February 15, 2019

Communication & Media Series

Santa Monica College Continues Communication & Media Series February 28

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica College (SMC) continues its Communication & Media Series this spring with a line-up of industry professionals who will talk about their work and developments in communication and media today. The series continues on February 28.

All presentations in the series are free and will be held either on the Santa Monica College main campus (1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica) or at the SMC Center for Media and Design (1660 Stewart Street, Santa Monica).

Unless otherwise noted, all presentations are sponsored by the SMC Associates — a private organization that funds speakers and special programs on the Santa Monica College campus — and the SMC Communication & Media Studies Department. Seating is strictly on a first-arrival basis.

Street parking is restricted around the SMC main campus and extremely limited around the Center for Media and Design. Attendees are encouraged to arrive via the Expo line, the bus, or a ride-sharing service.

The Communication & Media Series line-up for spring 2019 is:

  • Thursday, February 28: A Conversation with Former LA Radio Personality Ben Kelly and Entertainment Project Manager Joi Hardy at 11:15 a.m. in Stromberg Hall (Humanities & Social Sciences Lecture Hall 165): Ben Kelly and Joi Hardy will talk about career strategies in radio and entertainment media. Kelly covered benchmark events like the O.J. Simpson trial and the 1992 L.A. Riots while at legendary 92.3 The Beat (now The Real 92.3), and currently serves as the Young Life College Director at the University of Southern California. Hardy works as an entertainment project manager. For NBCUniversal, she managed custom sponsorships and creative content across Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, Movietickets.com, and Flixster for studio, streaming, and brand clients, including Disney, Sony, Fox, STX, and Netflix. Part of the SMC Black History Series. Additional sponsors: SMC Black Collegians Program.

  • Tuesday, March 19: Women’s History: Ellen Freyer: "Introduction to American Women Photographers of the 20th Century" at 11:15 a.m. in Stromberg Hall (Humanities & Social Sciences Lecture Hall 165). Photographer Ellen Freyer presents a look at the images and lives of some of the influential American women photographers of the 20th century. A former PBS development and production executive involved in more than 50 award-winning family movies, Freyer is a self-taught fine art photographer with a background in painting and film, and a member of Southern California Women’s Caucus for the Arts.

  • Tuesday, March 26: Raha Lewis: "A Career in Journalism with Entertainment Reporter Raha Lewis" at 7 p.m. in SMC Center for Media and Design Auditorium 180. Entertainment reporter Raha Lewis, an influencer for all things pop culture, fashion, and entertainment, will share her thoughts on the media business in the digital age. A former lawyer, she has written for publications such as the Los Angeles Times, People Magazine, and InStyle, and is a familiar figure presenting exclusive stories on “E! News,” “Good Morning America,” and “Showbiz Tonight.”

  • Thursday, March 28: Adele Lim: "Crazy Rich Asians Screening and Behind-the-Scenes with Co-writer Adele Lim" at 7 p.m. in SMC Center for Media and Design Auditorium 180. Screenwriter Adele Lim presents behind-the-scenes stories and clips from Crazy Rich Asians, which she co-wrote with Peter Chiarelli, based on the novel by Kevin Kwan. Released in 2018, the film won the Critics’ Choice Best Comedy Award. It became the highest-grossing romantic comedy in a decade, while staying true to the film’s Asian and Asian-American roots. Lim, who is Chinese and grew up in Malaysia, is also a producer and has extensive TV writing credits.

  • Tuesday, May 7: "Undocumented and Muñecas: Short Film Screenings and Q&A with SMC Student and Alumni Filmmakers" at 7 p.m. in SMC Center for Media and Design Auditorium 180. Undocumented, directed by SMC alum Bishal Dutta and produced by SMC alumni Lindsay Eberts and Oscar Huezo and current SMC student Dennis Sandoval, is “an elegant and devastating statement of how Dreamers and our country are both being robbed of our future,” according to Frank Stiefel, winner of the 2018 Academy Award for Best Documentary, Short Subject. Undocumented was an official selection at the 38th International Festival of Film Schools in Munich. Muñecas, winner of the 2017 Prague Independent Film Festival Best Student Film Award, was partially inspired by writer/director and SMC student Osvaldo (Ozzy) Ozuna’s experiences growing up in Baja California, where drug-related violence remains a problem. A Q&A with the filmmakers follows the screening.

All programs are subject to change without notice, and new speakers and events may be added to the series. Up-to-date details are posted on the SMC website and available by calling the SMC Office of Public Programs at 310-434-4100.

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).