Viola University Opens Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts to Prepare Students for the Next Generations of Entertainment

Viola University has been training film and television students for half a century, but this week the school enters a completely new phase in South Los Angeles. The new facilities of the Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts will be officially opened on Thursday, with a 45,000-square-foot building equipped with the latest technology […]

Named after the founder of In-N-Out, the new Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts building features a state-of-the-art stage design, theater and acting studio.

Biola University has been educating film and television students for half a century, but this week, the school in South Los Angeles is entering a whole new era. The new Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts facility officially opens Thursday, ushering in a 45,000-square-foot building equipped with the latest technology for film, television, game production and more: a large sound stage, editing suites, a theater, game design facilities and much more. Related stories Charlamagne God on mental health, social media, and prioritizing real-life connections: "You have to weed your garden all the time" Ice-T on "Law & Order: SVU's Longevity and Cultural Impact": "I'm on a good treadmill and I want to stay on it."

Currently, there are more than 450 students in the Cinema and Media Arts program, at full capacity, 700 young people learn the ins and outs of the modern entertainment ecosystem with the help of many professionals currently working in the business. More than 500 student productions come out of the school every year.

"What we're trying to do is build a program that's geared toward the needs of the industry," says Tom Hollin, founder of the Snyder School. Popular in Variety

The new building for the Snyder School, recognized as the top Christian film school in the country, was made possible by a lead donation from Lynsey Snyder-Ellingson, owner and president of In-N-Out Burger. The school is named for his grandmother, In-N-Out founder Esther L. Snyder.

"I love producing and filming myself, so I'm excited for the opportunities that Snyder University's School of Cinema and Media Arts offers talented students to hone their craft," says Snyder-Ellingson. "At the same time, they will build a foundation of Christ-centered values ​​that will guide them in shaping our culture for generations to come. My grandmother Esther was committed to helping students pursue their education and build a brighter future. And everyone in my family has a deep love of film and its power to tell stories that can change lives."

The new building's 3,000-square-foot soundstage will add to the two existing soundstages, and all students will have 24-hour access to these facilities. Facilities also include color grading suites, audio mixing suites, scoring and foley stage, motion capture stage, collaborative editing spaces, scene storage, and green room – plus props and memorabilia on display.

Biola has a strong commitment to ensuring students are prepared to enter the entertainment workforce, with 100% of students in industry internships.

"Southern California is the perfect place to do what we do," Hallin explains.

"We've always wanted to be a school that teaches not just how to do this, but what's coming next," Hallin says. The new building, he explains, is designed for students to work in the type of environment in which they will work professionally.

Guest speakers and instructors help students bring the latest ideas in media. "Industry professionals need to tell students, 'This is what I did yesterday,' and 'This is what I'm doing tomorrow. This is what I did today, before I drive to teach this class tonight,'" Hollin explains.

"To be able to prepare students for the industry of today and tomorrow requires more than just technical and creative skills. It's about adaptability and reliability and collaboration, having a great attitude, volunteering. We can prioritize excellence in those areas as well, while they learn from industry experts who say, 'This is how you edit dialogue,' and Skywalker says he's learning from somebody."

The university emphasizes character education along with hard skills. "I can teach a smart person to do this," says Hallin, a former AMC television executive. "But that was the character I was looking for, people I could really trust and rely on. This program is focused not only on creating excellence in the profession, excellence in skills, but also excellence in character in our graduates."

With three key majors – Writing, Game Design and Interactive Media and Cinematic Arts, students can specialize in areas such as directing, creative production or cinematography and prepare to create entertainment across all four screens – whether it's a movie screen, television, computer or mobile device.

Alumni of Biola's program include "Doctor Strange" director Scott Derrickson, YouTuber Zach King and "Jurassic World" digital production manager Laura Aldridge. Earlier this year, six alums participated in winning the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest.

"We want to be the school that teaches what's next," Hallin says. I don't want students to go there, I had fun, but I'm not ready. "I want them to say that I had fun, I learned a lot, and I'm prepared, and I feel like I'm the best interviewer for the job."