By Benjamin Pola

SCA's Industry Week, hosted by The Office of Industry Relations, returned for the first time since 2019 with a packed schedule of events connecting students with top industry professionals. This year’s event was spearheaded by Kellie Malone, SCA’s Internship Coordinator, who put together a week of diverse programs for students to network, learn from and ask questions of experts across various entertainment sectors and professions. USC alumni and guests from major studios came to SCA to share their insights with students and discuss the realities of their roles and the industry. 

From kicking off with the week with a lively discussion on the business of entertainment featuring Ed Saxon, SCA Professor and Chair of the Peter Stark Producing Program, and Fancesaca Hareword, USC alum and SVP of Business Affairs at NBC Universal, to hearing from Jolyon Myers, the Principal World Builder of Call of Duty, down to the various writers, showrunner and producer panels, this was an exciting and timely event for students preparing to solidify their summer internship plans.

Industry Week wrapped by hosting SCA's highly anticipated First Look award ceremony, which was held at the headquarters of UTA (United Talent Agency). This annual event, run by the Office of Industry Relations, showcases SCA advanced projects across various categories such as Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Social Change, and Thriller/Sci-fi/Horror, which are all reviewed and awarded by an industry jury. Additionally, each track has a faculty jury that selects awards for Outstanding achievement in areas such as Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design, Screenwriting, and Sound.

This year, The Office of Industry Relations tried something fresh. Prior to the award ceremony, they hosted a panel of industry experts and alumni who shared insights on the art of pitching. Then, in front of an audience of 200+ people, four SCA students had the chance to pitch their projects and receive immediate feedback from the panel. While pitches are typically done in smaller, more intimate settings, the students were thrilled to present their ideas in front of a full theater and receive valuable feedback from seasoned pitching pros.

The Office of Industry Relations will be building on this year’s momentum and are already making plans for next year’s events! To learn more about The Office of Industry Relations visit: https://cinema.usc.edu/ir/