Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) will offer a new Grip and Electric Intensive starting Monday, January 3, 2022, in partnership with Prairie Surf, to produce highly-trained entry level Grips, a role that specializes as camera and lighting technicians, and Electricians, a position that plans and executes the lighting plan for shoots, who are prepared to enter the workforce upon completing the course. The intensive runs five days a week, for five weeks, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We believe education is workforce development,” said Interim President Jeremy Thomas. “So if we are truly committed to enriching our community, as Prairie Surf is, it’s our responsibility to help build the workforce that can sustain this incredible new industry in our state. Our Digital Cinema Program is already heralded as the best in the state, but this new opportunity takes it to a whole new level.”
The course is being taught by Steve Mathis and Jon Shryock. Steve Mathis has designed lighting on over 50 films, including Terminator Genisys, Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther. He recently finished the pilot for Sterlin Herjo’s Reservation Dogs. Jon Shryock uses his degree in General Engineering Technology with an emphasis in Mechanical Aerospace Engineering to design rigs for lighting and cameras.
“The instructors, Steve Mathis and Jon Shryock, are connected to outside production companies wanting to hire grip and electric crews for movies made here in Oklahoma,” said Sean Lynch, Board President of the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma and an instructor for OCCC’s Digital Cinema Production program. “Students will be trained by the very professionals being consulted for job referrals by producers, production managers, and production companies.”
With more than 60 majors to choose from, and more than 40 student-led clubs and organizations, OCCC offers an affordable, accredited college education to more than 17,000 students annually, and serves thousands more in non-credit classes and programs. OCCC offers associate degrees, certifications and leadership opportunities to all Oklahomans, whoever they are, whomever they love, wherever they’ve been and wherever they’re going.
For information, opportunities and updates, visit https://www.occc.edu/grip-electric/ and follow @OtripleC on social media.
