The Hollywood Foreign Press Association Supports CSULB Film & Electronic Arts Department for the 2020-2021 Academic Year
For the past fifteen years, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has supported Film and Electronic Arts students at The Beach. This year, the Film & Electronic Arts Department extends our gratitude for HFPA’s grant in the amount of $95,000 to support film instruction and film students at CSULB. The university was one of many organizations acknowledged during the annual grantee event HFPA Philanthropy: Empowering The Next Generation. A recording of the event is available on the Golden Globes Youtube Channel.
HFPA’s longstanding commitment to supporting our students’ education through seed funding scholarships has enabled our students to gain the experience necessary to secure prestigious internships and earn coveted positions in the industry. In addition to screening their HFPA-funded films in various festivals, many of our filmmaking students secure jobs and internships prior to graduation. Developing new filmmakers from highly diverse backgrounds with a sensitivity to and awareness of inclusive practices, to write, produce, direct, crew, and edit their unique and timely stories is a highlight of our program’s success. HFPA continues to partner with the Film & Electronic Arts Department in elevating student stories and creating countless opportunities as aspiring filmmakers.
“I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am for this grant and how integral this experience will be for my education. This not only affects myself, but also the team that's working to make this film happen. We'll be able to secure resources we need --whether locations, permits, craft services, etc. -- and to compensate the professionals on our team (actors & a studio teacher). The chance to practice filmmaking at this level, with funding to make this production as professional as possible, will create innumerable opportunities for every student in our crew to learn, practice, and strengthen their skills.”
- Adriana Morales, Narrative Production Student
In addition to providing production scholarship support for the making of student films, and film department equipment, HFPA continues to fund an endowed scholarship through the CSULB 49er Foundation. This endowed scholarship is decided upon each year through a competitive selection process and assists students with tuition, materials, and other educational materials. For the past three years, HFPA support has also assisted in travel expenses for Creative Nonfiction Film & Electronic Arts students to attend the prestigious True/False Film Fest.
"This experience was extremely important to me. It revealed the many, many paths that were available on the road for non-fiction films. Not only has it opened up my eyes for the films that were possible to make, but it also gave me more tools to make films with. Every film taught me a lesson. Every film showed me a new point of view. These are films that I would never find or seek out on my own, and this film festival ultimately gave me a booster shot of documentary knowledge.”
- Sean Tong, Creative Nonfiction Student
HFPA continues to go the extra mile in supporting Film & Electronic Arts students throughout virtual instruction and during challenging times as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. In addition to this year’s grant award for production scholarships and True/False Film Fest attendance, the organization generously donated an additional $10,000 in emergency funding last spring for film students and an additional $20,000 for this purpose for the 2020-2021 academic year. Thus far, this emergency funding has assisted students with food, rent, utilities, and assistance with other non-educational expenses throughout the Covid 19 crisis. The additional $20,000 for the current academic year will serve as emergency support for remote learning. The Film & Electronic Arts Department expresses its utmost gratitude toward The Hollywood Foreign Press Association for their continuous generosity, care, and investment in our students’ present and future.
“True/False (T/F) is one of the best documentary film festivals in the world. Over the course of a 4-day weekend in the early spring, the event features an array of about 100 films in morning to midnight screenings as well as discussions, panels, and more. Through regular festival programming and special seminars and mixers for students, these students gained an invaluable education––they were able to envision a career for themselves in the documentary sphere after graduation and they returned to campus fired up about their academics (and films they could make during their time at CSULB). This new sense of self is contagious; students who attend this festival field trip share their knowledge and passion with other students in our department, which raises the bar for what everyone achieves. I wish to thank HFPA for all the support they give to our students. Their commitment is changing lives for the better.”
-Helen Hood Scheer, Film & Electronic Arts Assistant Professor, Creative Nonfiction
