wellnessfitpro Top Takeaways
- At Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, student filmmakers and animators break into the entertainment industry through interdisciplinary, collaborative media projects.
- Students work directly with industry professionals, leading to internships and jobs in the field.
- The program provides opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds in the entertainment industry, including trade certifications and partnerships with major media companies.
In an old auto shop classroom in Hollywood High School, Mawuena Akorli zips across the room with a tripod-mounted camera in one hand and a penciled directive in the other: more black goo.
“And the secret to it is food dye and blue agave,” said Mawuena, a junior. “It’s very sweet and very yummy, but it’ll get the job done. You’ll look terrifying.”
That’s how Mawuena remembers creating the “jewel” of her creative work as a filmmaker: A thrilling horror-comedy showcasing her character’s quest to hunt down ghosts in the darkest corners of Hollywood High’s campus. In the final episode, her character becomes possessed by a ghost, and with a mouthful of goo, Mawuena is gripped by the horror herself.
“I loved it because I love writing, and that’s when I get to put my creative energy out,” Mawuena said.
Mawuena is one of more than 300 students in Hollywood High’s New Media Academy, a career-based arts program that prepares students for careers in visual media. Through hands-on projects, students learn video production or animation in Los Angeles, where the entertainment industry still dominates the local economy.
“We work with industry partners to create internships and provide students opportunities to get jobs,” said Alice Nezu, program coordinator. “We’ve seen students, particularly ones who may have had a challenging time in the classroom, make a lot of progress over their years in the program and respond to all the community that we’re able to offer.”
Students take a fundamentals course in the ninth grade, after which they can apply for a video production or animation pathway, spending three years developing projects based on an interdisciplinary curriculum shared by core academic and visual media classes.
Abigail Cordova, a senior, wrote and produced a narrative film about former President Barack Obama and his legacy on student financial aid. She said she learned how to translate her research in history class into a group production.
“I used to be a very shy person, and I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone,” Abigail said. “I was able to rely on my friends, contact my teachers to explain my problems and learn communication as smoothly as possible.”
As a full production crew, students write, shoot and market their films, then send their work to a board of industry professionals for feedback. Top projects are shown at the SheikFest film festival — named after the school’s Sheiks mascot — with students vying for a 3-D printed Larry award, named after filmmaker alum Lawrence Fishburne, at a prestigious awards ceremony rivaling a night at the Oscars.
Alycia Escobedo, lead teacher at NMA, was one of several faculty members who helped organize the first SheikFest two years ago, when students showcased projects to a schoolwide audience and industry judges from studios like Netflix and We Are One Spark.
“They’re being asked these questions like, ‘Why did you use that coloring? What’s that shading about?’” Escobedo said. “I just remember being in that room with an intense feeling of pride for our students, because they were so excited to explain their ideas and thoughts behind their filmmaking.”
Santino Marchetti, a junior, wrote a short film that critiqued dictatorships and indoctrination through the lens of school bullying. He also directed a documentary about Native American representation in the media. He’s becoming a better filmmaker by learning how to fully commit to his roles and crew, he said.
“It was my first time being in a director role and being able to direct the actors and write the script — that was just an amazing experience for me,” Santino said. But he learned, “I’m not just going to wake up one day, be the best director or the most trusted person on set. I have to earn those spots.”
Nezu helped start New Media Academy about 12 years ago, when she was a special education teacher and noticed that many students performed better with hands-on instruction. When the academy achieved a 100% graduation rate, the Los Angeles Unified School District approved making it a magnet arts program, which grew to 312 students from across Los Angeles with 16 teachers.
Nezu said SheikFest also exemplifies the depth of knowledge that students can develop through practical work.
“With AI, you can fake a lot of things,” Nezu said. “You can’t fake being able to have just a spontaneous, authentic conversation with an industry professional in front of your peers unless you really, really dug in and did the work and feel invested and committed to it.”
Some students also serve as paid interns after school, where they helm live taping of Inside H Studios, the school’s news show.
Headset on, Mawuena’s directives are quick and confident: quiet in the studio, stand by to record, take color, bars and tone. Next to her, Abigail cues a pre-recorded student report about the icons of Black History Month: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, take black, ready to dissolve and cue. Abigail pans a camera to Santino, who performs a live standup about Hollywood High’s latest sports news.
“Having to learn about switching through cameras, I think that’s my favorite part right now,” Abigail said. “I do want to explore audio, but I know I’ll get that opportunity step by step.”
Jonathan Tirado, a video production teacher, darts between production crews, answering questions about camera angles, lighting and audio problems. Beyond the technicals, he said the most important resource he hopes to foster for students is a sense of community.
“I tell them that these are the people that you’re going to move forward with, and maybe win a Larry with, or also go to college with and have the rest of your life,” said Tirado, who is also a stage actor and filmmaker.
In recent years, entertainment has become the most competitive field for internships, in which women and people of color represent a fraction. In response, Escobedo said the program has integrated more community partnerships, field trips, trade certifications and panels for students from diverse backgrounds to develop ideas.
“We’re breaking down barriers by making sure that there’s equity of voice in the industry,” Escobedo said.
For Mawuena, that means earning the right to change the industry. She was first inspired by “Insecure,” a comedy series by Los Angeles native Issa Rae, and after years of practice, feels more confident about making art without compromise.
“It means so much to me to be able to create stories out of my experiences, to make other Black little girls feel represented,” Mawuena said. “It’s such a special feeling to look at a screen and be like, ‘Wow, I’m not alone.’ ”
Mawuena said she has dreamed of making films since middle school, but as her mom used to say, “Dreams do not pay the bills.” Three years later, she’s proud to have changed her mom’s mind.
“Now, I can actually pursue my passions, fulfill my dreams and collaborate with other people who have the same dreams as me.”
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