Leaders of the
Compass College of Cinematic Arts say that its student population has tripled and with that growth comes the need for more space and a location central to Grand Rapids' downtown. On Dec. 8, the college cut a filmstrip "ribbon" to mark the opening of its new location at 41 Sheldon Blvd. SE, the former home of the
Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts.
The college, previously at Fifth St. NW and Seward Avenue, is excited to have a space with a dedicated film theater already in place, says Admissions Director Tom Lowe.
"Our new location has a sound stage and a 175-seat theater as options for students to be able to create and show their films," Lowe says. "Our school is a media arts training college where students learn to be directors, writers, screenwriters, animators and do jobs behind the camera. They're not just confined to [creating for] the big screen, but for anything today that would be video-centric."
The college has 50 students this year, ranging in age from recent high school graduates to adults in their forties. Lowe says the school, formerly called Compass Film Academy, gained accreditation in 2010. Successful completion of its 60-credit-hour course gains students a bachelor of arts in motion picture arts and sciences.
The school shares the main level with the offices of
ArtPrize, and also occupies the entire lower level. Three classrooms, a computer lab, plus student and faculty lounges round out the facility.
Lowe says students have had a hand in several successful commercial projects including
30 Minutes or Less, a movie shot in Grand Rapids;
Avatar;
CSI Miami; Fast and Furious;
Marmaduke; and a Disney remake of
Return to Oz, in production now.
Source: Tom Lowe, Compass College of Cinematic Arts
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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