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Campus Review
December 12, 2013
“Georgia is Ahead in its Growth in the Film and Media Industry”
Clayton State to be a Leader in
Film Technician Training Under Barton Bond
by John Shiffert
Clayton State Continues to Set the
Pace in Digital Media; Thanks to Stanley Johnson
Question: What do the states of New
Mexico and Georgia have in common?
Answer: Barton Bond and film technician
training programs.
Bond has come to Georgia and Clayton
State University from New Mexico with
45 years of experience working in elec-
tronic media – the last 25 of which
focused on teaching at community col-
leges. In 2003 he developed and taught
the first, and only, film technician training
program in the country. However, that
will change when the Bond-designed con-
tinuing education (CE) program at
Clayton State kicks off in February 2014.
The two-part CE (as opposed to an aca-
demic program) Digital Film Technician
Certificate program is designed to intro-
duce students to the production of digital
media and film. Digital Film Tech
Training I, scheduled to launch on Feb.
18, 2014 for the evening course and Mar.
3, 2014 for the day course, is designed for
students with no background in digital
media, as well as those students with
some experience or coursework in the
field. Digital Film Tech II, which will start
in the summer of 2014, is a follow-up
course designed to help students achieve a
level of film/media production skills that
will promote employability and/or the
ability to become independent contrac-
tors.
The program mirrors the academic, credit
course designed by Bond and implement-
ed with much success in New Mexico.
According to Bond, that program was cre-
ated in response to a pressing need for
qualified crew members to staff the
numerous Hollywood-based films being
shot in New Mexico – and it serves as a
basis for the Digital Film Technician
Training Program at Clayton State.
Bond points out that the unique part of his
New Mexico coursework was the oppor-
tunity for students to work on actual pro-
ductions… a feature that helped lead to a
remarkable success story, and will be
duplicated at Clayton State.
“It was the hallmark of what we did in
New Mexico,” he says. “The students got
to work on productions all the way to full
blown feature films. After five years,
there was not a single piece shot in New
Mexico that hadn’t had hired some of our
students.
The Clayton State University Center for
Continuing Education continues to set the
pace in digital media and the entertain-
ment field, thanks in part to its instructor
for the multimedia, music and entertain-
ment certificate program, Stanley
Johnson.
Johnson has been a force in the music
industry for more than 25 years as a
vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer
and composer. Although his experience
has covered a wide range in the industry,
his work has been highlighted by double
platinum sales recognition for his vocal
appearances on the albums “Wild and
Peaceful” and “Love and Understanding”
by the legendary music group, “Kool and
the Gang.” In addition, in 1990 and 1991,
Johnson was one of two producers who
worked with Joseph Jackson, father of the
legendary Jackson Family, and helped
create the first album for Jackson
Records.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Atlanta Regional
Workforce Board of the Atlanta Regional
Commission recognized Johnson as an
outstanding community partner, recogniz-
ing his experience in giving youth oppor-
tunities to learn career skills and expand
their academic, social and civic achieve-
ment.
At Clayton State, Johnson’s certificate
program, “Music Production, Music
Video and Music Business,” has proven a
hit with a new generation of young people
eager to make their mark in the music
industry. His last group of a dozen stu-
dents, ages 17 to 21, spent this past sum-
mer learning from the master, and his
book, “Vit2All.” Johnson points out that
the title of his training curriculum book
means Very Important Training 2 ALL in
television, radio, music, film and the
media arts. And that certainly proved the
case with last summer’s class, as all 12
participants landed internships with two
Atlanta radio stations, 860Love radio and
WWWE 1100.
The Clayton State Center for Continuing
Education will next offer “Music
Production, Music Video and Music
Business” starting on Feb. 22, 2014. The
program will run for 12 Saturdays, from
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each student will
graduate with a certificate as well as a
documercial of themselves, a music
video, a music CD, and an electronic
press kit including their bio, photo and a
demo.
“The program teaches them to do it for
themselves, and for others,” explains
Johnson. “A lot of the students want to be
entrepreneurs, and this program allows
them to produce the service for others.
“It’s a life-changing experience.”
Film, cont’d., p. 21
Digital Media, cont’d., p. 20