Hollywood By The Horns Back In-Person & Thriving

A program that began as a pilot program in 2014, Hollywood by the Horns has evolved into one of the most popular extracurricular programs for Film, Television, and Media (FTVM) students at CSUDH.

This spring, as classes returned to campus after two years of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HBTH was back to hosting in-person events such as movie screenings, industry panels, and the 7th Annual Story Slam.

“Hollywood by the Horns was started with the intention of creating opportunities for our students to connect to folks in the entertainment industry in meaningful ways,” said Interim Program Director, Dr. Ryan Bowles Eagle, who was taking over the program for Dr. Toddy Eames while she was on sabbatical.

This Spring, the program kicked things off on April 8 with a special screening of the film

Coming 2 America. The screening was attended by three CSUDH FTVM Alumni, including Rob Smith, an associate producer of the film.

What makes the screenings special is that students are able to get advice from these industry professionals and ask them questions. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn and network with people who are in a position to help students achieve their goals.

Shaheed Samuels, a senior majoring in FTVM, raved about the screening and meeting a professional who is in a position she aspires to be in one day.

“I am grateful that I was able to ask [Rob Smith] a question and get an answer that can help me in my job search,” said Samuels. “And to be able to continue that conversation after the event and get his contact information for further career assistance and to build my network was great.”

Hollywood by the Horns, the flagship professional development program, also garnered support this past year from a Televisa Univision gift and a

Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) grant, making it possible for students to nurture their impactful storytelling.

Another successful HBTH event last year involved alumni Josh Cooper and CeJay Anderson, who participated on the panel, Entry Level: Securing (& Succeeding In) Your First Industry Job.

Then there was the Seventh Annual Story Slam, which took place on April 30. Modeled after The Moth Radio Hour, a platform where guests from all over the country share inspirational, interesting, and funny personal stories, the HBTH Story Slam is the culminating event for students who take the “Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story” workshop, which is led by Hollywood veteran Lisa Callamaro.

“Students work on various stories over the course of their time. It’s special because students are sharing things that they’ve either never said out loud themselves, never shared with anybody. Something happens in that room that’s so special that students develop a trust in each other that I don’t see in most classroom settings,” Dr. Eagle said.

This year’s Story Slam was emceed by FTVM alum Tim Clemens, who runs the widely followed Craft Grooms Tik Tok along with his husband. Additionally,

Porscha Singh and Tracey Gutierrez were also featured as alumni storytellers for the event.

“I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of the Cinestory Screenwriting Masterclass,” Samuels said during the Presidential Distinguished Lecture Series in March. “We learned about writing for TV, which is what I’m most interested in. It was interesting to me to hear from the group leaders, to hear about their experiences in the screenwriting field.”

Samuels was also part of the FTV mentorship program where she was paired with a mentor who is already in the field. They met every month to help her prepare for postgraduation, specifically how to stand out professionally for potential employers.

Overall, Samuels found the whole experience of her involvement with HBTH to be quite beneficial and encourages others to join.

“I would highly recommend every FTVM student get involved with Hollywood By the Horns,” Samuels said. “The program has always and continues to provide top extracurricular activities for students and I can’t rave about it enough.”

This year’s participants in the HBTH Story Slam event held in April in the Marvin Laser Recital Hall of LaCorte Hall.