Stept Studios Educates CSUDH Students about the Entertainment Industry with Virtual Speaker Series

2020 has been a year of missed opportunities for many college students and recent graduates looking for coveted internships that help give them a leg up into the workforce. Having to cut their internships for the year as well, integrated production company Stept decided to partner with California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), to host a series of workshops for students interested in working within the entertainment industry.

The workshops were curated by CSUDH’s internship coordinator for the College of Arts & Humanities, Lisa Mastramico, and lead employer engagement specialist & career coach, Punita Patel, in collaboration with Vanessa Wasano at Stept Studios.

The series of virtual workshops was designed to help educate CSUDH students about the entertainment industry, including an introduction to how production teams collaborate to create content. Members of the Stept team, including its directors, hosted a total of three one-hour workshops, each of which included a Q&A at the end. The first seminar, 'Success as a Freelancer', was led by actress and emerging director Madison Lawlor and Stept director William DeSena that gave students an opportunity to identify successful strategies to navigate freelance life and maximise the potential to have consistent work.

Stept EP Randall Bourquin and producer Leah Bullock led 'Collaborative Production', which explored the various creative, production and post positions that work together to make unforgettable content.

To wrap up the series, animator and director Ruel Smith and creative director Cole Sax led 'Focus on Your Craft', honing in on the details of what defines a creative’s point of view and how to polish those talents.

“Because Cal State Dominguez Hills is in our neighbourhood, it felt like a natural collaboration, especially in a year where so many opportunities for students have been cut short by the pandemic", commented Vanessa. “We all benefit from connecting with great, creative talent to help navigate and thrive in this ever-changing industry. Stept looks forward to continuing to work with the college on many more projects.”