News from 2012

• 
  December 21, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Chanel Summers Sound Designer/Adjunct Talks to SCA About Sound Design
  One of the biggest draws for students considering the USC School of Cinematic Arts is the top-rate faculty. The Interactive Media Division is no exception to this. SCA Family Stories sat down with Chanel Summers, a pioneer in the field of audio design for games, to talk about her role as an educator, what students can do to prepare themselves for the real world and how in the world of videogames, and that innovation usually comes from non-traditional people who explore unorthodox paths.
  
• 
  December 19, 2012 USC Games Hosts Demo Day Day Features Career Fair and Student-Made Game Demonstrations
  On December 12th, The School of Cinematic Arts’ Interactive Media Division combined forces with SCA’s Student Industry Relations and Viterbi’s School of Engineering to create Demo Day
  
• 
  December 14, 2012 The Taste of Originality Two SCA Students Selected for Dr. Pepper Tuition Scholarships
  Thanks to Dr. Pepper, students are finding themselves hyped up and energetic, but that’s not because of the soft drink. Two SCA students, Katherine Duffy and Xavier Burgin ‘15, were recently awarded tuition scholarships through the 2012 Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway for demonstrating within sixty seconds how they plan to change the world.
  
• 
  December 5, 2012 Feige @ SCA President of Marvel Studios Discusses The Avengers
  Ten years ago, if a studio executive had proposed setting up an entire slate of superhero movies as origin stories for a single film that would bring all of these household names together, they would have been laughed at. Kevin Feige, a USC School of Cinematic Arts alum and President of Marvel Studios, accomplished just this with The Avengers. On November 27, Feige visited Jason E. Squire’s Art and Industry of the Theatrical Film course as the final guest speaker of the semester to explain his role as a creative producer.
  
• 
  December 5, 2012 The Posters of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Cinematic History Decks the Halls of the SCA Complex
    If you’re heading to Dean Daley’s office, be sure to turn left on Sunset Boulevard; if you’re Out of Africa, you’ve gone the wrong way. Anyone trying to navigate the labyrinth of the School of Cinematic Arts knows that a helpful way to get around is to follow the posters. SCA’s new complex is the home of an impressive poster collection which spans continents, genres and time periods. More than just decoration or road signs, these posters help to keep film history alive and as an everyday reminder of the art form’s roots.  
  
• 
  November 28, 2012 Whedon @ SCA Avengers Writer/Director Visits Jason E. Squire's Class
  Avengers writer and director Joss Whedon is known as one of the prolific television showrunners in history. His credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Dollhouse and many more. This semester, Jason E. Squire’s Art and Industry of the Theatrical Film (CTPR 386) class analyzed Whedon’s 2012 film The Avengers from Marvel Studios. On November 20^th, Whedon visited the class and told the students that he had to adjust his style to work in feature films.
  
• 
  November 20, 2012 Hench-DADA Unveils a “Blue Sky” Faculty and Students Produce Music Video for Musician Jeff Lynne and Electric Light Orchestra
  On most projects that come out of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, the words psychedelic, Bollywood and English garden usually aren’t the starting point. However, when Associate Professor Michael Patterson and adjunct faculty Candace Reckinger teamed up with a group of their animation students and Electric Light Orchestra musician Jeff Lynne to create a video for the song Mr. Blue Sky, the combination of these ideas helped to create something truly unique.
  
• 
  November 19, 2012 The Guardians Rise in Norris SCA Students Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Rise of the Guardians
  At the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ John C. Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts, students are encouraged to create worlds where anything is possible. They got a taste of how this can be done with an advanced screening of DreamWorks Animation’s new film Rise of the Guardians, in which an unlikely team consisting of Jack Frost, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny band together to save the holidays.
  
• 
  November 16, 2012 SCA Family Stories: David Litwin Alum/Creator of Cinely Sits Down with SCA
  Like many recent graduates of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, after graduation, David Litwin ‘10 found himself asking the question, “What’s next?” Following up on a bit of inspiration from his days in the Production Division, Litwin designed and founded Cinely, a website that allows people in the entertainment industry to share their work and find each other for collaboration.
  
  SCA Family Stories recently asked Litwin what exactly cinely.com is, how the site helps to faciliate both current and future film collaborations and advice for students looking into the entrepreneurial route.
  
  Check out Cinely at www.cinely.com.
  
• 
  November 14, 2012 Remote Master Class from Skywalker Sound SCA Sound and Animation connect with Academy Award winner Randy Thom
  Technology is changing every aspect of the entertainment industry. On November 2nd, the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Sound Department,  and John C. Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts' Professor Richard Weinberg took a major leap forward in remote collaboration when they hosted a master class with Oscar-winning sound designer Randy Thom. Unlike other classes at the School, Thom taught the class remotely from Skywalker Ranch in northern California.
  
• 
  November 13, 2012 SCA Student Lands Women in Technology Award IML Student Honored With Scholarship
  There are very few places that math and photography come together. One of them is the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Institute for Multimedia Literacy (IML). For sophomore Kylie Nicholson, the two blended well enough to warrant scholarship attention. Nicholson, a student in SCA’s IML program, was awarded a 2012 scholarship through the Association for Women in Technology in recognition of her work in combining digital photography and math.
  
• 
  November 9, 2012 Kortschak Family Honored SCA Installs the Kortschak Family Endowed Division Chair
  One of the most prestigious honors that can be awarded to a professor in academia is the endowed chair. On November 7th, USC celebrated the installation of Michael Taylor as the Kortschak Family Endowed Division Chair in Film and Television Production. The event was attended by Walter, Marcia, Andrew and Sarah Kortschak, USC President C. L. Max Nikias and USC First Lady Niki Nikias, Dean Elizabeth M. Daley, newly installed Chair Michael Taylor and over one hundred faculty, staff and supporters of the School.
  
• 
  November 5, 2012 ETC in 3D SCA’s think tank helps facilitate testing of new technology
  3D revolutionized Hollywood. Ever since Avatar (produced by SCA alum Jon Landau) took the technology to the next level of refinement and accessibility, companies across the entertainment industry have been looking for the next big thing when it comes to 3D technology. Earlier in October, SCA’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) helped a team from the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) test a new 3DTV delivery system, for which the ETC provided facilities and participants to assist with MPEG’s test.
  
• 
  November 2, 2012 Students “Graced” by Film Awards Two Students Honored by the Princess Grace Foundation
  During her lifetime, Princess Grace of Monaco was committed to helping emerging artists realize their career goals. This year, two USC School of Cinematic Arts students, Chao Thao and Javier Barboza, joined the ranks of Princess Grace Foundation Award Winners and will continue her legacy of supporting young artists.
  
• 
  October 31, 2012 “Unfinished Swan” Lands at Sony SCA alumni score three game deal with game studio
  The Unfinished Swanis one of the most recent games from USC’s Interactive Media Division to make a splash in the commercial world. In the game, players are dropped into an all-white world and equipped with paintballs to shoot at the walls. As the paint splatters on the world, the geometry is revealed and the player can navigate the landscape.
  
• 
  October 31, 2012 New Facebook game prepares students for college
  With college application season under way for millions of U.S. high school students, USC researchers on Oct. 29 launched a free Facebook game to help underserved students, often the first in their families to aspire to college, navigate the complicated process of applying for college and financial aid.
  
• 
  October 30, 2012 Larry Auerbach Makes Major Gift for Finishing Funds Associate Dean/Head of Student Industry Relations Donates to SCA
  The Office of Student Industry Relations at the USC School of Cinematic Arts is one of the most respected and unique groups of professionals on the entire USC campus. It’s not surprising that Its head, Associate Dean Larry Auerbach, is one of its most respected and unique people at the School. After a nearly fifty year career as an agent in the motion picture, television and live entertainment business at the William Morris Agency, Auerbach came to USC twenty years ago to help students bridge the gap between school and one of the toughest industries in the world.
  
• 
  October 22, 2012 Combiform “Connects” with SIGGRAPH Awards Student-produced game from USC brings home award
  Games are an important part of pop culture, an important part of the entertainment industry and an important part of the curriculum of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. If Combiform lead designer/IMD student Edmond Yee has anything to say about it, in the future, they will be a major way in which people interact. This year, at the 2012 SIGGRAPH Convention, Combiform was honored with the Best Demonstration in Emerging Technology Award for its unique approach to socializing, using video games
  
• 
  October 22, 2012 SCA Wins at IndieCade Two SCA Games Honored within Indie Game Community
  In the video game world, there’s no greater summit for independent video games than the IndieCade Festival, which honors exemplary up-and-coming video games within the independent game design community. On October 4th, the USC School of Cinematic Arts took home two victories at IndieCade, with Reality Ends Here earning the Impact Award and SCA alum Davey Wreden’s The Stanley Parable winning the Special Recognition Award.
  
• 
  October 19, 2012 Brandon Tartikoff Honored at USC The Legendary Television Executive’s Legacy Unveiled
  The late television executive Brandon Tartikoff’s work has done more to define NBC, the 1980s and American pop culture than any other executive in television history. At NBC and Paramount, Tartikoff was responsible for bringing Cheers, Seinfeld, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Law and Order, The Cosby Show, Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Miami Vice, Forrest Gump and many others to the screen. On October 18^th, the School of Cinematic Arts hosted the Dedication of the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Collection, a collection of personal memos, memorabilia and other items to honor his career and the permanent placement of Brandon’s legacy at USC.
  
• 
  October 16, 2012 SCA Has a “Paint Party” Staff and Students Help Paint Classroom at Foshay Learning Center
  Telling stories with the moving image doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Neither does running a major school at a research university that happens to be in the heart of one of Los Angeles’ most storied communities. Every year, the School of Cinematic Arts hosts events to reach out to the South Los Angeles community.
  
• 
  October 10, 2012 Students "Mad" for Television Symposium Television Symposium hosts panel for Mad Men
  Few shows, particularly those outside of the arena of the main television networks, have made quite the impact that Mad Men has made on modern television series. Its historical authenticity and steamy plotlines give the show a unique combination of high ratings and critical acclaim. On October 8th, Television Symposium delighted its students by featuring a high-profile panel of guests from Mad Men, with a Q&A moderated by Professor Howard Rosenberg. The main takeaway message? Working in television is not for the faint of heart.
  
• 
  October 5, 2012 Moonves @ SCA The President and CEO of CBS Visits SCA
  If there were a Mount Rushmore of legendary television executives, Les Moonves would certainly be front and center. The President and CEO of CBS is known for putting hit shows like Survivor, CSI and Showtime’s Homeland on the air, but he’s also known for not pulling punches in interviews. On October 3rd, the outspoken executive visited the School of Cinematic Arts as a guest of Student Industry Relations and answered questions in a Q and A hosted by the Larry Auerbach Chair at USC, Larry Auerbach.
  
• 
  October 3, 2012 August in October SCA Alum/Screenwriter John August visits SCA after a pre-screening of Frankenweenie
  Summer may be over, but August has returned to the School of Cinematic Arts. On October 2, students gathered in the Ray Stark Family Theatre for a special 3D screening of Frankenweenie, followed by a discussion with the film’s screenwriter and USC alum, John August. The event, with the Q&A moderated by Writing Professor Howard Rodman, was hosted by Writing Presents..., an SCA Writing Division speaker series aimed at bringing top directors and screenwriters to SCA to discuss their work within the industry.
  
• 
  October 3, 2012 SCA “Shoots It” at The Grove
  In real estate, it is all about “location, location, location.” Last night at The Grove, this mantra applied to filmmaking as three SCA student teams, finalists in “Shoot it at The Grove” competition, unveiled their 60-second short films in an outdoor screening hosted by Rick J. Caruso, Founder and CEO of Caruso Affiliated. 
  
• 
  October 2, 2012 Trojans in Music City Nashville Executive Producer/Director and alum R.J. Cutler Visits
  ABC’s new show Nashville tells the story of an aging country singer who has to navigate a record company that’s lost their faith in her, a new album that won’t sell and an up-and-coming starlet who is trying to steal her fire - and her band. In Professor Howard Rosenberg’s Television Symposium class on October 1st, executive producer/director and School of Cinematic Arts alum R.J. Cutler visited with students and told them that, although Nashville is set in a glitzy world, the key to making it work was to keep it authentic.
  
• 
  September 28, 2012 Game Therapy ­­The Creative Media and Behavioral Health Center hosts showcase for cutting-edge projects
  As games are becoming more proactive than ever before in their mission to get everyone in motion, the School of Cinematic Arts and the Keck School of Medicine are making sure that everyone can be included. On September 24, the Creative Media and Behavioral Health Center (CM&BHC) hosted a showcase for their cutting-edge work of combining exercise-based physical therapy with engaging, interactive experiences as part of an event series through the USC Center for Interactive Media Technologies in Healthcare (CIMTH).
  
• 
  September 25, 2012 SCA Signs Agreement with Effat University SCA and Effat Will Collaborate on Media Programs
  The USC School of Cinematic Arts and Effat University, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have entered into an agreement to collaborate in the establishment and development of a world-class academic program in Media & Digital Production (MDP).
  
• 
  September 24, 2012 USC Brings Home Two Emmys Jay Roach and Danny Strong win for Game Change
  A USC alum has been nominated for an Emmy Award every year since 1973. This year exceeded expectations with twenty-five nominations. Jay Roach ‘86 and Danny Strong ‘96 won for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, for Game Change the HBO biopic about the 2008 presidential election; with Strong also winning the Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special award for the same project.
  
• 
  September 21, 2012 Ron Meyer Delivers “Universal” Truth Outspoken President and COO of Universal Visits SCA
  Ron Meyer isn’t afraid to tell the truth. When he came to the Ray Stark Theatre at the USC School of Cinematic Arts as a guest of Student Industry Relations, he spoke with his typical candor and enthusiasm. He also discussed the importance of being honest, even when it hurts.
  
• 
  September 19, 2012 Wixon @ SCA New Microsoft Endowed Professor Installed at USC
  If you are reading this sentence on a computer, a tablet or a mobile phone, chances are, the new Microsoft Endowed Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Interactive Media Division, Dennis Wixon, had something to do with the creation and implementation of your experience. Wixon has designed intuitive interfaces for keyboards, XBOX controllers, online game tutorials and many other devices, and on Tuesday, September 19th, he added a new chapter to his extensive biography by joining the USC School of Cinematic Arts as the Microsoft Endowed Professor.
  
• 
  September 18, 2012 SCA Network Members Stay in the Loop Members of the SCA Network attend a special screening of Looper
  Guests have travelled forward in time to catch the much-anticipated thriller Looper before its release date. Or, they may have simply been members of the SCA Network, which hosted the film on September 16 in Norris Auditorium.
  
  
• 
  September 17, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Sheila Sofian Hench-DADA Associate Professor talks about new minor
  Science and art are often put at opposite sides of the spectrum with little overlap in academia. However, starting this year, students can now explore both interests in a single minor with the Minor in Science Visualization offered by the John C. Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts. 
  
• 
  September 13, 2012 The Perks of Being a Trojan Writer/Director of Perks of Being a Wallflower sits with SCA
  “An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world,” sounds like a typical first year at the School of Cinematic Arts. It’s also the logline for alum Stephen Chbosky’s ‘92 new film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
  
• 
  September 6, 2012 Playstation @ SCA Game Platform Hosts Two Days of Events
  Game design has become a pervasive part of the entertainment industry, and on September 12th and 13th, Sony Computer Education America will be holding two days of events, including an talk from CEO Jack Tretton, which will further the reaches of the game industry and solidify the relationship between PlayStation and USC.
  
• 
  August 31, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Josh Eiserike Nicholl QF chats with SCA about his new Subway project
  Josh Eiserike came to the School of Cinematic Arts without much of a plan. A passionate writer and cartoonist, Josh enrolled in the Production Division. Through his time, Josh found himself writing, directing, producing and basically doing everything that needed to be done.
  
• 
  August 16, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Kenny Martin
  Writing for film and television takes a great deal of dedication, endless rewriting and, in the case of current SCA student Kenny Martin, a few good laughs.
   
  SCA recently sat down with Kenny Martin to discuss his work as a screenwriting student, his passion to explore writing comedy for television and his advice for students joining the SCA family this fall.
  
• 
  August 8, 2012 Herb and Bea Farmer Foundation Honored Seventy-One Year Veteran of SCA Donates Technology
  The USC School of Cinematic Arts emphasizes two integral components of the moving image: story and technology. When the two seamlessly blend together, the result can be a masterpiece. For Herb Farmer, the mission of ensuring and maintaining the technological instruments of film, from its early beginnings to the modern day state-of-the-art, has created a true legacy through an extensive collection that showcases the history of technology in making movie magic.
  
• 
  August 7, 2012 Roach @ SCA Director/Alumnus Jay Roach Brings The Campaign to SCA
  Egomaniacs pushing to get their way. Financiers making key decisions from the shadows. People overcoming unbelievable obstacles to achieve their vision. Students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts have certainly come across these scenarios, and these ideas serve as the themes of alumnus/director Jay Roach’s new film, The Campaign. At the SCA screening of The Campaign on August 6th, Roach commented on earning his stripes by working with actors who create their own characters.
  
• 
  August 2, 2012 Humanitas Prize Announced Three Alumni Nominated for Award
  Every year, students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts use the moving image to demonstrate the endless experiences, joys, trials and tribulations that are doubtlessly a part of life. From animation, to scholarly work, to narrative films, documentary and even cutting-edge interactive experiences, the stories and experiences created at the School explore just about every facet of what it means to be human. This year, three alumni are nominated for Humanitas Prizes, which celebrate stories that uplift the soul. They include Caitlin Parrish, who won for her television pilot for Painkiller, and Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson for the script to their film LUV, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
  
• 
  August 1, 2012 Puzzlejuice on a Roll SCA Graduate’s Game Puzzlejuice Ranked Top Ten
  Puzzlejuice is pitched as a “game that will punch your brain in the face.” The game was designed by recent SCA alum Asher Vollmer and has been racking up accolades since it was released in January of this year. Puzzlejuice  combines block sorting, word spelling, and color matching in a way that tests the brain’s ability to be pulled stretches the brain in three different directions simultaneously.
  
• 
  July 26, 2012 DreamWorks @ SCA SCA Unveils DreamWorks’ DreamWorlds Exhibit
  On July 31st,  The USC School of Cinematic Arts hosted  the dedication of the “DreamWorlds Behind the Scenes: Production Art from DreamWorks Animation” exhibit in the Mary Pickford Lobby, which featured DWA CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and other members of DreamWorks Animation’s creative, executive and outreach teams.
  
• 
  July 26, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Jess Dang Recent production division graduate sits with SCA
  With SCA’s diverse range of opportunities and concentrations for students to explore, it is merely a question of each student finding their particular passion. Be it drama, romance, comedy, avant-garde or anything in between, each SCA student is well equipped to find their niche.
   
  For SCA MFA Production alum Jess Dang, this road led her talents toward documentary filmmaking. Dang recently sat down with SCA to discuss her film Made By Me, the nature of documentary filmmaking and advice for students who are interested in the doc route.
  
• 
  July 26, 2012 SCA Number One SCA named #1 Film School by The Hollywood Reporter
  The USC School of Cinematic Arts was named the number one film school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter. The trade magazine credited the School with being firmly rooted in the entertainment industry and for having an eye for the technology and techniques of modern media making.
  
• 
  July 17, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Bart Fisher The Writer of How To Fall in Love sits with SCA
  With the rate of technology expanding faster than ever, Internet media content can now literally fit in the palm of your hand. For many filmmakers, part of their success has been their ability to adapt to the ins and outs of a new, Internet-based society while still meeting the timeless need for captivating storytelling.
   
  MFA Production alum Bart Fisher recently sat down with SCA to discuss his new project with Hallmark Channel, How to Fall in Love, premiering on July 21 at 9pm ET/PT, 8C on Hallmark Channel, as well as the ways in which he has adjusted his filmmaking techniques to fit the ever-evolving digital age.
  
  
• 
  July 17, 2012 Stone @ SCA Legendary Filmmaker Oliver Stone visits SCA
  Oliver Stone needs no introduction at the School of Cinematic Arts. Few filmmakers have tackled controversial contemporary issues the way that world-renowned director, writer and producer Oliver Stone has done. With films like Platoon (1986) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989),  On July 13th, the visionary filmmaker came to the School of Cinematic Arts to speak to students about his new film Savages. He discussed the process of adapting a beloved novel.
  
• 
  July 5, 2012 Rose Family Foundation Fellowship Established at SCA Activision Blizzard Executive donates to IMD
  The Interactive Media Division at the USC School of Cinematic Arts has the backing and attention of many top video game companies and personalities. This July, Activision Blizzard executive George Rose joins their ranks by establishing the Rose Family Foundation Fellowship for Interactive Entertainment.
  
• 
  July 5, 2012 SCA “Marvels” at New Exhibition Marvel Studios displays collection in SCA
    Thor’s hammer. Captain America’s shield. Hawkeye’s bow. After The Avengers, characters like Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow have become as much a part of the fabric of pop culture as any other cinematic creation in history. The USC School of Cinematic Arts is currently hosting a number of production stills, storyboards and other memorabilia in the Hugh M. Hefner Exhibition Hall until the end of July.      
  
• 
  June 22, 2012 The Duke @ SCA The Wayne Collection Installed at SCA
  On June 20th, the USC School of Cinematic Arts dedicated the Wayne Collection which was curated by John Wayne’s late son Michael, and donated by Michael’s widow Gretchen Wayne.  The collection, comprised of movie posters, memorabilia, awards and personal correspondence, is on permanent exhibition within the SCA complex.
  
• 
  June 7, 2012 Dennis Wixon “Interfaces” with IMD Pioneer in User Interfaces Installed as Microsoft Endowed Professor
  Ranked the number one game design school in North America by the Princeton Review and GamerPro Media for the third year running, USC’s School of Cinematic Arts’ Interactive Media Division is home to renowned faculty and staff. Coming this fall, IMD will add another exemplary member to its ranks in the form of user research pioneer Dennis Wixon, who will serve as the Microsoft Endowed Professor.
  
• 
  June 4, 2012 Jon M. Chu and Hieu Ho Launch DS2DIO New YouTube Channel Will Focus on Dance Lifestyle
  It’s impossible to talk about School of Cinematic Arts alumni Jon M. Chu ‘03 and Hieu Ho ‘07  without talking about dance. This summer, the two partners will be teaming up with Google to create a new YouTube original channel, DS2DIO (pronounced D-Studio).
  
• 
  May 22, 2012 Bringing “Reality” to the Student Oscars Hench-Dada Alum Wins Student Academy Award
  The USC School of Cinematic Arts has had a long tradition of winning student Academy Awards. This year, Amanda Tasse, John C. Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts alumna and current Ph. D. student of the Interdivisional Media Arts and Practices, kept the tradition alive by winning in the “Best Alternative” category for her stereoscopic 3D film "The Reality Clock". The film was funded in part by a grant from the Sloan Foundation.
  
• 
  May 17, 2012 Tarik Jackson from Cannes! SCA's Student Blogger Updates from France
  Production Division grad student Tarik Jackson is blogging for the School from the Cannes Film Festival. In this update, Jackson talks about his first visit out of the country to the international film festival.
  
• 
  May 4, 2012 Michael Fink Goes Virtual SCA Teaches Class in Advanced Digital Effects
  From explosions, car chases and outer space, the use of green screen in production can be an excellent way to create a visual world. However, this task is hardly an easy one; it requires meticulous detail and technical knowledge to bring these stories and environments to life. For Professors Mike Fink and Peter Sollett, teaching students how to direct with a green screen and advanced visual effects while creating a world grounded in storytelling is top priority.
  
• 
  May 4, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Olivia Bonin The Trojan Vision Producer gives advice before leaving SCA
  Olivia Bonin ’12, made the most of her time at SCA. The graduating senior not only completed degrees in Critical Studies and Neuroscience, but she found time to work at Trojan Vision, work with a Theatre Group and land a job.
   
  Before exiting SCA, Bonin sat down with SCA Family stories to talk about her time and to give advice to incoming students on how to navigate the tricky job market.
  
• 
  May 4, 2012 So Cal in Beijing SCA Professor Jason E. Squire Lectures in China
  When it comes to the movie business, USC School of Cinematic Arts Professor Jason E. Squire literally wrote the book. Having made his mark in American film, for the past five years he has made it his business to know China’s movie business. Over Spring Break, he traveled to Asia for a fifth time to teach in the Cultural & Creative Industry Management Program at Beijing’s Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.
  
• 
  April 30, 2012 SCA’S IMD Reaches Uncharted Territory Leading Game Designer Richard Lemarchand to Join IMD
  Ranked the number one game design program for the third consecutive year by the Princeton Review and GamePro Media, the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Interactive Media Division has paved the way for the innovative creation of interactive entertainment. Now, with the addition of leading game designer Richard Lemarchand to the faculty list beginning in Fall 2012, the bar has been raised even higher.
  
  
• 
  April 30, 2012 SoCal in Newport SCA Student Films Screening at Newport Beach Film Festival
  Student films originating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts have a longstanding level of excellence and intrigue. Many of these films screen on campus as part of varying class showcases to celebrate these achievements; however, several student films are heading to coast to demonstrate their talent at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
  
• 
  April 27, 2012 Marvel Avenges Norris Marvel’s Newest Film The Avengers Screens in Norris
  Marvel Studios’ newest film The Avengers is just about as massive as a film can get. Heroes are assembled, villains are challenged and cities are destroyed. However, when the president of Marvel Studios, alumnus Kevin Feige ‘95 visited with Leonard Maltin’s 466 class on April 26th, he said that he still thinks about being economical.
  
• 
  April 26, 2012 Interacting with Nature IMD game Walden awarded an NEA Arts in Media Grant
  In France, cinema is often referred to as “the seventh art” because of its relatively short history compared to the other six humanities. On April 25th, video game design made a giant step on its way to becoming the eighth art when the National Endowment of the Arts announced it was providing an Art in Media grant to the video game Walden, a game. Walden was developed at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts Interactive Media Divisions’ Game Innovation Lab with IMD Chair Tracy Fullerton serving as lead designer.
  
• 
  April 19, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Jay Gammill The Director of Free Samples sits with SCA
  It takes a truly dedicated filmmaker to take on the responsibilities of creating a feature film, whether it’s their twelfth film or their first. As the industry changes and offers more opportunities for new directors to emerge in the independent scene, these responsibilities are no less challenging and require the utmost commitment to complete. For Jay Gammill, these experiences came firsthand with Free Samples.
  
• 
  April 19, 2012 Story @ SCA Director of Think Like a Man Visits SCA
  Alumnus Tim Story is known for his candor when he speaks to students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. On April 17th, the director of Barbershop, Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer visited with students in the Ray Stark Theatre for the second year in a row
  
• 
  April 13, 2012 Jason Segel Keeps his “Engagement” Filmmaker visits Leonard Maltin’s Class
  Leonard Maltin’s class has hosted executives, directors, technicians, editors and countless other storytellers but, on April 12^th, they hosted a world-class puppeteer. Maltin held a panel for actor/screenwriter/executive producer Jason Segel (Popularly known for his roles in How I Met Your Mother, I Love You Man and The Muppets), director/screenwriter/producer Nick Stoller (The Muppets, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), and producer Rodney Rothman (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Year One) to discuss their new film, The Five-Year Engagement.
  
• 
  April 13, 2012 Ratner @ SCA Director of Rush Hour Trilogy Visits SCA
  Brett Ratner can be called many things. He’s known as a director, producer, documentarian, and philanthropist but, one thing he’s not is know for is being shy about his opinions. When Ratner visited SCA on April 11, 2012, he participated in a Q and A filled with stories, lessons and cautionary tales about his work as a filmmaker. He talked about his career, his time at NYU as a film student and why every student should take advantage of their time at SCA.
  
• 
  April 13, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Joshua Dinner Reality TV Producer/Alum sits down with SCA
  Film students aren’t strangers to tackling tricky subjects. Religion has always been a topic of both interest and conflict. It can certainly be a tough topic to discuss, and Critical Studies alum Joshua Dinner ‘05 knows all about the trials and tribulations of making a reality-television series with the center being religion.
  
• 
  April 4, 2012 DKA Gives Back School of Cinematic Arts Fraternity Teaches Youth
  Working in the entertainment industry certainly isn’t for the selfish. Every film, video game or media installation takes an army to produce, and collaboration is key to each project’s success. The men and women of the professional fraternity Delta Kappa Alpha have taken the concept of collaboration one step further by approaching the world of philanthropy. Recently, DKA members visited West Vernon Elementary School in order to teach short filmmaking to the next generation of media makers, or in this case, gifted fourth and fifth graders.
  
• 
  April 3, 2012 SCA Students Answer “Open Call” New Series on KCET Features Student Films
  The students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts know how to make films. In the end, what vexes some of the brightest minds at SCA is how to get a film out into the world once it’s done. On Thursday, April 5th, KCET will help a handful of students out by broadcasting their work as part of their Open Call series.
  
• 
  April 2, 2012 Dino and Martha De Laurentiis Honored at SCA The Legendary Producers Install an Endowed Professorship
  Everyone who met larger-than-life producer Dino De Laurentiis has a story to tell and, on April 1st, the USC School of Cinematic Arts hosted a panel including producer and widow Martha De Laurentiis, producer and daughter Raffaella De Laurentiis, director Michael Mann, director Jonathan Mostow and former Governor of California and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger
  
• 
  April 2, 2012 SCA Family Stories: David Jay Lasky The Producer of Of Corset’s Mine sits down with SCA
  Although the most populous of the School of Cinematic Arts’ divisions, Critical Studies tends to be one of the most misunderstood divisions. Most assume that a Crit Studies student either wants to be a professor of a film critic. However, Producer David Jay Lasky not only challenges this perception but also proves that it is possible to use Critical Studies as a basis for a successful career as a producer.
  
• 
  March 30, 2012 Phase III Building “Beamed” Up The top piece of steel of the new building placed
  “Topping off” events have become a tradition at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. When the highest piece of steel in a new building is placed, students, faculty, alumni and friends get the opportunity to sign the beam before it goes up.
  
  Beam signers for the new Phase III building included director George Lucas, Dean Elizabeth M. Daley, Chairman of the Board of Councilors Frank Price, CEO of EA John Riccitiello,  director Tim Story, Associate Dean of Research Scott Fisher, Chair of the Interactive Media Division Tracy Fullerton, Senior Vice President for University Advancement Al Checcio, Chief Product Officer at Bebo Kevin Bachus, founder of Syndicate 17 Chanel Summers, Matt Construction head Paul Matt, professor and game designer Laird Malamed, Toper Taylor, Angelo Garcia and many others.
  
• 
  March 29, 2012 Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Discuss the Details Academy Award-Winning Composers visit Jason E. Squire’s Lecture
  Film is a collaborative effort requiring talented individuals to come together and make sacrifices for the greater good of the final project. One, often overlooked element is the meticulous nature of sound editing and the powerful effect it can have on the viewer.  On March 27^th, Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross visited with Professor Jason E. Squire’s class to discuss their work on the music and sound of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
  
• 
  March 21, 2012 Comedy@SCA Makes a Big Bang SCA Hosts Writers of Hit Show
  Two nerds living in an apartment talking about comic books, video games and science sounds like the average day in the life of a SCA student. When showrunner Bill Prady started The Big Bang Theory in 2007, he hit a nerve with the nerd subculture. On March 21^st, the writers of Big Bang visited with students from the School of Cinematic arts to talk about the trials and triumphs of writing for television as well as offering advice for aspiring TV writers.
  
• 
  March 19, 2012 Awards Season Roundup Congrats to all of the SCA Family
  USC School of Cinematic Arts
  Alumni Nominations 2012
  
• 
  March 19, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Virginia Kuhn Associate Director of the Institute for Multimedia Literacy
  It’s been a very big year for Assistant Professor of Cinema Practice Virginia Kuhn and the Institute for Multimedia Literacy (IML). After more than five years of working with supercomputing centers, Kuhn recently received an award to pursue her large-scale media analytics project as part of the National Science Foundation's Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE). The startup allocation includes 30,000 service units on the first flash-memory supercomputer (think giant thumb drive), at the San Diego Supercomputing Center as well as one year of dedicated effort by experts at supercomputing centers around the country.
  
• 
  March 16, 2012 Anatomy of a Trapeze The “Motion Capture” class in the Zemeckis Center Suspends Stunt Performer
  On the script page, “She dives through the air and PHASES through multiple floors” seems simple enough. To the trained director, line producer or VFX supervisor, these words are a nightmare. In Eric Furie’s CTAN 565L class, Motion Capture Performance, these words were a challenge, but not impossible thanks to the technology in the Robert Zemeckis Center’s Motion Capture Stage. On March 15^th, Furie’s students suspended an actress from a trapeze rig to capture an action sequence as part of a student's final project.
  
• 
  March 9, 2012 Celebrity SC: CAPS Award Freshman Allison Tate-Cortese Honored by CAPAS
  Freshman film student Allison Tate-Cortese was recently named the receipent of a $9,500 award by the CAPS (Californians for Population Stabilization) sponsored awards competition CAPAs (California Population Awareness Awards).
  
• 
  March 9, 2012 Christine Lahti Gives Students “Perks” Actor/Director teaches master class at SCA
  A film set can be a scary place. Filmmakers need to worry about safety, budget, lighting and a million other little problems but, on March 7^th, when actor/director Christine Lahti visited with students as part of the Production Perks lecture series, she told them that one thing they should never be afraid of is the talent.
  
• 
  March 9, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Dina Gachman The Author of Fling Girl Speaks to Students
  Recent SCA graduate Dina Gachman ‘07 has taken on two seemingly impossible tasks: breaking into the film industry and dating in Los Angeles. After graduation, instead of taking the assistant or PA route, Gachman showed unique initiative by producing her own online graphic novel, Fling Girl. www.flinggirlla.com
  
• 
  March 6, 2012 Esq. Productions Makes it “Legal” Legal Experts Visits SCA
  For many students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, the first step into the real world can be daunting. In addition to generating a good idea, executing the idea and getting the product into the right hands, students also have to worry about the business and legal ramifications of their creative work. Thankfully, on March 3^rd, Esq. Productions hosted a panel called Get it Right: Getting it Made Without Giving it Away at SCA to discuss common pitfalls of the first step into the real world. One theme of the morning was transparency.
  
• 
  March 5, 2012 Keeping it Diverse Two SCA Alumni Selected for the Fox Writers Intensive
  Tina Mabry ’05 and Eric Nazarian ’99 are two very busy filmmakers who graduated from the Production Division at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Between the two of them, they have eight IMDb credits as writers, directors, cinematographers, actors and producers, primarily in the indie film world.  This May, they are going to be able to add graduates of the Fox Writers Intensive to their long resumes.
  
• 
  March 2, 2012 SCA Family Stories: MediaHound The Minds Behind a New Entertainment Aggregator App Sit Down with SCA
  With the end of the semester quickly approaching, it’s that time of year for seniors to begin deciding what choices to make with their lives beyond SCA. Whether it’s choosing a grad school, working as a freelance filmmaker or anything in between, the next step is sure to be an exciting yet intimidating one.
  
• 
  March 1, 2012 Games Number One USC #1 School for Game Design for Third Straight Year
  For the third year in a row, The Princeton Review has named USC the top school in the nation for studying video game design for both undergraduate and graduate programs. USC has led the category every year since the list debuted in 2010.
  
• 
  March 1, 2012 Lisa Pollack Gives Students “Reality” Veteran Agent Visits SCA
  To some students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, “Reality” is a four-letter word. Years before the advent of reality television, the words Reality Ends Here were emblazoned above the archway of the building. On February 29^th, reality television agent Lisa Pollack spoke to students at a Student Industry Relations event about not being a snob against reality TV.
  
• 
  February 24, 2012 Rudy @ SCA Legendary Football Player Visits Professor Hall’s Class
  It’s deep into the second semester for USC School of Cinematic Arts students. After long nights of editing, studying, writing and designing, the ability to keep moving forward can feel like a daunting task. In Ken Wannberg Endowed Chair for Music Editing’s advanced sound class on February 13th, former Notre Dame football player Daniel “Rudy” Ruettigger, an icon of motivation and effort, visited the students for a pep talk.
  
• 
  February 24, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Reed Simonsen Multi-Telly Award Winner Sits Down with SCA
  Creating a student film is no easy undertaking, from gathering location permits to securing qualified actors, to each and every minute detail in between. To meet these conditions is a feat in itself; to go beyond them, remarkable. For USC SCA grad student Reed Simonsen, his recently award-winning student film Molly Goes West exemplifies this admirable effort.
  
• 
  February 23, 2012 IMD Professor Earns “Cred” New Music Sharing App Adds Game Mechanics to Music
  The students of the USC School of Cinematic Arts are known for their good taste and, thanks to the work of the Interactive Media Division, promoting their new favorite bands is entering the digital age.
  
• 
  February 16, 2012 Smart Power Diplomacy Gets Oriented New Program Starts with a Bang
  On February 11th, over fifty filmmakers, film experts and diplomats came together at the USC School of Cinematic Arts for the inaugural orientation of the American Film Showcase.
  
• 
  February 13, 2012 SCA’S “LUV” Child Sundance Hit Comes to Maltin’s Class
  In the Sundance hit LUV, Woody, a young boy from Baltimore, is taken by his uncle Vincent around the streets of the city in order to learn what it takes to be a man. The gritty portrayal of the city is both grim and poetic which; according to writer/director Sheldon Candis ’03 is because it’s true.
  
• 
  February 10, 2012 Immersing in Sundance Hunger in LA makes strong presence at Sundance
  In Nonny De La Pena’s new immersive journalism piece Hunger in Los Angeles, the participants experience a dramatic incident at a local food bank where a man collapses in line while waiting his turn. Hunger in LA marks a major push forward in the field of Immersion, which the USC School of Cinematic Arts has been on the forefront of for years.
  
• 
  February 10, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Jonah D. Ansell
  The writer/director of Cadaver sits down with SCA Family Stories to talk about life after film school
  
• 
  February 10, 2012 Sling Baby Wins Big SCA Alumni win Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” contest
  On the first day film school, students are told that working with babies or producing elaborate stunts is bad business in low-budget filmmaking so, naturally, when USC School of Cinematic Arts alumnus Jason Dennis ’03 decided to enter a commercial into the Doritos: Crash the Superbowl contest, the idea of flinging a baby on a slingshot came to mind.
  
• 
  February 9, 2012 An Evening with David N. Weiss Leading Animation Writer Visits SCA
  Last night I got the chance to see the man who wrote my childhood.
  
• 
  January 31, 2012 CELEBRITY SC: Sushi Girl The cast and crew of indie hit vist SCA
  Celebrity SC: Yesterday evening the cast and crew of Sushi Girl visited USC as part of the SCA’s 
  
• 
  January 31, 2012 So Cal in Park City SCA Marks Banner Year at Sundance
  For the twelfth consecutive year, the USC School of Cinematic Arts attended the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Thirty-two USC alumni were featured on eighteen films with an additional four alumni and three films at the Slamdance Film Festival.
  
• 
  January 30, 2012 Extremely Tiny and Incredibly Far Away SCA Professor Receives Award for Digital Cinema Microscopy
  If you need to see something very small, but it's in another city or country, and you want to see it live, and blown up to a theater sized screen, SCA research associate professor Richard A. Weinberg, Ph.D., can help. Weinberg is the project leader of a team  thatwill receive the Innovations in Networking Award in the Experimental and Developmental Applications category for " Digital Cinema Microscopy" from CENIC , the Corporation for Educational Network Initiatives in California, during their annual conference in March. His work allows the streaming of live ultrahigh resolution microscopy from USC to locations ranging from San Diego to Tokyo.
  
• 
  January 26, 2012 Tartikoff’s Letters Coming to USC The Widow of Legendary Television Executive Donates Letters
  The late television and film executive Brandon Tartikoff’s vast collection of industry correspondences and effects is being donated in its entirety to USC’s School of Cinematic Arts by his widow Lilly Tartikoff.
  
• 
  January 20, 2012 Sundance Live Blog! Follow us now as SCA hits Park City
  sundance.usc.edu
  
• 
  January 19, 2012 A Day in the Life of Dr. Drew Casper Follow the Iconic SCA Professor
  Read the profile of SCA's legendary professor.
  
• 
  January 17, 2012 CELEBRITY SC: Play Publshed MFA Screenwriter David Murray publishes play
  Second year MFA screenwriter David Murray’s play “Land O’Plenty: My Journey as the Only Boy in an All-Girls School” was recently published by Playscripts.
  
• 
  January 13, 2012 Anatomy of a Game SCA's new ARG "Reality Ends Here" makes splash
  SCA Launches new Alternate Reality Game - Reality Ends Here
  
• 
  January 13, 2012 SCA Family Stories: Brie DaSilveira First Year Undergrad Discusses the Transition to SCA
  The first year of undergraduate study is a daunting task. Between balancing an academic workload and a lifestyle overhaul, many incoming students to the USC School of Cinematic Arts can feel overwhelmed
  
• 
  January 12, 2012 Immersing in Emerging Cities Professor Scott Fisher Unveils Interactive Project
  Dean of Research and Founding Chair of the Interactive Media Division Scott Fisher has a long record of building immersive environments for educational purposes. This past year, Fisher’s work on planned cities under sixty years old was featured at the 2011 Shenzen & Hong Kong Bo-Coty Biennale of Urbanism Architecture as part of the 6 Under 60 exhibition.
  
• 
  January 10, 2012 The Wonderful Women of SCA
  Stacey Sher produces films that make waves — titles ranging from The Fisher King to Pulp Fiction, from Erin Brockovich to Contagion. But on the set of Gattaca, Sher herself was stirring the waters.
  
• 
  January 6, 2012 CELEBRITY SC: SCA Power Player Matthew Quandt, Critical Studies
  USC School of Cinematic Arts Blog Profiles Matthew Quandt