The Oklahoma City Community College Visual Art and Performances Center's Film Studio

Film Major, John Dewberry, is an aspiring film-maker currently not enrolled at Oklahoma City Community College. He currently helps out the employees at OCCC's Visual and Performing Arts Center where he waits for next semester to roll around.

(PHOTO: Matthew Shaffer)

Dewberry praises the college's classes and their video production studio for its hands-on experience such as the opportunity to build a set for a short movie. Dewberry speaks of one instance where they had to build a bathroom, and he mentions that students must build these sets without any professional help.

However, the college has some of best professional advice that can be given in the state. The college's staff includes some of the best in the field of film and documentary such as Gray Fredrickson, the producer of the Godfather trilogy. Dewberry also mentions Prop Master, Sean Lynch and Director of Photography Dave Green working at the college. This kind of professional influence is what draws many film students to the college because "the professors who are teaching you are really good at what they do and they do it in the real world," and many of them are still working on new movies.

According to Fredrickson, the studio is even equipped the best cameras in the business, the RED ONE, "a video camera that produces a film-like picture." Along with the studio are green screens, light sets, cranes for cameras, and a gallimaufry of production equipment ready for use at any time. They also have an area where students and faculty can rent out the college's equipment for as long as they need it for their productions. 

Here is a brief tour of the studio at the Visual Arts and Performance Center. VIDEO: Matthew Shaffer, runs : 0:57