SAG Actors Working with One-of-a-Kind Film Internship Program

Arizona State University’s School of Film, Dance and Theatre continued its Summer Feature Film Internship Program for the second year. A student crew, supervised by department heads who are working film pros and mentored by faculty from the school, will make one feature-length movie.

The goal for the school was to create a professional film set where students can gain experience and earn academic credit in a safe learning environment. Last summer, filming was completed on Justice Served, a psychological thriller that is the directorial debut of Marvin Young, better known to most of the world as Young MC. Young wrote and stars in the movie, alongside SAG-AFTRA actors such as Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Terminator), Lochlyn Munro (Scary Movie, White Chicks), Gail O’Grady (Revenge, NYPD Blue) and Christina Rose (Deadheads, How Do You Write a Joe Shermann Song?).

Actor Lochlyn Munro, left, and ASU film production instructor Chris LaMont conduct a lunchtime Q&A for the benefit of the ASU students interning on the feature film Justice Served. Photo by Tim Trumble.

In an interview for Arizona State University News, Jake Pinholster, director of the School of Film, Dance and Theatre, stated, “This project is a win-win-win. Marvin and the team behind the film win because they get to leverage their resources and finances in a way that wouldn't be possible elsewhere. The School of Film, Dance and Theatre generates national visibility, and, most importantly, the students win because they get to participate in a true rarity in the entertainment industry: an internship that has been structured from the ground up to give them a substantial leadership role in an educational environment.”

Arizona State University hopes to continue to bring the industry to Arizona so students can get real-world experience on a full feature film.

This item was originally featured in the March 2015 local newsletter.