Montclair State in Your Neighborhood: Culver City, California
Posted in: Alumni News and Events
On June 8, Los Angeles-area alumni joined Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole and University leadership for guided tours of Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. The one-hour guided tour gave guests a behind-the-scenes look at a working studio. Alumni and guests visited the home of the hit game show Jeopardy and a 94-foot tall rainbow.
A cocktail reception followed the tours and participants were treated to an update on the happenings at Montclair State from Dr. Cole, as well as updates from College of the Arts Dean Daniel Gurskis and School of Communication and Media Director Merrill Brown.
A small group of guests had an opportunity to visit Sony’s Digital Motion Picture Center (DMPC) located at Stage 7 on the lot. Sony’s DMPC is an educational and training resource for professionals in the motion picture and television production industries. The DMPC offers hands-on training in every aspect of the creative process, including Sony’s full range of Super 35mm cameras and the production workflows supporting these technologies. At this unique facility, production professionals can shoot 4K images, process them through a 4K workflow and view the results on a 4K projector.
As part of the university’s strategic alliance with Sony Electronics, the University’s new School of Communication and Media building, currently under construction on the 252-acre, suburban New Jersey campus, will provide a facility where Sony will offer industry professional training similar to what is offered at its DMPC on the lot of Sony Pictures Studios.
Josh Greenstein, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Sony Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment spoke on behalf of Sony, as did John Garmendi, Manager, Strategic Business Development for Sony Electronics, who discussed the strategic alliance between Montclair State and Sony Electronics.
Following up on 2015’s highly successful gathering and tour of the Fox Studios in Los Angeles, a Montclair State University contingent once again traveled to the City of Angels to host an alumni gathering and tour of a major motion picture studio. The event marked the third year in a row that Montclair State has hosted a get-together for alumni on the West Coast, giving them an opportunity to network with fellow Red Hawks and to learn all about Montclair State’s notable recent accomplishments and exciting future plans.
In all, more than 60 attendees enjoyed the entertaining and informative event, and the chance to meet industry leaders, Sony executives and University administrators. Among those in attendance were Professor Emeritus Lee Primiano ’60 and his wife and daughter – Rosalina Esteves Primiano ’59, ’74 MA and Lynne Primiano Lisa ’93 – who are also alumni – as well as Karen Horne ’08, Vice President, Programming Talent Development & Inclusion, NBC Entertainment & Universal Television Studios, who serves on the School of Communication and Media Board of Visitors.
“My husband Lee and I really enjoyed the tour and reception at Sony Studios. Although the tour was fun and informative, especially being on the Jeopardy set, the best part of the evening was the reception. It was great to hear about the new academic buildings and programs that will give the students many opportunities,” says Rosalina Esteves Primiano ’59, ’74 MA.
The event was a great success and will certainly be followed by future events on the West Coast.