Industry-Related Events

Connecting with professionals in the industry is a very important part of the student experience at Dodge College. We offer numerous opportunities throughout the year to meet and speak with industry professionals in order to network and gain additional knowledge in your field.

Filmmaker-in-Residence:
Throughout the year, distinguished Hollywood film and television dignitaries are invited to hold the prestigious filmmaker-in-residence chairs. This unique program brings veterans from the industry to campus every semester for interaction with Dodge College students.

During their residency, the filmmakers come to campus one day a week to mentor 10 selected students, five undergraduates and five graduates, through their final projects.  Each week, the Filmmaker-in-Residence meets individually during the afternoon with five of the students, reviewing their scripts, production plans, dailies or whatever material they have to share at any given point in time.

In the evening, s/he screens one of his/her films or, for the sake of variety, that of an invited guest.  During the screening, the Filmmaker-in-Residence has dinner with another small group of invited students, so that each week a different group of students has the opportunity to meet and talk with him.  Following dinner, the Filmmaker-in-Residence hosts a question and answer session about the film that has just been screened with those in attendance (students and members of the campus community).

Fall 2011 O.L. Halsell Filmmaker-in-Residence
Director/Producer/Actress Betty Thomas
(Dr. Doolittle, Private Parts, i-Spy, 28 Days, John Tucker Must Die)

Click here to see the historical list of all Filmmakers-in-Residence.

First Cut:
We feel it is important take time to recognize our student work and showcase it to the industry. Each year we screen our top five student films at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in both Los Angeles and New York City. This allows us to celebrate our talented students and show their work in order to get their names out in the film industry. The events include a pre-reception, screening of all five films and a post reception, which allows for plenty of time for mingling and networking. Both events draw hundreds of guests, and it is a highlight event for students each year.

Women In Focus:
Each year, we hold an annual event celebrating the women who have been successful in the often male dominated film business. Dodge invites a number of women who all work in the same area of film, to show clips of their work and speak about their experience in film. In the past, there have been women directors, producers, production designers and more. Their panel discussion is always very enlightening, and an exciting events for current students, as well as our admitted students.

In previous years, Dodge has been lucky to host a group of incredibly talented directors, producers and writers. The panels have featured renowned artists such as Martha Coolidge, award-winning director Catherine Hardwicke, triple AFI winner Jocelyn Moorhouse, director and writer Kimberly Peirce, and many more. These women give a unique perspective into the world of directing, and discuss how women have begun to emerge with a stronger influence in the industry's recent history.

Busan West Film Festival:
Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts is pleased to partner with the Busan International Film Festival (considered by many to be the “Cannes” of Asia) to present BUSAN WEST. Over the course of three days, November 11-13, 2011, Dodge College will host a showcase contemporary and classic feature films and documentaries. 

The film festival will include Pan-Asian films selected directly from the 2011 Busan International Film Festival, the largest Asian film festival in the world which takes place in Busan, South Korea. The program will feature invited directors representing the films, along with an Opening Night Gala, a Retrospective evening after party and a Closing Night reception, all designed to showcase Pan-Asian culture through food, music, and décor. Q & A sessions led by renowned film scholars will guide the audiences in conversation with directors and actors who join us for Busan West.