Loyola Marymount University's third campus – a new creative space for graduate and professional education programs for the School of Film and Television and College of Business Administration – is open for classes in Playa Vista. The planning and construction teams have exercised great care in designing a campus that showcases academic excellence and inspires the innovation and creativity that defines Silicon Beach.
"The opening of our new facility is a new day for SFTV," said Greg Ruzzin, associate professor in film and TV production and special assistant to the dean for Playa Vista. "Being in the heart of Silicon Beach will allow us to expand the kind of teaching we do, the types of programs we can offer, and really positions SFTV to continue to grow and thrive in the modern media world."
The SFTV graduate programs in production and screenwriting will have at their disposal new sound stages, editing stations, screening rooms, classrooms and all the resources that make LMU among the top film schools in the country. The LMU Executive MBA program started its new academic year Aug. 20, 2018, conducting its classes in the new Playa Vista Campus.
"It's a game-changer for the College of Business, and for our graduate programs specifically, to have a launchpad in the heart of Silicon Beach," said Joe O'Hannigan, associate dean and director of LMU's Executive MBA Program. "Being in the middle of the action makes us an even more attractive educational partner, and it also allows us to help influence the ideas and innovations that are emerging from Silicon Beach."
The Playa Vista Campus event space known as The Gallery will open on Sept. 17 with an event presented by Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, "Step Into the Story: What Will Virtual Reality Mean for News, Entertainment, Art and Democracy?" Nonny de la Peña, a visionary storyteller widely known as the "Godmother of VR," will explore how creativity and technology can work together to empower people to tell their own stories and create life-changing experiences. A question-and-answer period will be moderated by Amy Woodson-Boulton, associate professor of history, and Evelyn McDonnell, associate professor of journalism.
Following that is a co-sponsored event, with SFTV partnering with the L.A. Film Festival on The Portal, a specially curated portion of the festival focusing on virtual and augmented reality. The immersive storytelling section of the festival is curated by Jacqueline Lyanga, former director of the AFI Fest, and will showcase exemplary, daring new work in a variety of new media platforms. The two-day experience takes place Sept. 22-23 and is free to the public.
Additionally, on Saturday, Sept. 8, the College of Business Administration's new Business of Film certificate program hosts a free seminar titled "Landing an Equity Investor." This event is a preview to the January launch of its Business of Film certificate program, the first of many upcoming Executive Education courses and certificate programs being held in the Playa Vista Campus. This particular 10-month certificate offering teaches filmmakers the business fundamentals needed to attract investors and produce their films. David Offenberg, associate professor of finance and director of the program, said "We're excited to train filmmakers in an innovative learning space that is designed for their craft."
Inside the distinctive white brick building at 12105 W. Waterfront Drive is 50,000 square feet of space, about 35,000 of which are the new home for the SFTV graduate programs in production and screenwriting and other film classes, and class space dedicated to the EMBA program. The Gallery provides the LMU community with a 5,000-square-foot, flexible meeting location. There are also learning and meeting spaces that the university will schedule.
Watch the video for more on the vision for the LMU Playa Vista Campus.