With EDF funding, university will create Cinema Workflow Initiative for digital filmmaking majors

BATON ROUGE, La. — A program at Loyola University in New Orleans to prepare film students for careers in motion picture post-production is the latest recipient of an award from Louisiana’s new Entertainment Development Fund. Loyola’s Department of Digital Filmmaking will receive $248,975 to purchase specialized equipment to increase training opportunities in post-production in the Louisiana film industry.

Motion picture post-production is the work done after filming concludes to sequence and enhance footage in order to tell a movie’s story. It can involve editing; visual effects (VFX); color enhancement; sound effects and sound editing; music recording and editing; and other processes. Loyola plans to use its award proceeds to obtain equipment for training students in three specific areas of post-production: color and finishing, digital dailies and sound post-production.

“The work of motion picture production doesn’t end when the cameras stop rolling,” Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson said. “Louisiana’s film industry offers many job opportunities in post-production, and these positions often are highly technical in nature and provide good salaries and benefits. With this Entertainment Development Fund award, Loyola University will be able to provide its digital filmmaking students with the latest technology as they learn the technical processes and professional quality standards for today’s digital media production.”

Loyola’s degree program in digital filmmaking features a combination of technical and industry-focused courses within the context of a bachelor of fine arts program. With the EDF award, the university will launch a Cinema Workflow Initiative to give students hands-on experience with software, hardware and camera media that are unique to the filmmaking process.

“Louisiana has a rich tradition of storytelling,” said Loyola Chair of Digital Filmmaking Robert Racine. “Whether told around kitchen tables, campfires or back porches, or in books and media, the stories of Louisiana are in the hearts of its people. These storytellers are the future of the Louisiana film industry, and a well-trained and technologically capable workforce is a needed resource that can help sustain end-to-end film production in Louisiana. We are excited for the opportunity to enable our students to create compelling cinematic stories, using equipment, standards and methods that are in most aspects identical to those employed by major motion picture companies.”

This is the sixth Entertainment Development Fund award announced by LED since the program was launched earlier this year.

About Loyola University
Loyola University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located in the heart of the picturesque Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. For more than 100 years, Loyola has helped shape the lives of its students, as well as the history of the city and the world, through educating men and women in the Jesuit traditions of academic excellence and service to others. Housed within the School of Communication and Design in the College of Music and Media, the Department of Digital Filmmaking was established in 2015 to educate students interested in careers in the filmmaking industry. With personalized attention to students, the film faculty focus on experiential learning and professional practice rooted in theoretical understanding as they execute the mission “to explore and expand the art of filmmaking and to maintain an environment in which students can discover, develop and sustain their abilities to make meaningful contributions to the art form.” For more information, visit cmm.loyno.edu/film.

About Louisiana Entertainment
Louisiana is one of the top destinations in the world for motion picture production; digital interactive and software development projects; live performance; and sound recording. With state-of-the-art facilities, a wealth of talent, production-friendly communities and a competitive incentive program, Louisiana is the perfect location for the entertainment industries. For more information on Louisiana film, digital interactive, live performance and sound recording programs, visit Louisiana Entertainment, a division of Louisiana Economic Development, at louisianaentertainment.gov.

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