(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Ketchikan Public Utilities Telecommunications announced the award of the prestigious Alaska Cast and Crew Advancement Program Grant in the amount of $40,000 from the State of Alaska Department of Workforce Development. As one of only seven entities in the state -- and the only organization in Southeast -- to be awarded this grant, KPU was able to foster a unique partnership with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District to create the “Southeast Film Consortium”.

The Southeast Alaska Film Training Consortium partnership will provide a web-based class in which students will explore the concepts surrounding beginning video production. Emphasis of this class will be on pre-production, camera operation, recording procedures, electronic field production, lighting and audio. In addition, there will be four, 4-day seminars on-site in Ketchikan that will offer students an in-depth opportunity for hands-on experience in the areas of videography, editing, producing, and filming a full length reality show. These seminars are taught by well-known industry professionals.

According to a Ketchikan Public Utilities Telecommunications press release, this unique program will create a vocational education program in Ketchikan that is geared towards educating and training both traditional K-12 students, as well as other learners, in videography, television production, and editing.  The goal is to prepare and train for employment a workforce in the burgeoning Alaska film industry. 

High school students throughout the state may sign up to attend a distance learning course through the Ketchikan School District, and additionally, there will be several four-day seminars for hands-on learning for all ages and abilities. Students and interested learners can apply online for the Ketchikan program. 

The first seminar in Ketchikan will be held on September 7-10th, 2012, at Ketchikan High School. The first seminar will allow learners to receive hands on training in the skills of basic videography, setting up a live multi- camera simulcast, as well as gaining production planning experience.

KPU plans on hosting additional seminars in the coming months and will welcome well-known professionals to Ketchikan, such as Tim Delarm of the Alaska Outdoors Television, John Wedin on Eye Cue Productions in Anchorage, Will Shannon of Critical Mass Media, as well as other noted industry professionals to offer students hands on training to prepare them for a career in the film and television industry.  Seminar topics will include everything from basic videography, to creating a full episode of reality television for network broadcast. For more information regarding this training, contact: Michelle O’Brien at michelleo@city.ketchikan.ak.us or call 228-5486.

There are a variety of options and costs for attending this seminar in Ketchikan.  The State of Alaska is offering Individual Training Grant Accounts to those that are interested in order to cover costs associated with travel, hotel, and the seminar.

Individuals interested in receiving funding for film training must complete a one page application. Contact your closet job center to apply:

• Anchorage Muldoon Job Center, Lena Mathlaw 269-4733
• Bethel YK Delta Job Center, Kimberly Weston-Smith – 543-1601
• Juneau Job Center, Danny Lakip – 465-5930
• Kenai Peninsula Job Center, Carolyn Vanzant – 283-2922
• Fairbanks Job Center, Missy Lizotte – 451-2891

Funds may cover up to $500 in tuition and $1,000 for transportation and lodging for Alaskans who successfully complete training. Funding will be available on a first-come basis until all funds are obligated.

Other AKCCAP Grantees/Training Providers & Description of Programs Offered:

Talking Circle Media: Through its Crew Academy of Alaska, Talking Circle Media will provide training on live sets, locations and studio sound stages of film and television productions with a currently planned five-part curriculum. Participants will also receive career and job search counseling and job placement resources.
http://talkingcirclemedia.com/

Alaska Crew Training (ACT I) for Production Boot camp 101: Cast & Crew Training will offer classroom and hands-on intensive crew training for entry-level positions in rural and urban communities providing participants with an overview of production to include terminology, set etiquette, start paperwork, deal memos, equipment, storyboards, call sheets and more.
http://www.alaskacrewtraining.org/

Alaska Crew Training (ACT I) : Week long Intensive Level I and II Programs to prepare attendees for specific disciplines such as Producing, Production Management, Production Coordination, Production Design, Art Direction, Grip and Lighting, Wardrobe, Make-up, Sound, Acting and including examining the knowledge and skills expected of each discipline.
http://www.alaskacrewtraining.org/

IATSE Local 918: Professional film technician training that will include classes taught in Anchorage and Fairbanks and video streaming classes accessible to rural Alaska through the University of Alaska Anchorage. Classes will include fundamentals of filming, grip, electrics, safety and set etiquette.
http://www.iatselocal918.com/

Affinityfilms, Inc.: To train individuals who already have a good working knowledge of film production, but who have not worked as script supervisors before, about film and commercial shoots in Alaska.
http://www.affinityfilms.org/

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Film Program: For Film Reel Alaska Mentoring Experience Phase II - Production & Post-Production (May-June 2013) to provide three tiers of training to applicants in pre-production, production and post-production using live film shoots to mentor students in all departments and positions on a small film set. Course available for University Credit through the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Film Program.
http://www.uaf.edu/film

Legislative appropriations outlined in the capital budget, were made available to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), AWIB, to offer, in cooperation with the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), competitive grants for training Alaskans and establishing Alaska workforce development programs in the film and television industry. Additionally, these funds may be used for Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) for Alaskans seeking specialized training in the Alaska film and television industry.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

On the Web:

Apply online for the Ketchikan program
http://revillaonline.kgbsd.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=777. 

More information on these Grants
http://labor.alaska.gov/awib/forms/AKCCAP_ITA.pdf

Alaska Crew and Cast Advancement Program (AKCCAP)
http://labor.alaska.gov/awib/akccap.htm

 

Source of News: 

KPU Telecommunications
www.

Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development
www.labor.state.ak.us

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Ketchikan, Alaska

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