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* Not all programs are available in every state. Consult an Admissions Representative to learn more.
* Not all programs are available in every state. Consult an Admissions Representative to learn more.
The West Virginia Film Connection affords you opportunities to connect to the real film industry that no other film school can boast. How do we do it? We skip the classroom completely, placing you into an actual film production facility as an extern from your very first day of training. Your classes take place on-the-job and on the set, and your instructor/mentor is a real film industry professional with years of solid experience. This gives you the chance to gain valuable work experience and make important industry connections that you could never get by sitting in a classroom.
Ask anyone in the film industry, and they’ll tell you the best way to learn cinematography, screenwriting, film directing, film editing and other aspects of film is to learn directly from the pros, the people doing these things for a living. They’ll also tell you connections are KEY to success in this business. With the West Virginia Film Connection, you have the opportunity to gain all these things—all for a fraction of what other film schools cost.
The best part is, you don’t have to start building your film career by moving to Los Angeles, because there are plenty of opportunities to connect to the film industry right here in West Virginia!
You can see from this partial list that major productions come on location in West Virginia to shoot on a regular basis, in part due to generous incentives offered by the state. These productions often rely on local talent—not to mention that there are plenty of projects on the local level to keep local production companies busy. This gives you lots of opportunities to plug into the business—IF you’re in the right place when the call comes in. That “right place” is NOT in some college or trade school classroom—it’s in the production facilities themselves. As a Film Connection extern, you’ll have access to these opportunities that other film school students just don’t get.
With our training program, your work experience begins the day you start classes, because you’re on-the-job and/or on the set from your first day of training. We pair you with a film professional who specializes in your field of interest (whether screenwriting, editing, cinematography, etc.), and our structured curriculum can be tailored to your specific needs. You can prepare for a rewarding career in the West Virginia film scene, or if you so desire, your mentor can prepare you to pitch your own film idea directly to Hollywood—and when you’re ready, we’ll even set up a meeting in Los Angeles for you to do it! No other film school on the planet can offer this kind of opportunity to break into the industry.
Another bit of advice: student debt can kill your career before it ever starts, because debt governs your decisions. With other film schools, you’re almost guaranteed to take on crushing amounts of debt. Not with the West Virginia Film Connection. It actually costs much less to train you on-the-job than in a classroom, so we pass those savings on to you. The result? With our apprentice-based training, you’ll pay 75% LESS than you would at a conventional film school, so you can focus on building your career, rather than paying off your debt.
If you’re serious about breaking into the film business, you have to get yourself where the action is happening—and it isn’t in some college classroom. We put you in the heart of it and let you train for the film industry from inside the industry itself. You owe it to yourself to see what we can do for you! APPLY NOW FOR FREE to learn more.
* Not all programs are available in every state. Consult an Admissions Representative to learn more.
In the Film Connection for Film Production & Editing program, you will study directing, producing and screenwriting as you develop your movie idea with a professional filmmaker. Then, upon meeting the necessary requirements, you will be given the opportunity to fly to Los Angeles or New York and pitch your film idea to an executive who could buy or get your movie made.
Film Production & Editing DetailsIn the Film Connection for Cinematography program, you will learn the techniques involved in capturing a moving image and will start to develop “the eye of the DP.” The cinematographer is literally the set ‘magician.’ DPs are responsible for the technological wizardry required to get the needed shots and to shape light to achieve the director’s desired artistic effect.
Cinematography DetailsWhy learn from teachers when you can learn from the professionals?
The BSP editing facility sets the standard for editing in Colorado. Three video edit suites utilize “Premiere Pro CS6”, “Final Cut Pro” and “DaVinci” and project Panasonic High Definition 1080p images on to 110” Stewart Screens.
Request an InvitationOdd Thomas, 13 Sins, Blood Out, Left Behind, Season of the Witch, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, The Outsider
Request an InvitationSteve is an award winning producer, director and writer of over 250 films, documentaries, television shows and home video properties, including specials from the Olympics, Super Bowls, World Series, NBA and NCAA Championships, and college football bowl games.
Request an InvitationAvery O. Williams works steadily in both the film and theater worlds. He is the co-writer of the feature film Directing Eddie starring Valerie Perrine and Jade Barrymore, directed by Lawrence Kaldor which premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival and was voted Best Comedy at the 2001 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival. He wrote and directed the industrial film for the City of Atalanta entitled Surviving Domestic Violence and he wrote and co-produced the film short The Willie Witch Projects, which was showcased at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and is distributed by Trimark Pictures in their compilation entitled The Bogus Witch Project. Other short subject screenplays that have been made into films include Notes In A Minor Key, The Willie Witch Projects and The Chocolate Factory, Part 1.
Request an Invitation“The Film Connection Program uses real world people to mentor real world jobs.”
-Harry Findysz, Tucson, Arizona, Southern Arizona Video Productions
Producer of Live Television, Music Videos, Documentaries, Winner of Ashbury Best Music Documentary 2016 Linda Chorney The Cantina
Request an InvitationGreg Freeman is an award-winning Director of Photography with nearly two decades in news, sports, entertainment, special programming, documentaries, and commercials. Greg has directed projects for nearly every major television network including ABC, Discovery, ESPN, HBO, HGTV, NBC, PBS, and more.
Request an InvitationThe Alphabet Killer, Love N’ Dancing, The Attic, Hero of the Underworld, Law & Order: SVU
Request an InvitationPast productions include LMN’s Monstresses; Investigation Discovery’s Cuff Me If You Can; America’s Most Haunted and UFO’s Crashed my Vacation; America’s Most Secret and I Faked My Own Death for Discovery; National Geographic’s 42 Ways to Kill Hitler and Don’t Try This At Home; Vampire Secrets and Ancient Ink for The History Channel; Las Vegas Bikers for truTV; Weather Channel’s Full Force Nature; True Confessions for WE-TV as well as Beyond Death and Investigative Reports for A&E.
Request an Invitation“All aspects of filmmaking are primarily experiential, so a program like this one gives the students what they need most- the opportunity to DO.” — Matthew Temple, Producer of “The Advocate” and Universal’s “Dragon Nest: Warriors’ Dawn”
Matthew Temple has long stood at the crossroads of art and social action–his work and passion split between telling stories and participating in the creation of new paradigms wherein new stories for the future can be created. As a storyteller, he works as a screenwriter, director, producer and actor. As a social entrepreneur, he is the founder and president of the non-profit WeStrive, where he is the executive director of the Wandering Reel Traveling Film Festival. Temple is currently VP of Production and Development for Mili Pictures Worldwide.
Request an InvitationNick is your basic military brat. Except for the fact that neither of his parents were actually in the military. But, like many military families, his family moved several times during his youth, living in Omaha, Chicago, and Minneapolis among other places. And although he wasn’t living on military bases, he developed a deep interest in History, and all things military. Ask him about the Battle of Tarawa in 1943, and you may just get an entire lesson on the Pacific Theater of World War II. When he’s not painting tanks for his war game simulations, Nick works here. He shoots video. He edits video. He talks about World War II. A lot. Anyone who comes into contact with Nick will become much better versed in the history of mankind and all the wars it has produced over the years. Nick provided 50% of the formula that founded Full Effect Productions over 18 years ago, and has played a vital role in its success. Nick is a 1987 graduate of the University of South Dakota, and his previous experience includes working at a local TV station as Commercial Videographer/Producer. Not taking a cue from his parents, Nick has decided to keep his family in one city, and has called Sioux City, Iowa home since 1988. He has a wife of 29 years and an adult son and daughter. In his free time, Nick can be found studiously painting small military ships, tanks and airplanes. He has amassed large numbers of these items that comprise entire military units used for battles at the MAGECON gaming convention. He’s a film buff who’s recently installed home theater has him positively giddy, and hardly ever seeing daylight.
Request an InvitationLogan is a lifelong filmmaker. With 8 years of experience in Event and Experiential Marketing, Logan has a passion for communicating the brand message and essence with artistic quality and creativity.
Request an InvitationMegan is an award-winning photographer and videographer with over 10 years of video production experience, from directing and editing national PSA campaigns to producing feature-length documentaries.
Request an InvitationCalix Lewis Reneau is a producer and writer, known for An Even Worse Joke (2013), Canyon Road (2013) and My Cousin’s Ghetto Wedding (2016).
Request an InvitationProducer, Being John Malcovich, Saved!, Velvet Goldmine, Pump Up the Volume, Thirteen Conversations about One Thing, Equinox, Red Hot
Request an InvitationRob has experience with major corporate ad agencies Publicis, Medicus, Digitas based in New York and Chicago. He has always been on the bleeding edge of technology and believes that services should be simple for the viewers.
Request an InvitationWashington Koen Media Productions is a full-service media production company specializing in video productions, streaming video solutions, presentations and audio/visual support for organizations both large and small. Whether corporate video presentations, documentaries, live streaming of meetings, or web streaming solutions, our highly-skilled and creative team- with over 20 years of combined experience – using today's latest tools and technology, can produce quality results for your company
Request an InvitationIn 2013, Brian Glazen co-produced an independent film called Fishing Without Nets. This film went on to win for Best Direction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and recently sold to Twentieth Century Fox for distribution to theaters nation wide.
Request an InvitationSeasoned film development executive, writer and script consultant with exceptional story development and script analysis skills. As a development executive I’m particularly adept at pinpointing the problems in a script and coming up with creative solutions. I’m a passionate collaborator who creates a fertile environment where writers can bloom and scripts can meet their potential.
As a writer for hire I pride myself as bringing my story sense, knowledge, talent and unbridled imagination to the table in order to bring the producer’s vision to life.
As a storyteller I always aim to entertain, engage, surprise, move and provoke.
Request an InvitationCraig Constant is an Executive Producer at Constant66 Films. After leaving the Marine Corps, he worked as a Photojournalist/Editor for the Fox News Channel for close to seven years. Since then, he’s worked as a Sound Technician, Production Sound Mixer, Camera Operator and Director of Photography.
Request an InvitationAlbert has been in the video production business for thirty-three years, owning and running Simba Productions in New York City.
Clients: CNN, HBO, Apple
Request an InvitationClients: Discovery Canada, PBS, UCDavis, Associated Press, Fox News, Blackstone Media, NBC Universal
Request an InvitationWith a background in visual media, director Marc Silber has interviewed scores of entrepreneurs, CEOs and creative professionals over the years. His interview series has received hearty praise and has helped countless business leaders and artists tell their story.
Request an InvitationA film and television studio executive and producer for over twenty years, Craig has directly overseen, managed, and/or produced 25 films and seven network series with budgets totaling over $500 million.
Craig is known for his project-management skills, having close working relationships with talent and directors, producing big looking, studio-quality content on tight budgets, quickly providing workable solutions for development and production issues, and completing projects on time, on budget.
As Senior Vice President of Production, Programming and Creative Affairs for MGM Television Worldwide Inc., Craig had direct oversight of all content development, and oversaw pre-production, production, post-production, while working with business & legal affairs, marketing, and promotion. His MGM product was nominated for 10 Emmy awards and numerous others including DGA, Golden Globes, PGA and SAG awards.
He oversaw studio projects such as the series Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate: Universe, Dead Like Me, and The L Word, as well as Showtime Movies Inherit the Wind, Twelve Angry Men, In the Time of the Butterflies, That Championship Season, and Rocky Marciano, which opened the Monte Carlo Film Festival. Craig has worked with a wide range of talent, from well-established actors and directors to breaking new talent.
Craig grew up in Los Angeles and Colorado, working summers on ranches breaking and training western saddle horses. He attended Columbia University, working his way through school as an actor on NBC’s soap opera “Another World,” while learning production work skills for quick, quality content.
Request an InvitationAmerica’s Production Company was established in 2005 by Kel Thompson who has degrees in photography & advertising from Texas State University. Kel is also a graduate of the Palm Beach Film School. Kel was first published in photography at 17 years old in TX. Kel worked for News24Houston as their first helicopter videographer, before being hired by a major event production company in Florida. Two years later he established America’s Production Company after learning the ropes in photo, video, audio and event production.
Request an InvitationAlphabet City Films is a film production company based in New York City, NY. We are a collective of writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, and other talented filmmakers. We have created many short films, and recently produced our first feature length film: The Trouble.
Request an InvitationClients: Green Bay Packers, Disney, National Guard, Doritos, ABC World News, Good Morning America, St. Joseph’s Medical Centers, Homeland Security
Request an Invitation“I’m Eero Johnson. I’m a film and video producer living in Bellingham, Washington. For over ten years I’ve been creating commercials, corporate videos, web videos, sales DVD’s, music videos … whatever it takes to get your message to your audience. I have a great group of clients and I love what I do.”
Request an InvitationIn a career spanning nearly 20 years, Chris has worked in almost every facet of video production, from lens to post. His credits include EPK work on “Sleepy Hollow”, “Under The Dome”, “The Longest Ride”, “We’re The Millers”, “Iron Man 3”, “One Tree Hill” and more.
Request an Invitation“I learned more about the history of film today and how people used to film videos and movies and clips with still photography. I met some more filmmakers and editors who were really nice and fun to be around”
Brett Wilson, San Diego, CA Majored in Editing / Production
Film Connection’s mentor styled education is a cost-effective approach to real-world, curriculum backed education in film production and editing and cinematography.
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