Master Class Series Offers Access to Industry Luminaries

Emerson students have learned about producing groundbreaking television shows from the alumni producers of America’s Funniest Home Videos, Will & Grace, and Mid-Century Modern. They’ve gained insight into casting for TV from the alum who made sure Aaron Paul played Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad.

Later this month, they’ll learn from Trustee Seth Grahame-Smith ’98, the alum behind Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, as the Emerson Master Class series enters a new semester with more insights from alumni and other luminaries from the arts, entertainment, and communication industries.

The Master Classes are a series of facilitated opportunities for students to engage with accomplished alums, partners, parents, and friends, who share their professional expertise and life experiences across all three of Emerson’s campuses and online.

The series is rooted in Extraordinary Emerson 2030, the College’s new strategic plan, which looks to cultivate strong relationships between Emerson and industry, and build a vibrant campus experience for the community.

“Our Master Classes are all about connection,” Vice President for Institutional Advancement Allison Dawson said. “We bring our amazing alumni, who are creative forces and industry leaders, back to campus to work directly with students. This adds a vital layer of professional, real-world context to the practical skills they develop in the classroom.”

The classes take many forms, including guest speakers who visit classrooms and directly engage with students; speakers who give in-depth insight into specific disciplines or topics in large classroom or small theater settings; high-profile guests addressing topics that appeal to a wider campus audience, and globally recognized members of the community participating in conversations, panels, exclusive previews, and networking opportunities.

Last spring, former Emerson trustee and TV executive Vin Di Bona ’66 and industry executive Rob Katz spoke to students and alums at Emerson Los Angeles, where they previewed projects they’re working on, shared career advice, and offered insights into the entertainment industry. Trustee Max Mutchnick ’87 previewed his new sitcom, Mid-Century Modern, in Boston, where he talked about changing culture through art and how shows get made.

This week, Dawn Steinberg ’83, executive vice president of Worldwide Talent and Casting at Sony Pictures Television, Inc., told students and alums in LA about her career path and how she came to cast some of the biggest TV shows of the last 20 years.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, Grahame-Smith ’98, will talk with Jared Bowen ’98, Emmy Award-winning host of WGBH’s The Culture Show, about writing novels and screenplays, as well as producing high-grossing films such as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and The Lego Batman Movie. He will speak at the Paramount Center from 7:00-8:00 pm; register online to attend.