Full Sail University Trains Future Filmmakers With Sony's Help

Students get to use the gear they’ll find on set

December 15, 2016

When a prospective student walks into one of the buildings at Full Sail University, situated on a 210-acre campus in Winter Park, Florida, they cannot help but discover the word “DREAM” hanging on the wall in a large extruding relief sculpture facing the entrance. Dream or the even better the word “dreamer” is exactly the kind of students Full Sail University wants in their creative arts programs. At Full Sail University, they want to help you reach your dreams and they have Sony’s help to get you there.

Sony invited me, PVC’s Bruce Johnson, and a handful of other writers down to Orlando, Florida on an expenses paid tour showcasing how media companies, broadcasters, and universities use Sony Products. Full Sail University was one of our stops. Full Sail University offers degree programs for the on-campus student as well as those students who attend class online. The program’s at Full Sail University are designed to focus on the creative fields. I’m talking about Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master degrees in media, arts, film/tv, gaming, music, sports, and technology. The focus; real-world industry experience. With Sony’s help, the school can deliver on the real-world industry experience. This is especially true for the Film/TV, and digital cinema students. Check out a little video PVC’s Bruce Johnson put together following our trip down to Florida to visit Full Sail University.

The FS in FS100

The joke on Full Sail University’s campus is the FS in FS100 means “Full Sail” as in the camera was made for and by input from the faculty and students. No better example can be given than the Vimeo Staff Pick “Warbird Pilot; Behind the Visor.” This is a film made by a then student at Full Sail University, Rob W. Scribner, and it was shot mostly on the Sony FS100.

Sony Cameras

The help Sony offered to Full Sail University then has continued. Now, the school boasts many Sony cameras fit for different worlds of film, tv, and production. On one end the spectrum, Full Sail University has a robust TV Production program where students are able to use current cameras and switchers found in many production booths and studios nationwide. Hell, I remember my years as a student and it seemed like we were stuck in Hi-8 video way the hell back then. I would have died to have gotten my hands on a modern Sony video camera.

I can remember fondly when I was shown how to use a Sony Beta SP camera. It was my first broadcast camera. If I had not gotten the much-appreciated help from a News Photographer named Darren I may never have learned how to operate the camera and I might not have gotten the job I wanted back then. Here’s the thing, I went to a good school and it had an adequate communications program, but it did not teach us this basic knowledge or I missed the class. Thankfully, I finished up my education at a Film School where I was taught quite a bit more. Sony and Full Sail University do not want students to lack the know-how. I mean, just look at the collection of Sony cameras below.

Students can get their hands on the Sony FS700, FS5, F55, and F65. This seems to be ample amount of pixel power to help Full Sail University students hone their creative minds. Some of these cameras are also some of the most popular cameras found on sets worldwide. Let me rephrase. Most of these cameras can be found being used by pros everywhere.

Yet, the Sony gear is not reserved for the digital cinema students only. Sony has a large footprint in television production. So it only makes complete sense for Full Sail University to have their students learning the ins and outs of Broadcast TV with a Sony camera or switcher within reach.

Broadcast TV is a broad title for a subject. Disciplines within the industry can run the gamut. What Full Sail University, with the help of Sony, teaches is the often over-looked tech know-how needed for live broadcast TV production to look well, professional.

Live TV Production

From a basic talk show to live productions for WWE or the Warp Tour. Students at Full Sail University have the opportunity to try a little bit of everything found in the TV world. Spaces on campus double as a live concert and professional wrestling venues capable of full of the lighting and haze grip package helping the spaces transform into the “show” part of show business. It is in this world, again, students are using Sony cameras and switchers. While an ENG or Live TV camera is not a hugely complicated machine they surely can appear so when one is faced with the tech at first. It is about getting past this boundary and making sure students will not face a gear hurdle in their future. When a production hands them a camera or when they are faced with a studio camera, students should know the basics and hopefully more. Since Sony gear is found around the world Sony is happy to assist students in the training so they are in their comfort zone in their early careers.