Kodak to help 'educate the educators' at UFVA Conference

Participation is part of company's widespread support for film school education

(ROCHESTER NY, July 22, 2009)   Kodak will be a major participant when the 63rd annual conference of the University Film and Video Association (UFVA) convenes in New Orleans.  The conference will run from Tuesday, August 4 through Saturday, August 8.  It will be held at the University of New Orleans lakefront campus, on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain.

"For Kodak, UFVA members are an important source of learning and a conduit to the next generation of filmmakers," said Wendy Elms, worldwide manager of Kodak's Education segment.  "It's our pleasure and honor to interact with them, to trade experiences, to provide them with whatever information we can to help make a difference in their work and in the lives of their students."

At the conference, Kodak's focus will be on providing practical information covering both film and digital technology.  In a workshop entitled 'Lights! Camera! Action!' renowned cinematographer Bill Dill, ASC will offer tips and training from his extensive experience in the industry.  Kodak cinematographer Randy Tack will also conduct several hands-on 'Teaching Film in Motion' workshops covering his approach to educating students during his twenty four year teaching career.

In a session called 'Workflow in an Educational Environment', Kodak, faculty and industry representatives will discuss and demonstrate how film and digital are increasingly used as complementary technologies and how a digital intermediate can help filmmakers achieve their creative visions.
 
"Our goal is to take these leading educators into the world where we live everyday, the real world where our customers work and where their students will spend their future," said Elms.  "By sharing practical information, we can help educators better prepare their students to deal with the realities they'll face when school ends and real life begins."

In a reception at the conference, Kodak will also present the 2009 Eastman Scholarship Awards, the company's recognition of - and support for - the next generation of filmmakers.  "The future is in talented hands," said Elms.

Kodak-sponsored sessions will be recorded on KODAK VISION3 film and DVD compilations will be distributed to all conference attendees to be used as teaching materials, following the conference.  Kodak will also provide a wide variety of other educational materials UFVA participants can use in their classrooms.

Founded in 1947, the UFVA is an international organization of almost 800 professionals -- image-makers and artists, teachers and students, archivists and distributors, members of college departments, libraries, and manufacturers.  The annual conference provides opportunities for members to meet and share ideas with colleagues, receive evaluation of creative work, and monitor the developments in film/video technology, education, scholarship, and artistic pursuits.

"Our support of the UFVA is both gratifying and refreshing," said Elms.  "We always come away from these conferences feeling like we've gained as much as we've contributed and more convinced than ever that in this so-called 'digital world', the next generation of storytellers really values film, really wants to shoot film, really wants film to be a part of their future."
 
Educational background.  Kodak's ongoing support of student filmmakers and educators encourages excellence in the field of motion picture education. The company's efforts include a range of programs that enrich the knowledge and learning experience of the art and craft of filmmaking. Initiatives range from scholarships, educational materials, and product grants to awards, seminars and workshops. Student film showcases and the annual Kodak Filmschool Competition also contribute to raising the profile and recognition of emerging talent.