September 28, 2021 - SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office on Monday announced the completion of the 2021 Academy Gold Rising summer internship program under a new partnership with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The partnership, announced earlier this year, seeks to increase California community college student access to highly coveted summer internships with major film studios.

“Much like protagonists in nearly every film or television show, California community college students are on their own ‘hero’s journey’ to overcome economic, social or family barriers to achieve their goals. The resiliency of our students makes them adept at telling captivating stories in front of and behind a camera,” said California Community Colleges Acting Chancellor Daisy Gonzales. “The new partnership between California community colleges and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will make this dream a reality for our students.”

Established in 2017, the Academy Gold Rising Program is a talent development, diversity and inclusion initiative designed to enhance internship experiences under the Academy brand. The initiative ultimately helps address concerns of accessibility and opportunity for under-represented communities throughout our country.

“We are thrilled to have so many talented students from California community colleges bring their insight, ideas and hard work to the Gold Rising program,” said Academy Chief Operating Officer Christine Simmons. “Our goal is to broaden the talent pool within all aspects of the film industry, and each year we’re honored to host individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We recognize that the art of filmmaking can come from countless different avenues, and that there are so many gifted filmmakers of tomorrow who are taking routes formerly deemed as untraditional. After a summer exploring every facet of filmmaking, we hope students come away more empowered, prepared and inspired to pursue their crafts.”

Under this new partnership, up to 10 internships for the production track every year will be set aside for California Community College students. The Academy receives around 10,000 applications each year for approximately 75 internships opportunities via the Academy and partner companies. The Academy Gold Rising Program works in conjunction with various studios, industry suppliers and key organizations to create an eight-week paid summer educational and networking experience as the first part of a multi-tiered program. The curriculum puts an emphasis on high-quality industry talent to help college students acquire the knowledge, skills, and connections to achieve success as they navigate above-the-line and below-the-line full-time careers in entertainment.

“One of my goals is to become a costume designer, and this program introduced me to Academy Award winning costume designers, gave me a masterclass on costume design and introduced me to a Gold Rising alumnus who is now a television costume assistant,” said Rocky Avalos, a costume design intern attending Santa Monica College. “There were many fun and exciting aspects to the internship including hearing from sound designers and Foley artists from A Quiet Place II who introduced us to how they made creature noises by squeezing grapes and making a broken bone sounds by breaking a celery stick.”

The application window and technical assistance workshops for next year’s internship program will be announced later this fall.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

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Source: CA. Community Colleges