Phil Gibson, founder of Digital Media Academy, and Brian Rothschild, Executive Director of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, announced a strategic partnership for 2009. The Lennon Bus, a non-profit state-of-the-art mobile audio and multimedia studio, will host Digital Media Academy's instructors at industry events, schools and other venues, where previews of the classes taught in their curriculum will be conducted. Audio and video recorded on the Bus will be used in many of the Academy's classes, while DMA and the Lennon Bus will jointly develop additional courses such as COME TOGETHER: Music and Video Production, to be offered for the first time in DMA's 2009 Teen Summer Camp program.
The two educational programs share the goal to inspire interest in the arts, to make technology accessible across socioeconomic boundaries and to create hands-on opportunities in music and video production for students, using the latest technological advances, gear and equipment. Brian Rothschild says, "So many visitors to the Bus ask us how they can stay involved and learn more about creating digital media content. "Where do we go from here" is a constant refrain heard onboard, and DMA's courses provide the answer we've been looking for."
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus (http://www.lennonbus.org) travels year-round to schools across the U.S. and Canada introducing young people to the complete studio set-up on board the Bus, including Apple computers, Sony cameras, Roland keyboards and drums, Godin Guitars, Mackie mixers, and much more, providing creative inspiration. Students write an original composition, record it and create a broadcast quality music video of their song which they take home on a Maxell DVD - all in one day!
The Digital Media Academy (http://www.digitalmediaacademy.org) is affiliated with prestigious colleges and universities across the country where they conduct 5-day courses for kids and teenagers that can be taken individually or combined for multi-week certifications. Students participate as either commuters or residential campers, introducing them not only to the most up-to-date programs and techniques, but also providing a pre-college experience. Adult courses, taught by award-winning professionals, are offered at these same campus locations. There is something for everyone! Campus locations include Stanford University (San Francisco area), Harvard (Boston), George Washington U. (Washington, D.C.), U of Chicago, Brown (Providence, RI), Dartmouth (Hanover, NH), and several others. The Digital Media Academy also offers courses on cruise ships and provides onsite training to companies and schools throughout the year.
Separate courses are offered for kids (age 7-13), teenagers and adults. Course topics include digital filmmaking, 3D game design with Maya 2009 and 3ds max, video editing with Final Cut Pro, music production with Logic Pro 8, visual effects with Adobe After Effects CS4 and Web Design with Adobe CS4, just to name a few.
Visitors to the Lennon Bus at the Macworld and the NAMM shows in January 2009 will be provided with introductory insights into the Digital Media Academy curricula, where their instructors will present short hands-on courses featuring footage produced by the Lennon Bus crew.
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