S3 Entertainment Group and Oakland Community College Launch Additional Hollywood Film Industry Training Courses
By: Erin Robinson
DETROIT, April 7, 2009 – S3 Entertainment Group (S3EG), a Ferndale, Michigan-based direct provider of the infrastructure necessary for successful film production in the state, and Oakland Community College (OCC), the largest community college system in the State of Michigan, today announced the introduction of two additional courses as part of S3EG’s Film Industry Training (FIT) program, the premier and most successful film industry training series in Michigan. Jeffrey Spilman, managing partner of S3EG, made the announcement.
A general information session for prospective students will be held this Thursday, April 9, 2009 at S3 Entertainment Group at 6:00 pm. The facility is located at 1100 Woodward Heights in Ferndale.
Following the outstanding success of FIT’s February and March classes, a second series of training will be offered beginning later this month. The FIT courses are offered through OCC and taught at S3EG’s studio and headquarters in Ferndale. The two new classes that launch on April 27, 2009 include Film and Television Production Accounting and Introduction to the Camera Department. These classes complement the other classes that S3EG offers including a Film Industry Overview class, a Grip/Electric/Generator Operator class, and an Introduction to the Art Department class. Many of the graduates of the FIT program are working on feature films in the State of Michigan and all other students are guaranteed film industry internships and job placement assistance.
The Production Accounting class offers a basic understanding of the duties performed in a film accounting department, including budgeting, scheduling and payroll. The Camera Department class includes a hands-on introduction to basic cinematography principles. Students in these classes will work hand in hand with leading film industry professionals, with extensive feature film experience, to develop a working knowledge of the jobs available in Michigan’s rapidly emerging feature film industry, as well to develop the skills required to work in these areas. In addition to classroom training, students will work in an actual studio setting at S3EG, with the largest inventory of grip, electric, and specialty equipment in Michigan. At the conclusion of these two-week, 40-hour training courses, graduates of FIT will be presented with internship opportunities in the film industry, both on feature films, as well as with S3EG’s film support companies.
“We are delighted with the success of the FIT program and with the accomplishments of our students,” stated Spilman. “All of our students have been offered internships on either feature films or with film industry support companies. We are most proud of the fact that we now have graduates of FIT with paid jobs on new films here in Michigan.”
Michigan’s film industry has grown exponentially over the past year largely due to the state’s leading film production incentives of up to 42 percent, which are the highest in the country. Thousands of direct jobs in the film industry will be created in Michigan over the next year, in addition to the plethora of employment opportunities that will be developed in film support industries, such as equipment rental houses, movie studios and post-production facilities.
“We need to establish a talented and creative workforce to support film production in Michigan,” said Spilman. “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Oakland Community College in helping to prepare students for these wonderful career opportunities emerging in our state.” For more information on the FIT program, please email [email protected] or visit www.S3eg.com.
Click to download a photo of Jeff Spilman, managing partner of S3.
S3 Entertainment Group (S3EG) is the leading provider of services to the film industry in Michigan. With offices in Detroit and Los Angeles, S3EG has focused on building infrastructure in Michigan that can help productions maximize the benefits of the Michigan Film Incentive. S3EG’s wide variety of direct services includes production services, film finance, gear rental, tax incentive consulting and monetization, travel, catering and craft services. All of these services qualify for the Michigan Film Incentive at the top rate of 42 percent.
SUBSCRIBE
MEDIA CONTACT
Meghan Edwards
(248) 258-2333
[email protected]