Michael Santucci, RA Chair John Murray, and AES Students

Michael Santucci, President and owner of Sensaphonics, Inc. lectured to all first-year students of the Recording Arts Department at Flashpoint Academy this past Thursday October 22.

The event not only served as an excellent supplement to the foundational courses RA students are currently taking in the department, but also acted as a kick-off for the guest lecture series hosted by the newly formed Audio Engineering Society Student Chapter at the school. Michael spoke on hearing conservation, in-ear monitors, and the need for an overall awareness of living in an culture that more and more includes “personal listening devices” played back at dangerously loud sound pressure levels. During the demonstration portion of his lecture, Michael took ear canal impressions of Academic Dean Paula Froehle, which will become custom-molded ear plugs.

Kudos to all the officers of the AES Student Chapter for hosting a great first event.

An announcement from Simeon Peebler, chair of Flashpoint Academy’s Game Design Department.

I am thrilled to share that two students from the Game Development program at Flashpoint are featured as winners in a recent Game Design Challenge held by one of the industry’s most important websites. First year student Emily Greenquist won as Best Entry, and Terumi Tamaki won an honorable mention. Follow the links to check out the full details!

From the article: “Results from Game Design Challenge: Literary Inspirations”
We have hundreds, even thousands, of years of literature to draw from — yet so little of it has been used for source material for games. Early next year, Electronic Arts will release Dante’s Inferno, a very loose adaptation of part of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem The Divine Comedy, written in the 14th century.

What follows are the best and most original entries we received. Here are our top picks.

Best Entries:

Emily Greenquist, Student, Flashpoint Academy (Year One Student)
“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”
- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Greenquist takes a complex story and weaves it into a solid game concept. The Picture of Dorian Gray, as a horror-themed RPG, puts players in the role of an amoral protagonist who must eventually face the consequences of his actions. Though the experience would be a largely passive one for the player, the depth in narrative promises a rich payoff.

Honorable Mention:

Terumi Tamaki, Romeo and Juliet: Happily Ever After (Year Two Student)

Congratulations to both of these outstanding students on their accomplishment!

The following is a guest post from Game Development student Andrew Prete reflecting upon his experience at Flashpoint Academy’s Jumpstart session with Rich Moskal, director of the Chicago Film Office.

Rich Moskal

My name is Andrew Prete. I attend Flashpoint Academy and I am “a gamer.” I am studying to become the greatest game producer that ever lived. Everything I do revolves around games, from seeing who can eat a giant piece of pizza (with pepperoni) the fastest, to driving down Lake Shore Drive weaving in and out of traffic because I can, or playing head games with my friends. Now, you might be asking yourself, how is this guy a film fanatic? Well, I will tell you.

When I am watching a movie I am emotionally vested from the very beginning. I experience what the character experiences. I laugh, cry and get scared. I am there in the thick of it every step of the way — even when the movie is not so great. I accept their reality and run with it. These things called “motion pictures” give me an escape I could have never imagined. They are my biggest muse and hold much power over me. I don’t criticize or look down upon them; I simply enjoy them like a baby discovers his or her own fingers: with wonderment and awe.

I recently had the pleasure to hear Rich Moskal talk at Flashpoint and give us his point of view of the film industry. Rich Moskal has served as the director of the Chicago Film Office for thirteen years, but before that he was a kid and a student — a student trying to find his way in the world not knowing what to do, say, or think. He attended Loyola for a short time and studied some form of medical mumbo jumbo. Trust me when I say he has done a ton of jobs both in and out of the film industry.

What I connected to most was the kindness and generosity Rich seemed to have. When he works, he does so not only for himself but for those around him. He wants to be the best he can be. Not the best producer or editor or actor. Not the best location scout or writer or camera operator. Not even the best director of the Chicago Film Office. He wants to be the best person he can be — a person who wants not only to see himself succeed but also wants those around him to succeed as well. All the stories he told and the things he accomplished boil down to just one thing: that this person came to Flashpoint, talked with the students, and answered our questions because he wants to see us have the success that we want.

I am thirty-two years old, newly married and have started my life over by coming to Flashpoint. I hope to have the same success that Rich has had but in the game industry.

Director Michael Noens.

On Monday night, October 12th, Flashpoint Academy welcomed back Director and Flashpoint Alumnus Michael Noens for a cast and crew screening of his latest feature film, Coasting.

A touching story of two young people struggling to find passion and meaning in their adult lives, Coasting is both funny and touching, and shows the remarkable heart, skill and dedication of all those who made it.

For The Independent Critic’s review of Coasting, please click here.

(Photos by Lorelei Cummins. Courtesy of CNGM Pictures.)

John Murray, chair of the Flashpoint Academy Recording Arts Department, reflects on the 127th Audio Engineering Society Convention.

The students were terrific!

Elena Rubin, Bob Stephen, Austin Lutter, and Chase Francowiak ran the Education Fair like seasoned pros, made a number of incredible connections, received roaring applause in the Student Delegate Assembly acknowledging the establishment of a “very healthy” Flashpoint Academy Student Chapter, and experienced the entirety of the industry up close and personal. And even though he didn’t work the booth with us, first-year Brandon Jackson also attended the convention. Truly, both Bernie [Mack, (faculty, recording arts)] and I were so impressed with how they handled themselves in an overwhelming environment.

Here are some highlights:

FOURTH ANNUAL CENTRAL REGION STUDENT SUMMIT AT WEBSTER UNIVERSITY [ST LOUIS]

Elena and I spent a considerable amount of time talking with students, alums, and faculty of the Webster University Audio Program about their Student Summit in March 2010. The event is rapidly becoming a mini-AES attracting 400+ students in similar programs from all over the Midwest, 100+ industry professionals, and hundreds more in high school or those thinking about careers in audio. Guest speakers scheduled for next March include George Massenburg, Elliot Scheiner, Phil Ramone, and Frank Filipetti just to name a few. Unlike the National Convention, which equally includes exhibitors and vendors of pro audio equipment, the Central Region Student Summit focuses on workshops, tutorials, and career-oriented forums designed to help students transition into their professional lives.

ALEX CASE

Alex is an educator, author, engineer, and lecturer internationally known for his wonderful book Sound FX: Unlocking the Creative Potential of Recording Studio Effects. He is also this year’s Chair of the AES Tutorials and Workshops Committee. We had a long conversation and he was very impressed with how many students we have been able to attract to become AES members. His book is the main text for our year-two capstone course Signal Processing. In talking about lecturing around the country and his busy schedule, Alex mentioned that he is due to be in Chicago in November for unrelated reasons and would love to come to Flashpoint to lecture. This is a wonderful opportunity to tie-in concepts and methodologies they are learning in class from our instructors with the author of their text.

JOHN HARDY

John is the designer and manufacturer of professional microphone preamplifiers. We have one of his M1 two-channel devices installed in Music Control. World headquarters are in Evanston, IL. Bernie spent some time with him at the convention and he would like to come to Flashpoint and lecture to all of our Recording Arts students.

Click here to watch Howard Tullman of Flashpoint Academy demonstrate augmented reality on CBS 2 Chicago.

Flashpoint Academy helped kick off the 45th annual Chicago International Film Festival live on the red carpet, Thursday, October 8th.

Armed with cameras, mics, and great professional attitudes, students and production crew interviewed the evening’s guest of honor, Uma Thurman (who would receive CIFF’s Career Achievement Award), as well as actress Jacqueline Bisset and Chicago’s Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The student crew, Jaime Perez and Caitlin Musick (film/broadcast), were blown away by the intelligent, soft-spoken Ms. Thurman and the beautiful, engaging Ms. Bisset. This real-world experience helped them to learn first hand what it means to be a true professional outside of the classroom, requiring them to make quick production decisions, exhibit composure, and demonstrate Red Carpet and Press Pit etiquette.

Events such as the CIFF red carpet will continue to differentiate the Flashpoint graduate from the rest of the pack, allowing them to showcase not just their outstanding reels but the successful on-the-job experiences that are a part of their scholastic background.

Flashpoint Academy congratulates Alumnus Michael Noens and Second Year Student Amanda Marien on their 2008-2009 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Nominations!

The Chicago/Midwest Emmy Nominations were announced at Lawry’s The Prime Rib in Chicago on Thursday, October, 1, 2009. In Category #S-4, College Student Production – Information Program/Segment (Plaque Eligible Category) Climbing Kili, produced by Michael Noens earned a nomination. Snow Tides, directed by Amanda Marien, has also received a nomination in Category #S-5, College Student Production – Entertainment Program/Segment (Plaque Eligible Category).

Congratulations to these students and their outstanding cast and crew on these laudable achievements!

On Thursday, October 1, Flashpoint Academy set out for the UIC Forum for Chicago’s very first TechExpo, an intimate new expo “created to introduce and connect small business owners to technology solutions to help grow and evolve their businesses” (chicagotechexpo.net).

Flashpoint’s staff demonstrated Augmented Reality, an exciting new technology that’s creating a big stir in the business world. This technology allows a user to create a “mixed reality” of live video and 3D graphics when interfacing with a live webcam. The Flashpoint booth was abuzz with educators, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between who wanted to know how Augmented Reality is currently being leveraged as well as how this technology will be used in the future to create a more interactive online experience.

Try Augmented Reality Here.

In addition to hosting a booth and being a sponsor of TechExpo, Flashpoint also presented “Building Social Networks – Get everyone talking about your business,” an informational session about social media hosted by CEO Howard Tullman. A jam-packed room of listeners got a comprehensive look at one of the hottest topics in technology today and walked away with a new set of tools for promoting their businesses online.

An areal view of the showroom floor.

CEO Howard Tullman demonstrates Augmented Reality.

An example of Augmented Reality, triggered by an image on a Flashpoint T-shirt.