Dean Larry Auerbach marked his installation as the school’s record-breaking 13th endowed chair on May 10.