Lynchburg, VA (PRWEB) May 02, 2013

Downtown Lynchburg, Va., and Liberty Universitys campus were bustling as they provided various movie set locations for the Liberty University Cinematic Arts, Zaki Gordon Centers first full-length motion picture. Shooting wrapped up Friday after about a month of filming.

The project, called Letting Go, is in collaboration with EchoLight Studios, a world class Christian film studio, who Liberty recently partnered with in a five-year, multimillion-dollar agreement. Letting Go is the first of five Liberty movies that will be financed, produced, and distributed worldwide by EchoLight.

Our goal at the Liberty cinema program is to build Hollywood East right here in Lynchburg, Va., said alumnus Scotty Curlee, assistant professor of cinematic arts. We want to create industry here so that when our students graduate they can certainly go to Hollywood, New York, London, and Paris but if they want to stay here in Lynchburg and make movies they can.

Right now, the new film school plans to create one full-length feature film per year but the goal is to eventually make two movies per year, Curlee said.

It is all about developing our talent and getting our students to the level where their skill sets are meeting and exceeding industry standards.

For Libertys 31 current film students in the major, Letting Go gives them an opportunity to get a professional credit for their resum and on the Internet Movie Database before graduation. They get the added benefits of working with and learning from industry professionals. In addition to some professional actors, the movie features veterans as its director and producer.

Students are assuming many of the roles behind the scenes, including operating camera and sound equipment. Many Liberty students portrayed extras in the film and two staff members, Jill Acosta, cinematic arts administrative assistant, and Chris Nelson, assistant professor in Libertys Department of Theatre Arts, played supporting roles.

Unique to Libertys film school is that our students learn to make feature films by making (them) and gaining professional credits while in school, said Stephan Schultze, executive director of Cinematic Arts. These projects engage students in roles they would need to work for years in the industry (before) finally getting their chance.

He said the professionals they hired to work alongside the students said they would hire these students right now and that they are as good now as many professionals (they) have worked with.

See more here:

Liberty University Cinematic Arts Students Work alongside Film Professionals in Major Movie Project