Biola University School of Cinema and Media Arts

Biola Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts is excited to welcome our incoming students for the Fall 2024 semester on this Welcome Day! We hope you are ready to create, innovate, and express your faith through film and media. We can't wait to see the stories you'll tell.

For more information on new student orientation, and for the full schedule of Welcome Day events, visit here:

Fall 2024 New Student Orientation Check out the New Student Orientation Schedule! Get more information on dates, events, registration and more as you prepare to attend Biola University.

Last year, Biola University Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts student Garrison Keeton had a chance to work on the BTS team of the upcoming Kendrick brothers' movie, The Forge which releases in theaters on Friday, August 23. As part of the BTS team he filmed b-roll and interviews on-set which went into promotional material, bonus features, and more. He even did an initial 3D title animation and also edited the first 60-second promo teaser to go out on the internet.

"My experience working on The Forge was incredible to say the least. Having Christian community on set with daily devotionals, constant prayer, and discipleship was very valuable to me. The BTS team in particular was very tight-knit and I felt like my ideas were valued as I got to add myself into projects we worked on. I thank God for the vast amount of professional knowledge I gained, but more than that, I’m grateful for the relationships I built throughout the 6 weeks." - Garrison Keeton

Check out The Forge in theaters opening weekend starting Friday, August 23rd!

The Forge Movie
The Kendrick Brothers

Be a part of history at Biola University! Join President Barry H. Corey and In-N-Out Burger's Owner and President Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts studio facility. As a special treat, the first 700 guests to register and attend will receive free In-N-Out!

Mark your calendars for Friday, September 6. The ceremony kicks off at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch at 12:30 p.m. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to celebrate and enjoy some delicious food. Register now and we'll see you there!

Register here: https://www.biola.edu/events/2024/snyder-school-of-cinema-media-arts-groundbreaking

Last year, Biola alumnae, Payton Williams (class of 2024), had the opportunity to work on the upcoming Kendrick Brothers movie The Forge, in theaters Friday, August 23, 2024. She was even given the opportunity to direct a scene!

“I was incredibly blessed to have been given the opportunity to work in the Art Department for the upcoming Kendrick Brothers movie The Forge. In one summer, I felt the presence of God each and every day, and made genuine and authentic friendships along the way. Not only was I able to refine my craft working in the Art & Props department for the entirety of the film, I was also able to refine my relationship with the Lord. The heart of The Forge is discipleship & ministry, and I am so thankful to have been a part of it.

I was also given the opportunity to direct a scene in the movie and that has been one of the greatest blessings from my time working on the movie. I felt valued and seen not only as a person but as a creative as well. I am so excited to watch The Forge this month and encourage all of you to check it out as well!” - Payton Williams

“People were telling me that the film healed their family and their hearts, or how they might have felt about a loved one."

From Thailand to Indonesia, "How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies" captivates audiences worldwide with its universal message of the complexities of relationships, the significance of generational bonds, and the importance of cherishing moments with loved ones.

Read the full article here: https://deadline.com/2024/06/thai-how-to-make-millions-before-grandma-dies-southeast-asia-1235975589/

“Biola prepared me to be successful by encouraging me to not be afraid to jump into new technologies and to explore new ways to create stories. But those technologies and tools need to be used in a way to continue to drive unique and fresh stories which was sparked by the questions I was forced to ask and analyze while at Biola.”

Andrew works with film and television shows that use the latest virtual production tools (like large LED walls and real-time rendering systems) to execute high-level immersive environments and digital tech to help elevate the final images created for movies and television. As a former Disney Imagineer, he produced Webslingers: A Spider-Man Adventure and Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure. He also served as associate producer, virtual production for The Book of Boba Fett.

Check out this recent movie review of Inside Out 2 from author Brett McCracken where he discusses the complexities of self-discovery beyond mere emotions.

Read The Gospel Coalition article here:

The Gospel Coalition (TGC) The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"This film is about my life and how God is continuing to give me the pieces that put it together — piece by piece."

Singer Pharell Williams LEGO Biopic, "Piece by Piece" Unveils his lifes puzzle and creativity with God at the center. Read about his process as a creative and his faith in this article by Relevant Magazine here:

Pharrell Williams Says God Is at the Center of His LEGO Biopic - RELEVANT The Internet is buzzing today after the trailer for Pharrell Williams' upcoming LEGO biopic, Piece By Piece, dropped. And no, it's not an AI prank; it's a

This week we are celebrating The Shakespeare Mashup, which won in the categories of Best Director, Best Cinematographer, and Best Production Design at the Biola Film Festival!

When collaboration and teamwork bring skilled creatives together, a finished film is only part of the result. Behind the scenes, we see a tapestry of future filmmakers helping each other grow to be the best they can be, and their noteworthy awards show just how well this team did exactly that!

“Making ‘The Shakespeare Mash-Up’ was an absolute joy from start to finish, and we’re so thankful for the many amazing people who made it happen. We’re honored to receive this recognition from Biola for our work on the film, and we think so fondly of our four years in film school!” — Ethan Montgomery

”It was truly an honor to film the Shakespeare Mashup, a project that not only allowed us to demonstrate our dedication to storytelling, but also celebrated the deep friendship we developed as students in Biola University’s film school. I am immensely thankful for the unwavering friendship and remarkable collaboration of Luke and Ethan Montgomery throughout this journey. To see the film be recognized for its cinematography is an absolute delight” — Graham Skinner

Ethan and Luke Montgomery (Directors):
Graham Skinner (DP):
Cait Krengel (Producer):
Ben Dilsisian (Producer):
Micah Ten Pas (Boom op):
Gunnar Goding (Gaffer):
Jin Kim (1st AC):

“Biola prepared me by letting me play in a creative sandbox where I learned to hone my craft through teamwork, leadership, humility and using my ambition strategically.”

Brandon Spring inhabits the world of storytelling and visual marketing, shooting content for small businesses and organizations along with freelance directing. Having worked as a videographer at organizations like TechMD and Fullerton Free Church, he is currently the videographer at Revive, a real-estate renovation startup. In addition to these roles, Brandon is developing his latest short film, Safety Driver, and recently wrapped post-production on Sorry, Steve, soon to enter the festival circuit.

In filmmaking, sound design plays a vital role in creating a cinematic experience for the audience. Congratulations to Luke Montgomery for winning Best Sound at the Biola Film Festival for his work on The Janitor, written and directed by Jonny Harmon.

The Janitor is short film about a group of new students at an academy for assassins. The students decide that, in order to prove themselves, they must take on the legendary Janitor of the school.

"I’m so glad I got to contribute to the post production sound on The Janitor! It was a lot of fun to do a fight scene and an animated sequence, which were both new to me and opened up new opportunities for sound. I’m thankful to Jonny for having me on the project and to the Biola Film Festival team for the award!" - Luke Montgomery

Director of the hit-series "The Chosen," Dallas Jenkins recently announced that Season 4 will be available to stream this summer.

Read more about it in this article:

Here's When The Chosen Season 4 Will Start Streaming A new release update has revealed when to expect The Chosen Season 4's streaming debut.

This summer, a groundbreaking film about the life of Jesus, performed entirely in American Sign Language, hits theaters. Produced by Deaf Missions, "Jesus" aims to bring the Gospel to the deaf community worldwide.

Read the full article here on the Christian Film Blog:

Film about Jesus Done Exclusively in Sign Language Hits Theaters This Summer The picture is produced by a Christian ministry that focuses on bringing the Gospel to the deaf.Gideon Firl plays the Jesus character in a scene from the movie "Jesus." Image: Deaf Missions/Photographer Branton Stewart/from Instagram.In what filmmakers are calling a "historic first," this movie abou...

"These movies teach us, and their lessons are specifically tied to the art of animation."

Relevant Magazine recently outlined how animated movies have a unique opportunity to teach adults and children beneficial lessons.

Read more here:

Kids Movies Are Deeper Than You Think - RELEVANT This week sees the release of IF, John Krasinski's animated film that follows a young girl reconnecting children with their forgotten Imaginary

This week we invited our second group of students to campus for Biola Film Camp this summer!

Our summer film camps give two groups of high school students a chance to experience what it’s like to be a film student at Biola. Led by faculty and staff from Biola’s Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts, the camp is designed to showcase how Biola students can integrate their faith and with their passion for visual storytelling.

Classes and workshops provide insight into the industry, like how stories are brought to life through pre-production, production and post-production.

Camp sessions include courses, workshops and hands-on access to the university’s camera, lighting, sound equipment, soundstages and edit suites inside the school’s Production Center. Students create projects that are screened at the end of camp! Off-campus excursions include a film screening in Hollywood, a tour of Warner Bros Studio and a day at Universal Studios theme park to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the busiest studios in the world.

These photos feature our film camp students and a few of our instructors:

Assistant Dean: Marcieanna Klaustermeyer
Professor: Dean Yamada
Director of Studio Operations: Mark Spicer

For more info about our film camp go to: https://www.biola.edu/cma-film-camp

This week we are celebrating Biola Film Festival winner, Matt Yen, who won Best Editing for the music video “Dancing To The Devolution.”

“Many people don’t enjoy editing, but it’s something I happen to love. The ability to control what people see on screen and fix problems people don’t see is a challenge I am blessed to take. This project in particular was a joy to work on because I had a lot of creative input and freedom in the edit. From the first cut to the final export, editors make up a huge part of post production, and I just want to shout them out because they are the invisible heroes!” - Matt Yen

Director/Writer: .locy
Cinematographer:
Editor: .yen
VFX: Caleb Knight

Continuing our summer feature of Biola Film Festival winners, our next film is Remote Control, which won both Best Experimental Film and Best Visual Effects.

“My freshman year, our lovely History of Cinema profesor, Nate Bell made the mistake of assigning my group ‘avant-garde’ as the genre for our final project. Remote Control is an experimental/comedy short that features three narratives exploring different facets of artistic expression through the lens of a guy flipping through channels on a retro television. It’s super wacky and meta, and I had lots of fun making it with my friends. It was an ambitious project and our crew was very small but I think we managed to create something special.” - Zane Kuljian

Writer/Director/dp:
Starring:
Gaffer:
Sound Mixer/Boom op:
Production Assistant:
Editing/VFX:

On June 6, 2024, over 100 alumni of the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts met in the heart of Burbank for an exclusive mixer. Alumni caught up with old friends and professors, networked with each other, and caught a glimpse of the new studio facility presented by founding dean Tom Halleen.

The alumni who attended ranged from 2004 - 2024 graduates. If you weren’t able to make it this time, we will be having another mixer next year so we hope to see you then!

Every summer, the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts hosts two week-long film camps for high school students. The camps provide instruction in filmmaking from pre-production to post-production, guidance on integrating faith with a passion for visual storytelling, and excursions to Hollywood.

The first film camp commenced on Sunday, 6/9, with students touring Warner Bros. Studio on Monday, 6/10, gaining insights into the backlot, the filmmaking process, and enjoying a movie screening at AMC 16 in Burbank.

For more information about Film Camp, visit the link here: https://www.biola.edu/cma-film-camp

"I belong in God's camp."

Actor Alan Ritchson opens up about his journey from despair to faith with the Christian Post, revealing how a renewed relationship with God saved him from su***de. Read here to learn more:

'Reacher' star Alan Ritchson reveals faith saved him from su***de: 'I belong in God's camp' Reacher star Alan Ritchson reflects on how his faith saved him from su***de and why he advocated for scenes in which his character wrestles with doubting God s goodness to be included in the new ...

In the pursuit of spreading the message of Jesus to diverse audiences globally, Stan Jantz, CEO of the non-profit Come and See Foundation and Biola board of trustee member, reflects on the transformative power of translating "The Chosen" into over 50 languages.

Learn more here:

‘The Chosen’ Breaks Record for Most-Translated TV Show The popular series about Jesus is now available in 50 languages with plans for 550 more.

Throughout this summer we will be featuring each of the winning films of the 2024 Biola Film Festival!

Almost Perfect: The 99th Pitch, which won Best Documentary, was first year Ben Terrell's debut film.

"Almost Perfect: The 99th Pitch is a culmination of two of my life's [dominating] passions: filmmaking and baseball. The subject of the documentary, [former Major League Baseball pitcher] Brian Holman, was my pitching coach in high school. He taught me a lot about baseball, as well as life; this documentary strives to capture a few of those lessons.

Thanks to Brian's boundless humility, his masterful abilities as a storyteller, a truly amazing crew, and the wonderful staff of Biola, I believe we created something that fulfilled our vision. I am whole-heartedly grateful for every single person who contributed, and any success that the project has obtained—from its festival run, to its D Magazine article, to showing at Mariners' stadium, to partially airing on regional TV—was only made possible by virtue of every single helping hand." - Ben Terrell

Read the full article here:

https://www.dmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2024/04/curve-ball-local-shorts-highlight-diverse-usa-film-festival-slate/

Calling all CMA alumni! You're invited to the alumni mixer this year on June 6, 2024 in Burbank, CA.

Last year's alumni mixer was a great time of reconnecting with old friends, staff, faculty, and meeting new friends.

We are almost at capacity so please RSVP soon. Check your email for the invite link. If you didn't receive an email, please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you there!

According to an article from Variety, Warner Bros. has greenlit a new Lord of the Rings movie, ‘The Hunt for Gollum.' The movie is set to release in 2026, with Peter Jackson producing alongside actor Andy Serkis as Director.

Read here to learn more:

Warner Bros. to Release New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ in 2026, Peter Jackson to Produce and Andy Serkis to Direct Warner Bros. will release its first new 'Lord of the Rings' movie in 2026. Andy Serkis will direct 'The Hunt for Gollum,' while Peter Jackson produces.

According to a recent article from Variety, Spanish cinema is "embracing" opportunities for co-production, specifically with streaming giants.

Read here to learn more:

Spanish Cinema Embraces Opportunity with Co-Production As Spanish movies overperform on Netflix, and then some, companies plunge into international co-production. Variety explains why.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a South Korean animation house called Mofac Animation is currently working on a new faith-based movie inspired by Charles Dickens and the life of Jesus Christ.

Read their article here:

Faith-Based Animated Film ‘The King of Kings’ Inspired by Charles Dickens Story in the Works (Exclusive) South Korean company Mofac Animation is behind the feature that will see Dickens and son Walter becoming immersed in the life of Jesus Christ.

"The world needs stories of redemption and faith at a really crucial time.”

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. recently shared about his acting career with The Christian Post. The Hollywood veteran said that his latest role — a drug dealer-turned-Christian in "The Firing Squad” — is one of the most impactful roles he's done.

Read here to learn more:

Cuba Gooding Jr. says role as drug dealer-turned-Christian reflects own redemption story: 'Time to get back to God' According to Cuba Gooding Jr , his new role as a drug dealer-turned-Christian in The Firing Squad is one of the most impactful he s ever tackled and reflects his own redemption story

”Part of the goal at The Chosen is to get the show in front of as many people as possible."

According to this recent article from Relevant Magazine, the first three seasons of the hit-series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, The Chosen, will be available to stream on Disney+.

Read here to learn more:

'The Chosen' Is Now Streaming on Disney+ - RELEVANT Jesus is heading to Disney. The first three seasons of The Chosen are now streaming on Disney+, with plans for the fourth season to be added soon. This is