Announcement
Boston, MA —
Emerson College announced today its continued support from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the school’s film industry-related programs. This year, the Academy is providing a $7,000 grant for film students participating in the College’s renowned Los Angeles Program, an internship study program. And, a contribution of $5,000 will help fund the Visiting Artists Series, a series of special screenings in Boston with appearances by filmmakers, established by the College’s professional arts presenting organization ArtsEmerson: The World On Stage.
Internationally known for its annual Academy Awards presentation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also distributes grants annually to support film program initiatives and emerging filmmakers worldwide. In the past five years, Emerson has received more than $49,000 in grants from the Academy.
“This kind of support from such a well-known and respected film industry organization is very important,” said Visual and Media Arts Department Chair Jonathan Wacks, whose films include Repo Man and Powwow Highway, produced by Beatle George Harrison. “Grants from the Academy go toward programs that allow students to learn about the industry firsthand from established filmmakers and feature film companies; that’s a huge advantage as students can begin to build relationships that will be crucial to their success.”
Since 2008, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has helped 30 students participating in Emerson’s Los Angeles Program. While in Los Angeles, students take classes and intern at major motion picture companies such as Lionsgate Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Focus Features. Grants from the Academy cover students’ living expenses, making it possible for them to get the hands-on industry experience they need.
This year, support from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will help bring three to four filmmakers to Boston to introduce and discuss their film(s) and visit with film classes at Emerson and other partner schools. Last year’s inaugural Visiting Artists Series guests included Nina Menkes, writer/director of Phantom Love (2007) and Dissolution (2010), and actor F. Murray Abraham, who presented an on-campus screening of Amadeus (1984), tied to his appearance on stage in ArtsEmerson’s production of The Merchant of Venice.
About the College
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, opposite the historic Boston Common and in the heart of the city’s Theatre District, Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in communication and the arts, a mission informed by liberal learning. The College has 3,453 undergraduates and 837 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries; and an active network of 32,000 Emerson alumni who hold leadership positions in communication and the arts. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a renowned faculty, students participate in more than 80 student organizations and performance groups. Emerson’s arts organization, ArtsEmerson: The World On Stage, brings professional performing arts experiences to Boston, making them available to the public and enabling the College's students and faculty to work side by side with distinguished artists from around the world. The College is internationally known for its study and internship programs in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., the Netherlands, London, China, and the Czech Republic. Emerson is currently building a new permanent facility on Sunset Boulevard for its L.A. Program, estimated to be fully operational by Fall 2014. For more information, visit Emerson.edu.
About the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy Foundation
Founded in 1927 by 36 of the most influential men and women in the motion picture industry at the time, the Academy is an honorary membership organization whose ranks now include more than 6,000 artists and professionals. Dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures, the Academy's corporate management and general policies are overseen by a Board of Governors, which includes representatives from each of the craft branches.