Kincade Productions Empowers High School Students with Innovative Film Career Program

Renowned Producer Robin Kincade and her sister, Susan Kincade, a former Community College Administrator and Educator with over 60 years of combined experience, created an online certificate program that teaches students the skills necessary to work on a film set. From wrapping cables to filling in on sets, the program covers everything you need to know to be a successful Production Assistant in the film industry. The program has allowed students to be a catalyst for change in their communities, opening the door for them to learn meaningful job skills and pursue a career in film.

Creating Education Opportunities in Rural California

Coachella Valley High School resides in a rural area, making field trips and job shadowing more challenging. In 2018, they built a state-of-the-art film studio so students could produce short films and feel what it would be like on a production set. However, teachers quickly realized they needed a curriculum to teach production skills, and that is when they discovered Kincade Productions.

Marie Perotti, a Career Technical Education Administrator at Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD), recently shared a student success story that illustrates the program's ability to create opportunities in rural underserved communities.

A 2022 graduate from the School District's Digital Design and Production (DDP) Academy came back to speak to a state group of new academy teachers. Because of his training and experience in the DDP Academy, he started his own production studio locally, employing ten staff members. His ability to engage with Kincade Productions curriculum is what helped him decide what to do after high school. This student did not know if he wanted to pursue Engineering or Film. He was in both programs successfully during high school, but in the end, he chose film.

Other students who have completed the video course have praised it for how thorough, informational, and engaging the course is. Jesse Hernandez, who received the Production Assistant Certification at Sunnyside High School in Fresno, CA, attests to the formative and formational value of the Kincade Productions course.

"The Kincade Production was the first academic and learning experience for me because I never knew I would have loved a camera and operations and stuff. And so I think that this really set my goal and my passion right now. I currently work at Bulldog Vision which does all the sports production [and] live production at Fresno State," he said.

Hernandez has been in the film industry ever since. Because of the doors this certification opened for him, Hernandez influenced his younger sister to enroll in the course during high school. She is currently working on the video course.

A Tailored Program for Teachers and Students

Robin and Susan have tailored this program to best suit both teachers and students. Kevin Clifton, a Media Teacher at McLane High in Fresno, CA, was immediately impressed with the course because "it's laid out how a teacher thinks." Since the course launched, Robin and Susan have diligently incorporated feedback from teachers who administer the course and have implemented these changes so the course better suits the flow of the classroom.

"What I would say to teachers about this course is we need certifications in this industry. We also need to introduce our students to job opportunities that are real, that are tangible, and that they can get as soon as they graduate from high school because not everybody's going to college or they can get and work, be in college while they're doing these jobs or have a second job," said Kevin.

Career Technical Education Programs (aka Pathways) Prepare Students for Jobs in the Workforce

Career Technical Education programs have changed dramatically over the last several decades, expanding beyond the traditional elective course (e.g., woodshop) to career pathways that prepare students for jobs in today's workforce. So far, this new approach seems to be working.

Studies by the U.S. Department of Education have shown that students participating in CTE programs have a 94% graduation rate and leave with the skills necessary for good jobs in their communities. California has made a commitment to expanding career technical education programs in high schools, adult education, and community colleges across the state.

CTE Programs also improve success in work and life post-high school graduation. According to the California Department of Education, 95 percent of CTE students who did not go to college worked for pay within two years of high school graduation.

Careers as Production Assistants allow students the option to be self-employed, set their own hours, work on projects that both excite and provide meaning to their lives, and that often allows them to travel. Students who would prefer to work for an employer can also find jobs working for a production agency or a producer with this certificate.

About Kincade Productions

Kincade Productions, LLC is a woman-owned, California-certified small business that provides online education for people who want to work in the film industry. The company's flagship course, "How to Become a Successful Production Assistant," is designed to teach students the skills and knowledge they need to get started in the industry.

The Kincade sisters are passionate about helping people achieve their dreams of working in film. Their online course is a valuable resource for anyone who is serious about breaking into the industry.

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