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Chris Harty Schaefer, Cinema Arts Focus Program Director, works with students in the new state-of-the-art green screen studio.
New Cinema Arts Facility Unveiled
T
he newly-renamed
Cinema Arts Focus Program, formerly called the Media Focus Program, has a brand new, state-ofthe-art facility.
What sets the Providence Cinema Arts Focus Program apart from other media programs is not only the incredible building and equipment but also the resources and experience of its educators.
“As a proud alumna of the Cinema Arts program, it is thrilling to see its evolution,” remarked Principal, Allison DeFrancesco Castro ‘03. “Re-envisioning the space has allowed us to enliven and re-imagine all parts of the program to better meet the needs and talents of our students in this cutting edge industry.”
Newly-appointed cinema arts teacher, Elric Kane, an independent filmmaker and passionate instructor who has previously taught at Columbia College in Chicago, as well as the Relativity School in downtown LA, was blown away. “This is as impressive a facility as I’ve seen at a college level. To think we have four years to work with students in high school is exciting.” Kane remarked.
Over the course of the summer months, the former media classroom was transformed into a ground-breaking, full Production Center that houses a studio that most professional news stations would envy. Cinema students have full access to a floor-to-ceiling green screen, control room with live streaming multi-camera broadcast capabilities, a 24 track audio sound board, Black Magic design switcher, and three Black Magic Ursa Mini cameras with 4K capability and teleprompters. The studio ceiling is outfitted with an impressive collection of DMX controlled LED light panels.
Cinema Arts Focus Program Director, Chris Harty Schaefer, who has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and brings 25 years of experience as a director, producer, and writer in television, first came to Providence when her son Charles Schaefer ‘13 was in the Media Focus Program. “I saw an amazing opportunity to share with my son, and the Providence community, my own experiences of working in the industry.”
The students are taught and screen their films in a professional industry environment where they are surrounded by 20 fully equipped Adobe Premiere editing stations and the latest animation technology. Pioneer Connections
Schaefer has worked with Steven Spielberg, HBO and the History 14
