Hollywood film production experts set up training facility in NMC

How would you like to personally witness the editing of a full-length Hollywood film or even better, how would you like to do the editing yourself?

The Northern Marianas College, in partnership with a California-based production outfit, will make these things possible by introducing a program aimed at developing locally-trained individuals with full knowledge in the technical aspects of film production.

Discussion between the College and its Hollywood partner, Pacific Rim Productions, Inc., started during the latter part of 1998. The agreement was signed late last year.

According to Dr. Jack Angello of NMC’s Continuing Education Department, the newly-established Pacific Rim Academy would initially provide interested individuals with training on digital music, effects and visual editing.

Dr. Angello said PRA is also expected to do post-production editing of films produced by movie production companies in neighboring Asian countries like Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Pacific Rim Productions said there are many Asian productions posting in Hollywood to take advantage of the technology and personnel. Being closer to major Asian countries, a post-production facility on Saipan is in a better position to get a bigger demand for picture and sound editing.

An independent Japanese film company has already contacted the Pacific Rim Productions for possible sending of its movies in the Saipan facility for sound and picture editing.

However, he underscored that the PRA facility at the Building-V of the College has been put in place to train people from the Northern Marianas, Micronesia, and Asia on the technical aspects of movie production.

Training programs, which will stretch up to a 10-week session, will be offered at the Commonwealth’s lone higher-learning institution during the latter part of this month.

At least six Northern Marianas students have already expressed intention to sign up for the program with the College expecting more interested individuals by the time it does an open-house on April 17, 2000.

Future plans for the film production academy include expansion of the program into the pre-production and actual production aspects such as screenwriting, acting and directing.

Dr. Angello also mentioned the possibility of the training program being upgraded into a regular college course or incorporated in an associate degree on applied science.

But he noted that the program, being very technical and technology-based, would be expensive as he called on the administration of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to reinstate the money slashed out of the current scholarship funds.

“We acknowledge the governor’s call for the College to enhance its vocational programs. Film production is a milestone but it may be expensive for some interested students who might need government subsidy,” Dr. Angello said.

Pacific Rim Academy funded the acquisition of the highly technical equipment for the post-production works. The film outfit also flew in skilled and professional post-production personnel, with the College providing the rooms and other facilities.

According to Leonard Wolf, co-founders of the Pacific Rim Productions, Saipan has all it takes to be a part of the multi-billion-dollar film and television production industry in Hollywood.

“It is a great opportunity to diversify the industry in the CNMI, and it will also serve the local populace in job training and future networking into the growing field of film and TV production,” Mr. Wolf said.

Pacific Rim Productions was founded by working Hollywood professionals who have the ability to secure the top production personnel, editors and mixers for both work-related experience and instruction.

Pacific Rim Productions is designed to perform post-production and instruct and train future editors and mixers for a career in motion pictures and television.

The company will use state-of-the-art digital video and sound equipment. and an instruction room that is conducive to learning.