L.A. Unified announces new film and television production school

A new Los Angeles Unified school, the Roybal School of Film and Television Production, will open its doors in the fall of 2022 for students interested in careers in the entertainment industry. The high school will be located on the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center campus, an L.A. Unified school in the downtown Los Angeles area, and will connect students with internship opportunities and mentors who work in television and film production.

The advisory board for the pilot school program includes George Clooney, Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Eva Longoria, and others from the industry. While it will first enroll 9th and 10th grade students, 11th and 12th graders will be enrolled within the next two years.

“Physics is involved in the choice of a lens by a cinematographer, math is part of the foundation for a musical score in a film, critical thinking skills are needed to design a set, screenwriters need a foundation in literacy, and a make-up artist needs to know the chemistry of the different materials they might use — all of this will be tied into the curriculum at the school,” said Austin Beutner, the district’s superintendent. “We are excited to have the support of these extraordinary industry leaders to create opportunity for children in the Los Angeles area.”