PRESS RELEASE
Point Loma Nazarene University
Contact: Ross Nederhoff (505) 999-8662
Point TV: Channel 23
Advisor: Alan Hueth (619) 849-2358
Date: October 3, 2014
Written by: Ross Nederhoff
PLNU Students Participate in Private Studio Tour and Sitcom Taping
On Tuesday, September 23rd, a group of fifteen PLNU Broadcast Journalism and Media Communication students took part in an exciting educational opportunity in Los Angeles,
California. The group traveled from San Diego to the Hollywood and Studio City areas in order to participate in a private tour of Universal Studios and the filming of ABC’s hit sitcom, Last Man Standing. The itinerary, coordinated by professor and advisor, Alan Hueth, was chocked full of opportunities for students to get a first hand look into some of the careers they may be considering as Communication majors.
The day began with a VIP experience on the backlot of Universal Studios. The group went on a tour of the studio’s sound department facilities, led by Executive Sound Supervisor, Andrew DeCristofaro. They were taken in to various editing bays, rooms used for automated dialogue replacement (dubbing), a large foley stage, and a sound mixing theater. Several employees took the time to share their expertise on sound design and to show the students their contributions to the larger audio process. “I really enjoyed learning more about sound from these professionals, but I think that my favorite thing about it was that I was able to understand what they were talking about when they were explaining their jobs. Its cool to see that the same things we are learning about are actually being used in these super professional environments.” explains Katie Seals, senior Broadcast Journalism major and field trip attendee. The journey at Universal ended with helpful information about internships and career opportunities.
After, the group traveled over to the CBS Studio Center in Studio City, where they attended a live taping of one of ABC’s most popular sitcoms, Last Man Standing. Last Man
Standing, starring Tim Allen, Nancy Travis, and Hector Elizondo, tells the story of Mike Baxter’s (Allen) zany family, parenting fiascos, and workplace woes. It focuses on his life in a world of women. The students were a part of the audience and helped to create the show’s laughter soundtrack. Throughout the evening, a comedian acted as master of ceremonies, keeping the crowd informed and in a laughing mood. The crowd received a complete overview of the process used to produce a full length sitcom episode. They were also able to observe, firsthand, a television production’s miscellaneous crew positions, including makeup artists, lighting technicians, production assistants, script supervisors, and continuity crew.
This was the thirteenth annual L.A. field trip. Dr Hueth commented on its success saying, “We’re in San Diego – not in L.A., so these kinds of field trips are important for students to understand how the different media industries work and how things are done in Hollywood and elsewhere.” Hueth also mentioned that some students have cashed in on substantial benefits from past tours. “Over the years several PLNU students have parlayed our L.A. field trip into an internship and even employment—two students ended up working at Dreamworks.”
For more information regarding this release or anything Point TV related, please contact Alan Hueth at AlanHueth@pointloma.edu or Ross Nederhoff rossnederhoff1006@pointloma.edu
