After a delay last semester, members of the Black Student Film Collective gathered in Annenberg Hall to voice a number of concerns regarding the School of Communications and Theater.
Members expressed their grievances with the school’s dean, Concetta M. Stewart about topics ranging from the instruction students receive on operating the sound forge, to the absence of screenwriting software, to the times and availability of SCAT courses.
Members of the BSFC believe the problems in SCAT are severely hindering their progress as aspiring communication and theater professionals.
Vann Monroe, a graduate student in film and media, expressed his dismay with the overall condition of some of the film equipment made available to film and media arts students.
“We need a better dub rack. Students are put in a position where they are handicapped to compete because the equipment is so poor,” said Monroe.
Sherine Crooms, a senior film and media arts major and the president of the Black Student Film Collective, discussed her concern with the lack of production experience that Temple students receive while at Temple.
“People are rendered useless [in the motion picture industry] without production experience,” said Crooms.
Crooms also stressed the need for the film and media arts department to facilitate an internship coordinator and a better internship program to assist Temple students while enrolled as undergraduates, and upon their graduation.
The Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media (BTMM) department is currently the only SCAT department with an active internship coordinator.
While a Temple alum serves as senior vice-president or higher at every major motion picture studio in Hollywood, according to Stewart, there is no component to directly connect students with these controlling vehicles. Crooms believes an internship coordinator would be very helpful in connecting the two.
Temple (in association with Emerson College) currently offers a summer internship each summer for FMA junior and seniors in Los Angeles, but actual internships are not guaranteed. It is the job of the student to locate his or her own internship while residing in Los Angeles. The entire program cost in an excess of $4,000.
Stewart confirmed that many of the concerns and frustrations mentioned in the hour-and-a-half long meeting were currently in the process of being amended. She reported that she has already ordered ten copies of the Final Copy screenwriting software.
She also said that she plans on hiring an Assistant Dean for alumni affairs to aid in the networking and post-graduation opportunities for Temple students and alumni. She would also like to set up scholarships to send students to Los Angeles and scholarships to aid students with their production projects.
“I want every FMA student we bring in to finish their production project,” said Stewart.
For the students who believe that they are not receiving the correct instruction on how to operate the equipment, Stewart plans on establishing rolling and open availability of training labs where students can receive help when needed.
“This is just a transition year [from President Liacouras to President Adamany]. We’ll all be in a better budget position next year. We’re growing as a school and our know-how is increasing,” Stewart said.
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