Student lands summer gig

Jim Carnett

Joel Griffen, an Orange Coast College film/video student, has landed

an impressive summer internship sponsored by the Academy of

Television Arts & Sciences.

Griffen, 22, will spend eight weeks working with a post-production

company in Burbank, and he’ll receive a $4,000 stipend for his

efforts. The internship begins next week.

“This is a huge honor for Joel,” says Bill Hall, an OCC professor

of film/video. “His internship category -- post-production -- was

extremely competitive, yet he was the only student in the nation to

be chosen for that category. That says something about his ability.

It’s highly unusual for a community college student to finish

ahead of juniors and seniors at prestigious four-year film schools.

“Joel is one of the top film students in the nation.”

Raised in Huntington Beach, Griffen first developed an interest in

film as a high school student. Two years ago he enrolled in OCC’s

acclaimed film and video program.

“I’d heard some very positive things about the department,” he

said. “It has the reputation for being one of the best community

college film/video programs in the nation.”

During his freshman year, he worked on a 10-minute science fiction

film, “Time Frame,” that ended up capturing four awards in OCC’s

Student Film Festival. Griffen was the film’s producer, director of

photography and editor.

Last spring, his OCC student film, “TNT,” was screened at the

prestigious 2004 Newport Beach Film Festival.

“That was an amazing experience,” he says. “I was able to see my

own film on the big screen at the Lido Theater. What a thrill!”

Before enrolling as an OCC film/video major, Griffen pursued such

hobbies as skateboarding, going to the beach, hanging out with

friends and watching movies. Now his passion, almost exclusively, is

film and video.

“That’s what I do ... almost all the time,” he says with a laugh.

“My hobby is editing, and I go home every day after school and edit

projects.”

He also pursues freelance work. Over the past, year he shot a

10-DVD package of programs for a nationally recognized speaker and

education consultant. The series is being marketed throughout the

country.

“I shot tape of the speaker during the summer of ‘04,” he says. “I

then began to edit the project, and put together 10 one-hour DVDs. I

directed the series, produced it and edited it.”

And ... he was paid for it.

Griffen plans to live in a Burbank apartment this summer, close to

the post-production facility. He’ll take classes next fall and spring

at OCC, and will graduate with his associates degree and certificate

in film next May. After that, he hopes to transfer into USC’s film

school.

Griffen has had an outstanding OCC experience.

“At Coast, you’re treated like a professional, and you do work

that’s up to industry standards,” he says. “The professors are

excellent, and they demand a lot from you. You come out of the

program knowing what you’re doing.”

Joel Griffen is well on his way. He seems destined for a very

bright future.

OCC’S SUMMER CLASSES

BEGIN MONDAY, JUNE 20

OCC’s summer 2005 classes begin June 20. The session will consist

of four-, six- and eight-week classes.

The classes are open to OCC students, members of the community,

high school juniors and seniors, and students at four-year colleges

and universities.

OCC’s summer class schedule is listed on the college’s website

(www.orangecoastcollege.edu). The printed class schedule is

available, free of charge, in the admissions office.

OCC’s four-week classes conclude on July 14; six-week classes

close on July 28; and eight-week classes end Aug. 11. Touch-tone

telephone registration is under way.

Summer enrollment fees are $26 per unit for California residents.

For information, phone (714) 432-5072.

OCC’S SUMMER

MELODRAMA RUNS IN JULY

Orange Coast College’s theater department will stage a melodrama

this summer for the entire family.

Titled “The Family Melodrama, Vaudeville and Ice Cream Social,”

the production will run Thursdays through Sundays, July 7 through 10

and 14 through 17, in the Drama Lab Theatre. Curtain is set for 7

p.m. Thursday through Sunday nights, and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and

Sundays.

Directed by Alex Golson, the production will feature the hilarious

melodrama, “Gone With the Blizzard, or A Rose in the Snowdrift.” An

“Epic of the Great North,” the melodrama is G-rated. Several

vaudeville acts will be included, a children’s joke contest will be

held, and an ice-cream treat will be served to all guests.

Advance tickets, priced at $7 for Friday and Saturday evenings,

and $6 for Thursday and Sunday evenings and matinees, are available

through OCC’s bursar’s office.

The office is open 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8

a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, and 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

A $1 discount is available for children, students and senior

citizens.

Tickets will be sold at the door for $6, $7 and $8.

For ticket information, phone (714) 432-5880.

* JIM CARNETT is senior director of community relations at Orange

Coast College. He writes the biweekly On Campus at OCC column. Reach

him at jcarnettocc.cccd.edu or by calling (714) 432-5725.