News Detail
Behind the Scenes in LA
Shawnigan students were treated to an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry on a trip to Los Angeles over the November Break made possible by C.A.S.E. (Communications, Arts, Sciences and Entrepreneurship).
Accompanied by a handful of staff members, the 16 students who are heavily involved in Shawnigan arts programs such as music recording and film production enjoyed an eye-opening whirlwind tour where they took in some iconic film and music production spaces, and managed to cram in some sightseeing, shopping, and celebrity glimpses along the way.
The five-day sojourn took the students to big production studios like Sony, Universal and Warner Bros., where they took in soundstages and recording spaces. They also visited EastWest Studios, the site of decades of quintessential recordings by everyone from Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra to Frank Ocean and Billie Eilish, where they just missed crossing paths with Michael Bublé and RZA.
While every stop on the tour gave the students an idea of the scope of the entertainment industry and the multitude of specialized jobs required to get a product into the eyes and ears of the public, that was no more apparent than when they attended a taping of the game show Wheel of Fortune.
“They could see that the business has many sides to it,” said Shawnigan music teacher Mrs. Mandy Bryant, one of the staff members to supervise the trip. “It’s not just the glamourous final product you see on TV. It requires collaboration between many people behind the scenes.”
The students did get to interact with the stars of Wheel of Fortune, taking a group photo with host Ryan Seacrest and shooting a quick video with announcer Jim Thornton. They had another more spontaneous celebrity sighting when they drove past a photo shoot with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi (possibly related to their upcoming film, Wuthering Heights?). After their van came to a quick stop to give the students a glance, the actors rewarded their enthusiasm with a wave and a laugh.
The students also attended a Shawnigan alumni event at LA’s Garland Hotel, where guests included the son of Alexander Ripley – namesake of Ripley’s House – and Mia Liang ’19 (Renfrew) who is now a film producer and founder of Forest Path Productions. The students engaged with the alumni at the reception, and served as outstanding ambassadors for the current generation of Shawnigan students.
As short as it was, the trip was packed full of unique experiences that proved invaluable for the students who took part.
“I think they all walked away with a sense of the scale of things,” said film teacher Mr. Aren Goodman.
Mrs. Bryant expressed her gratitude to C.A.S.E. for making the trip and many of those unique experiences possible.
“We were able to connect students with professionals in the industry, and introduce them to professional-quality hardware and software, and that would not happen without C.A.S.E.,” she said.
Shawnigan would like to acknowledge the support of all donors to C.A.S.E. whose contributions make applied arts and technology focused learning a reality for our students and teachers. The C.A.S.E. (Communications, Arts, Sciences and Entrepreneurship) program is a Shawnigan differentiator that offers a dynamic, hands-on learning environment to inspire, train and prepare students for careers in applied arts and technology.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
