Thanks to hard work, determination, and the skills and creativity he developed in pursuing a degree in Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance (IAP) through New College, Derek Johnson is now working for a leading film production company in Los Angeles.
Johnson credits New College faculty members including Charles St. Clair for providing the advice and guidance that helped him land an internship with Hurlbut Visuals. He was hired by the company upon completion of his internship.
Johnson also freelances in L.A. as a camera assistant on commercials, documentaries and short films. “I’m hoping to get into Local 600, The International Cinematographers Guild and work on feature films soon,” he says.
The IAP degree program gave him hands-on training with computer programs like Photoshop and Final Cut, and it also made him grow as an artist, Johnson says.
“The IAP program served as a foundation for me to build upon in my own pursuit of the arts,” he says. “It laid the groundwork for thinking creatively and exposed me to several disciplines and artists, which allowed me to find where my interests lie. It has given me the chance to create my own work and developed it with constructive feedback from all of the IAP professors.”
Johnson is by no means the only IAP student to benefit from an internship experience. St. Clair and his faculty colleagues have helped students land internships with organizations including The Africa Channel in Los Angeles, the Fox 10 and Univision TV stations in Phoenix, Spectrum Video and Film, Tall Cat Studios, and Phoenix-area theatre companies such as iTheatre Collaborative, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Arizona Jewish Theatre Company, and Theater Works. Several of these internships have led to job offers for IAP students.
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