Prairie Surf Media, a global production company that has made its home right in the heart of Downtown Oklahoma City, is bringing a wave of new job opportunities in the film industry to OKC. If you’re looking for a new career path or interested in film, Grip and Electric intensives at OCCC will have you film-crew ready in just five weeks. Steve Mathis (who has worked on Black Panther, Thor and more blockbusters) and Jon Shryoc (who worked on Minari and American Gods) are the go-to industry experts and they’re instructing the class. This new course is designed in partnership with Prairie Surf Media to staff much-needed jobs coming to OKC.
“The instructors are the go-to guys for outside production companies wanting to hire grip and electric crews for movies made here in Oklahoma,” said Sean Lynch, an instructor for the Digital Cinema Production program. “So students will be trained by the Gold Standard in the grip and electric world – the very professionals being consulted for job referrals by producers, production managers and production companies.”
Steve Mathis moved to Los Angeles after graduating from OU and started work on low-budget films like Halloween. He has designed lighting on over 50 films, including Terminator Genisys, Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther. He recently finished the pilot for Sterlin Harjo’s Reservation Dogs. Though he works on projects all over the world, he loves to shoot in his home state.
Jon Shryock, a former student in the OCCC Film program, has worked in the film and video business in Oklahoma since 1997, in an incredible variety of critical grip and electric positions. Jon has a degree in General Engineering Technology with an emphasis in Mechanical Aerospace Engineering. His preferred position on a movie production is the Key Rigging Grip, where he gets to utilize his engineering background in designing rigs for lighting and cameras.
The course will prepare students to enter the workforce as highly-trained entry level Grips or Electricians in the film industry. Instruction will cover basic and advanced Grip and Electric terminology and skills, in a hands-on, simulated film set environment. Course graduates will be certified in both Scissor Lift and Condor operations.
The first intensive begins on Monday, January 3, 2022.
Class will take place at OCCC’s Capitol Hill Center, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for five weeks straight.
Click here to learn more and sign up for the class.
Click here to learn more and sign up for the class.
