CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Parkland College recently announced a partnership with the Rantoul-based film studio Flyover Film Studios and two other Champaign-based film companies to broaden the pathway of central Illinoisans entering the film industry.
“Our new partnership with Flyover Film Studios, The Line Film Co., and Shatterglass Films brings a new layer of marketability for the area’s entertainment-industry trainees,” said Parkland College Theatre Director Brian Morgan
Parkland students pursuing an Entertainment Technology AAS degree have an opportunity to intern and work with these local film studios. This opportunity will give students better hands-on experience in film and will allow students to build their professional relationships in the film industry. Flyover Film Studios is based in the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul and has a $1.1 million grant from the Illinois Soundstage Capital Grant Program.
Its aim is to create a hub for the county’s film and television production industry. The Entertainment Technology AAS degree prepares students in a variety of fields related to theatre, film, television, and much more. It also provides experience with wood and metal fabrication, the handling of lighting and sound technology, management principles, design, and safety.
With the addition of these partnerships with official film studios, students are more likely to have more valuable work experience and can be more confident with their future going into the work field. A Parkland Theatre student, Drew Bagby took Flyover’s Workforce Training course in Rantoul and personally recommends the training.
“We were taught the basics of film construction (cutting with saws, measuring, and constructing flats), along with the dos and don’ts of the industry,” said Bagby. “I felt very confident with the instruction I was given and could work comfortably in a film setting.”