The day the earth first shook at CCCA was the day the boulders arrived. More than twenty tons of rocks were delivered and strategically placed in a garden that was like an oasis on asphalt.

Film school students, studying set design, learned how to construct a facade. In filmmaking, the crew is concerned only with “what the camera sees.” The fronts of houses and buildings often have no interiors. Like a facade for a film set, a garden took temporary root right outside Compass’ front door. It was a beautiful garden, all built in a few days and there for the illusion of a walk in the park. The garden was created to give visitors to the ArtPrize HUB (our neighbors), a grand entrance when they stepped off the trolley in front of the building.

“It was our largest undertaking for something like this,” said Matt Bakker, Vice President with Landscape Design, the company that did the work. “The garden had to be more than 120 feet in length and 30 feet wide. It took up half the roadway on Sheldon Boulevard. This is much larger than something you’d typically see at a home and garden show.”

In addition to the twenty tons of boulders, the garden of visual delights included 12 trees, 15 shrubs, 60 rose bushes, 40 types of ornamental grasses, dozens of chrysanthemums, and one hundred cubic yards of sand. The sand was needed to elevate the garden up to the level of the median strip curbing, some nine inches above the road-grade. The whole thing was irrigated by an underground sprinkling system.

In the center of the garden was a sculpted concrete walkway designed to give visitors a brief stroll through the flowers and trees before entering the building. The concrete poured and molded, had to be removed after ArtPrize ended. Between the jackhammers and the removal of the boulders, the earth in front of our building shook in departure. But having the garden here, like a good illusion in a movie, was worth it ... and fitting for a lesson in design.

As the new class begins the program at CCCA, we also begin looking ahead--and the future is often found on the road. The CCCA admissions staff fan out, visiting high schools and college fairs to meet potential students who just might have the “right stuff” to become filmmakers.

It’s not easy.

Many people dream of making films and television shows, but very few are willing to take the risks to actually do it. For those who do, the ones with the call to step up to the creative plate, it can be like hitting one “outta the park” when an education in film aligns with the dreams of the storyteller.

David Dollerschell, a member of last year’s graduating class, put it this way: “I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I knew I wanted to be a Director of Photography, but I had no idea that I could write--and write screenplays, of all things. When I got into the creative environment at Compass College and attended story meetings, the light bulb went on, and there was no looking back from that point. It was full speed ahead.”

Highly talented people, like Dollerschell, are the type of students the admission’s team is looking to meet. They are the ones who are passionate about film and eager to collaborate with and inspire creativity among fellow students.

Looking ahead to next year’s program, students will have the option of enrolling in CCCA’s Associate’s of Applied Science degree program or in the new baccalaureate degree program. Applications now are being accepted. In the meantime, we’re on the road again through next spring. We’ll be traveling to high schools and college fairs, advertising on social sites, billboards, radio, and television, trying to find the student--that passionate and creative artist--who has what it takes to become the filmmaker who can capture the imagination of audiences while making a difference.

They are signs you can look up to. For the first time in Compass College history, CCCA is on the big screen. Eight big screens to be exact--all outdoors.

They are state-of-the-art, digital electronic billboards. CCCA’s brand was seen from all points east, west, north and south on the major highways coming into Grand Rapids. The images were bright and eye-catching, broadcasting the CCCA message to tens-of-thousands of motorists who came into Grand Rapids for an event that is by far the most popular in the city: ArtPrize.

“ArtPrize draws more than 400,000 people to downtown Grand Rapids from many parts of the state, Midwest, and around the world,” said CCCA President, Keri Lowe. “We elected to have our messaging displayed each weekend through the duration of ArtPrize on these digital billboards to capture the attention of visitors and residents. It makes a powerful statement.”

Each of the massive electronic billboards produces a very bright, 25,000 candle power of resolution. It is like watching images on a giant plasma screen outdoors. The CCCA message was displayed for eight seconds out of every minute on each of the colossal screens. This added up to 5,400 ads per day on all of the screens, or a total of 48,800 CCCA ads that were seen during the ArtPrize event weekends.

Our sincere thanks go out to our friends and partners at Hanon-McKendry for their creative input and design of the digital billboard campaign.

Photo: Billboard located on east-bound I-96 near Grandville.

There were some "firsts" for CCCA as a new group of students began the 2012-2013 school year. It is the first time a class started the film program in the college's new location at 41 Sheldon Boulevard in downtown Grand Rapids. Last year's class began at the former location off Fifth Street on the west side of the city before transferring to the new campus after the renovated building opened in November 2011.

It is also the first time CCCA has had a surge in female students enrolled in its program. The female students now make up almost a third of the student population!

And, as Chris Tooke says, it's probably the first time Compass has had a student arrive via a bus and a train from Houston sporting an Aussie hat and a calf-length leather coat with a cape lapel. Although his look was more fitting for a role on-camera than behind it, his creativity landed him a spot on Compass' roster. Chris adds with a smile that he "brings a little piece of Texas to class each day" with his accent.

There is a lot of gender and geographic diversity in the class of 2013, but one constant among the students chosen for admission is their burning desire to become filmmakers. Whether it's owning their own production company, working for a studio, on a film set, or in the corporate field, the students all want to make a living telling stories through the eye of a camera.

"I'm excited," says student Cassie Smith. "I know it's only been a couple of months, but I can feel Compass College is where I'm supposed to be at this time in my life. The film and entertainment field is definitely where I want to work and create."

CCCA President, Keri Lowe said, "This new class is a great representation of tomorrow's digital storytellers. We're delighted to teach them in a hands-on, conservatory-style learning environment that provides them with practical experience for the industry or a transferable skill-set for other areas, such as marketing." 

Lowe also shared, "After graduation, CCCA students are in positions to lead change in the rapidly evolving world of digital content creation which has seen an annual growth of 16 percent since 2007. At the same time, they will be working to make a difference in the lives of their audiences. To the end, and to their future success as storytellers, we welcome the class of 2013 to Compass College of Cinematic Arts."

Carlos Castrillon, a student coming to CCCA from Chicago added, "I'm still adjusting to the place and the work load, but I love it here. It's exactly what I expected. I'm in the right place, and it'll bring out my "A" game."

There were two small convoys. One headed west, one headed east. The CCCA students traveling west drove part of the way along legendary Route 66 en route to Los Angeles. Those traveling east followed a dream to intern and work in New York City. Whether it’s California dreamin’, interning in the Big Apple, learning their craft in the prolific film production hub of New Orleans, or throughout Michigan, CCCA students are doing internships where the “action” is found.

“This has been an eye-opener for me,” says Andy Busha, who was driving one of four cars in the CCCA student caravan that headed west. “You never know how hot and dry the Mojave Desert is until you’re standing in the middle of it. What a great trip!”

Busha is doing his internship at Light Iron, one of the premiere post-production houses in the nation. “There are a lot more steps to post-production than I ever realized,” he shared. “From in-field DIT work, to major color correction, to learning how the post process works in setting up the initial production, it’s all part of a film or TV show.”

On the east cost, five CCCA students are completing their internships at various production and development companies. Jesse Harbold chose to intern at Intrinsic Films because he felt the experience would be closely aligned to what he wants to do, and in the city he wants to do it, New York. He adds, “I’m getting the opportunity to intern in the development area, which means I have the chance to read scripts that have been submitted to Intrinsic. Then I pass my story notes on to one of the internal producers. Hopefully, my experience in learning story at Compass will give me an edge. I’m also working on the set of Darren Aronofsky’s latest Film, Noah. Life is good.”

CCCA students also are finishing internships in New Orleans and Michigan, the latter including films being shot in Grand Rapids and Portland, Mich. After successful completion of their internships, students will graduate and enter the job market. Class of 2012: “Go get ‘em!”

Photo: (L to R) Drew Bremer, Jesse Harbold, Erika Pineiro, Scott Surman, and Jill Postma. While on business in New York, CCCA Vice President, Jill Postma, was able to enjoy a meal with students interning at various NYC production companies: We Are Films, OffHollywood, and Intrinsic Value Films.

Jeremy Landers says something he learned at CCCA a few years ago is still his rock today. After Landers completed the program in 2008, he followed the proverbial “beaten path” on his career journey, a path that eventually led him to West Hollywood, California. He had a defined mission, one that he began to understand during his Artistic Vocation classes at CCCA. He shared, “I learned from my Artistic Vocation course that this field really needs to be a calling. And through the most difficult times of pursuing my career, I’ve been able to look back with assurance that this is the path God has called me to follow.”

Whether it is producing media content to engage and entertain audiences, or working with those who are directly involved in production, Jeremy says his job is about being a servant--serving God while following his own career path. He’s currently working as an Operations Clerk for DisneyToon Studios. In that position, Jeremy says he is serving others, too. “My job is taking care of people in the studio. I stock supplies, refreshments, and assist with event planning. We’re producing films for DVD and Blu-ray. Also, we’re launching a new franchise, and my role is really about serving the staff so they can work in comfortable, positive surroundings. It’s about working hard to make the productions and the studio successful.”

Jeremy is offering some advice for CCCA’s current students: “Know your calling. This industry is tough, and I know that’s what will help you weather the storm. Regardless of any circumstances, you will be doing what God has called you to do.”

It might not be as visible as the Rock of Gibraltar, but Jeremy Landers found his rock, his foundation, at CCCA. Today, his mission, like his faith, is set in stone. And that’s a comfortable place to be.