Connecticut Film & Digital Media Workforce :: SUMMER FILM INDUSTRY TRAINING PROGRAM

Summer Film Industry Training Program

TESTIMONIALS

	"The CT Film Industry Training Program has been a huge success. Many of my students are working already and well on their way to careers in film. I wish there had been such a program when I got started in the industry."
	Tom Allen 2008 Property Master Instructor IATSE Local 52 Old Greenwich

"I participated in the FITP last summer and it was a blast. I learned the nuts and bolts of how a production works. It's a machine with lots of moving parts. I recently followed up on a posted FITP Internship and am currently working as a production assistant on a Disney feature shooting in Connecticut. The FITP gave me the training and the contacts I needed to get my foot in the door. I'm grateful to everybody who made this experience possible."

Joel Callaway
2008 Graduate Trainee
Production Office Coordination
North Haven

	"The FITP is a tremendous opportunity for anyone seeking to transition into the television & film industry. After the summer program, I was able to continue my learning through an FITP internship, working on several episodic television programs. The knowledge I've gained and the professional contacts I've made through the FITP have proven invaluable."
	Gina Cassasse 2008 Graduate Trainee Props & Set Dressing North Haven

	"The FITP is designed for anyone looking to enter the film and digital media industry in Connecticut. The instructors are all talented people just waiting to share any and all information they have to offer. An experience you will remember!"
	John Ciccimarro 2008 Set Construction Instructor IATSE Local 52 Sherman

"I was honored to participate in the 2008 FITP. I've known most of the instructors for 20 years or longer, and they're all A-List. All this talent gathered in one place for one month – industry professionals eager to share what they've learned with150 hungry, motivated trainees – the experience was inspiring. This program is an important step in making Connecticut a competitive player in the industry."

Richard Dobbs
2008-2010 Guest Director
Director's Guild of America
Easton

	"Last summer, I had the pleasure of teaching an introductory Script Supervising seminar. The FITP students receive thorough training in their chosen area of study, as well as substantial exposure to all aspects of filmmaking; a depth of study unusual in a four-week program. The practical nature of FITP is the best preparation a trainee can get for working on an actual film set."
	Jodi Domanic-Riccio 2008 Script Supervisor Instructor IATSE Local 161 Portland

	"I have taught film classes and workshops for more than 20 years. The FITP was the best experience of my professional filmmaking career. Everyone involved with the program, the other instructors, and especially the trainees were totally dedicated to the program. My camera students were serious about their training and worked hard from beginning to end."
	David E. Elkins 2008-2009 Camera Instructor Author: The Camera Assistant's Manual IATSE Local 600 Old Saybrook

	"Already having a background in media, I used the FITP as an opportunity to increase my skill set by exploring production management. I studied script breakdown, budgeting and scheduling. The month-long concentrated training, along with my 10 week internship, has definitely given me the tools and, in turn, the confidence to broaden my career scope."
	Leslie Estelle 2008 Graduate Trainee Production Management Bridgeport

	"The FITP immersed me in the motion picture industry. My classmates were as excited as I was, and the instructors really got inside our heads. With the knowledge I learned, I have made connections with great people in the industry. And I know it will help me with my goals for the future."
	Gary Fierro 2008 Graduate Trainee Camera Berlin

	"It was a true pleasure being a part of the FITP program. As a actor, I wanted to learn productiion and get first-hand experience being behind the camera. Well, my dreams came true! The instructors gave me all the knowledge to create and produce my own pilot, which was shot in Connecticut. I was able to employ many of my fellow FITP trainees on the project!"
	Guy A Fortt 2008 Graduate Trainee Production management Stamford

	"As an FITP trainee, I met a great group of people who had the same passion for the film and television industry as I did. With the help of my instructor, I was able to go to New York City and work on two NBC shows. The program gave me a solid foundation of real production skills. I'm now working locally in production and am very grateful for the FITP experience!"
	Magda Grover 2008 Graduate Trainee Production Management Hartford

"As someone who works in the business, I found the FITP very valuable in that it jogged my memory about information forgotten and offered new information that was not watered down. We had all the tools needed to illustrate every lecture and exercise. The instructors were all accessible, well informed, eager to teach, and offered a sense of hopefulness about the possibilities of Connecticut building an industry workforce that will attract productions and create jobs!"

Garret C. Maynard
2008 Graduate Trainee
Camera
Stratford

	"I learned so much from the program! All the instructors were great! The hands-on training really gave me a true sense of the job. We all became like a little community, working together and developing new friendships. This was truly a lifetime experience that I will never forget. I hope that we can have a class reunion soon. I miss everyone!"
	Selena Molinaro 2008 Graduate Trainee Wardrobe Portland

	"I found the experience of teaching production coordination to be one of the most satisfying experiences of my career. The FITP allowed instructors to tailor classes based on our individual experiences of working in the industry. I was able to pass on to my students the tools they need to grow and thrive as film and television professionals."
	Susan Parsons 2008-2009 Production Coordinator Insrtuctor IATSE Local 161 Norwalk

	"The FITP is a must for any Connecticut resident serious about entering the film and digital media industry. The program offers a hands-on (not theoretical) approach, and all of the instructors were able to pass on to their trainees their love of the process."
	Lucille Masone Smith 2008 Production Manager Instructor Directors Guild of America Scotland

	"At age 54, I needed a shortcut to qualify for union work in the television and motion picture industry. In only one month, this remarkable program taught me everything I need in order to feel self-confident on a movie set. I learned trade secrets of movie making from masters of film, and had a great time doing it."
	Dave Therault 2008 Graduate Trainee Sound Waterbury

	"The FITP teaches the necessary skills to start and succeed in a career in movies. Experienced union members share their secrets of success so more movies will come to Connecticut and hire local help. Instructors are willing to help you find work and assist you on the job. One of them hired me on a major motion picture and set my career in motion."
	Ralph Veenema 2008 Graduate Trainee Props & Set Dressing Rocky Hill

	“I had the pleasure of teaching in the 2009 FITP. It is a remarkable course that gives future filmmakers an insight to the real workings of the film, television and commercial industry. If I had a course like this during my first few years, I would have been well ahead of my competition. It’s a great, fun environment to learn and teach.”
	Danielle Rigby 2009-2010 Assistant Director Instructor Directors Guild of America Hampton

	“In order to work in the film and television communities, you need three things: You need a marketable skill. You need a network of friends and colleagues in the business. And you need to be a team player. The FITP, with its four weeks of intensive instruction and practical experience, has given me a good education in each of these areas.”
	James W. Hawk 2008 Graduate Trainee Prop and Set Dressing 2009 Associate Producer Cheshire

	“Of the myriad of courses I've taken through the years, the Film Industry Training Program surpassed all of them in terms of the tuition return on investment. Getting the chance to train with working professionals in the film industry is a rare opportunity. Do not miss this one!”
	Stephen Luckingham 2009 Graduate Trainee Assistant Directing Manchester