Students from Columbia College Chicago will engage with entertainment industry leaders on the same lot where “Avatar,” “The Sound of Music,” and other great films were made.

For the second consecutive year, Columbia College Chicago’s Semester in LA (SiLA) will host its LA Speakers Series  on the historic Fox Studios lot, putting Columbia students in the center of one of the most influential creative hubs in the entertainment industry. Fox Studios is known for such legendary films and TV shows as “The Sound of Music,” “Titanic,” “Avatar,” and “Modern Family.”  

For the lecture series, Columbia students will gather with entertainment industry insiders at the William H. Fox Theatre on the Fox lot, the same space where film greats like Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, George Lucas, David Fincher, Billy Wilder, and Joseph L. Mankiewicz reviewed their dailies and screened their work.

While SiLA continues to use Sunset Las Palmas Studios as its home base (the lot where “I Love Lucy” was shot), holding this industry-driven class on the Fox lot further enhances the student experience in Los Angeles.

“At a moment when the entertainment industry is transforming in fundamental ways, opportunity belongs to those who believe they have a place in it,” says Professor Kevin Cooper, director of Semester in LA. 

“Walking onto the Fox Studio Lot helps our students internalize that belief. Being here tells them: ‘You belong in this industry, and your voice matters right now.’”

About Semester in LA

A popular educational destination for Columbia students for years, Columbia’s Semester in LA places students directly into the heart of the industry. While rooted in film and television, the program welcomes creatives from a variety of disciplines, from those planning careers in the music business to game and fashion designers to actors and comedians. Through a blend of internships, networking, and coursework, SiLA connects classroom learning to real-world practice in ways that are immediate and transformative.

Guest Speakers Include Top Industry Professionals

The LA Speakers Series is a cornerstone of the Semester in LA experience. Designed as a weekly, guest-driven course, the class brings industry leaders from across entertainment into direct conversation with students. Past and recurring speakers have included directors, producers, agents, dancers, comedians, makeup artists, and costume designers.

Last year, Robert Atwood ’04, a Columbia alum and Head of Television at 21 Laps (“Stranger Things”), guided students through the lecture series.  And this year, it will be Andrew Orenstein, who has written and produced more than 500 episodes of television, including “Malcolm in the Middle” and “3rd Rock from the Sun."

During the lectures, which mirror Bravo’s “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” Orenstein asks guests questions and then opens up the floor to students who have each researched the guest and prepared questions.

“Even though I am the teacher, I am also a lifelong student, and I am excited to learn from these guests too,” Orenstein says. “We are going to be covering a wide array of topics, and I am looking forward to hearing what questions our students come up with.”

This semester’s lineup of speakers opens with Leonard Dick, writer/producer on “Murder in a Small Town,” “Lost,” “The Good Wife,” and “House," offering students a window into television storytelling. He will be followed by top-tier producer Todd Berger, bringing real-world insight into how projects are financed, sold, and positioned in the global marketplace at the highest levels of the industry. The speaker list also includes legendary producer Carol Baum, whose credits include "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (the movie) and “Father of the Bride.”

“We are going to expose students to experts from all over the entertainment section — from writer/directors to producers to craftsmen — to really give students a broad spectrum of people,” Orenstein says.

And Orenstein believes that, for the students, the location of the series most certainly matters.

“Nothing is better sitting on the Fox lot in a world-class, famous theater, and hearing incredible stories from people who have reached the pinnacle of their careers,” Orenstein says. “Each one of our guests is truly inspiring and passionate, and that can't help but rub off.”

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