Southern California’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts—Chapman University’s highly acclaimed film school—is the first film school in the United States to purchase Sony’s flagship F65 8K sensor camera. The school recently purchased three F65 cameras, which are already in use by the film school’s students and faculty on a range of productions including student thesis projects and on-campus events.
“One of the key principles of Dodge College is teaching students how to use the tools of the trade now, to best prepare them for the future when they enter the field,” said Dan Leonard, Chief Technical Officer at Dodge College. “There’s no better example of today’s state-of-the-art production technology than the F65. It’s already in the hands of filmmakers now, so it was only natural that we give our students the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the same equipment being used by industry professionals.”
The F65 cameras will be available throughout the school year for use on graduate and undergraduate thesis films, the top level of production at the school. The first production to use the F65 was a senior thesis film titled “Nekko,” a short fairytale about growing up.
Film schools and their students play a critical role as the industry transitions into the digital era, and Sony is committed to working with these organizations, and the education industry in general, to give students the most effective learning experiences.
Dodge College is also ahead of the digital production curve, having already made a full transition into an entirely file based workflow. While film cameras still play a role in the students’ education, students are primarily taught on digital cameras as a means of immersing them in the world of digital production.
“Tomorrow’s filmmakers are today’s students, so we want to do whatever we can to ensure that they’re learning on the best technology that they’re going to find anywhere when they enter the professional workplace,” said Rob Willox, Director of Large Sensor Cameras at Sony Electronics. “Film students are the future leaders of the industry, and partnerships like the one between Dodge College and Sony that foster such early immersion in technology help ensure that students will graduate equipped with the skills to dive in with the best that the industry has to offer.”