SCM Offers Students From The Ghetto Film School Unique Opportunity To Go Live

During the first two weeks in July, School of Communication and Media hosted the Ghetto Film School for two one-week seminars on preparing a live newscast. Students from the Los Angeles campus attended the first week’s session, and the New York-based students attended the second week workshop.

Journalism instructors Mark Effron and Vern Gantt, along with SCM News Producer Steve McCarthy, provided the instruction. All were ably assisted by Assistant Professor Thomas Franklin.

The students’ task for the weeklong sessions was to create eight-minute programs that consisted of a live news show wrapped around field interviews and studio interviews.

“What makes our workshop unique for the student is that they’re used to working with scripted material,” says Effron. “We’re giving them the opportunity to work in an unscripted format – a live newscast.”

According to Vern Gantt, “Teaching high school students with no experience, and in some cases no previous interest in TV production, has morphed into an enjoyable time. Watching them become interested, then excited about what they are learning, and then putting what they just learned into action…fun to watch and be a part of.”

Dr. Keith Strudler, Director of the School of Media and Communication, emphasizes the importance of the new relationship, “The growing partnership between the Ghetto Film School and SCM leverages the outstanding potential of both organizations, helping to prepare a future generation of talented storytellers. I’m particularly proud of our faculty members who rose to and exceeded the challenge of creating a dynamic curriculum for GFS students that addressed the vast opportunities in digital media, helping them to create diverse content in our world class facilities.”

While the SCM staff doesn’t expect the students to turn from film production to television, they do hope the students come to appreciate the differences and similarities in the two. Gantt adds, “Hopefully, they will look at TV with different eyes the next time they turn it on.”

The Ghetto Film School is an award-winning nonprofit founded in 2000 to educate, develop and celebrate the next generation of great American storytellers. The organization identifies young talent from local communities and provides them with the access, opportunity, and resources to pursue creative careers, always free of charge. With locations in New York City and Los Angeles, GFS equips students for top universities and careers in the creative industries through two tracks: an introductory education program for high school students and early-career support for alumni and young professionals.

Strudler states, “I’m looking forward to an enduring and meaningful relationship with GFS and their committed staff, instructors, and students.”