Get insight into the Entertainment Industry from Los Angeles Film School and LA Recording School Alumni and learn about their latest projects.

Phillip Bladh winning Oscar

LAFS Alum and Production Sound Mixer Phillip Bladh Talks Sound of Metal, A24, and Oscar Night

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Few people understand the emotional power of sound in film better than Phillip Bladh. Sound of Metal, directed by Darius Marder (The Place Beyond the Pines) and starring Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler, Jason Bourne, Rogue One) and Olivia Cooke (House of the Dragon, Bates Motel), relied heavily on the expertise of its sound professionals to tell the touching, poignant, and at times sonically imposing story of a heavy-metal drummer going through the life-altering experience of losing his hearing.
Joaquin Phoenix on the set of c'mon c'mon

How Does a Film Get Recognized Into the Criterion Collection?

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Today, we are celebrating the induction of select films from director Mike Mills’ body of work into the Criterion Collection as a collection titled I’ll Remind You of Everything, which compiles the director's deeply personal, semi-autobiographical trilogy of films mapping out parent-child relationships, including Beginners, 20th Century Women, and C’mon, C’mon.
Phillip Bladh

Let There Be Sound: An Interview with A-List Sound Mixer Phillip Bladh

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For Oscar-winning sound mixer Phillip Bladh, sound has never just been technical — it’s an emotional audio journey for audiences that can make or break a film. Long before winning a Best Sound Academy Award for his groundbreaking work on Sound of Metal, the Los Angeles Film School alumnus was a musician obsessed with microphones, recording equipment, and the invisible ways sound shapes human experience.
S'yrai Smith

Alumni Spotlight: Sy’Rai Smith Turns Family Legacy Into Her Own Sound

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Sy'Rai Smith didn't come to The Los Angeles Film School to follow in anyone's footsteps — but her grandmother made sure she got here anyway. "The reason why I went to school to begin with is because of my grandmother," Sy'Rai says in our new video interview. Sonja Norwood, a veteran talent manager who has taught in LAFS's Entertainment Business program since 2018, kept coming home raving about the school. "She always came back and was like, 'It's so great, I think you should go there.'" Sy'Rai enrolled - and stayed. She's now a double LAFS alumni, graduating summa cum laude with degrees in Entertainment Business.
Prop Master Joshua Bramer

From LAFS to Hollywood: How Joshua Bramer Became the Prop Master Behind Everything Everywhere All at Once, Euphoria, Don’t Worry Darling, and More

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Long before he became an in-demand Hollywood property master working on acclaimed productions like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Euphoria, Freakier Friday, and Blonde, he was a kid in Michigan, completely fascinated by movies like Hook and Jurassic Park, watching behind-the-scenes bonus content behind his favorite films, which he hoped would reveal how movie worlds were created. Today, Joshua Bramer helps create those worlds himself—designing and sourcing the props that bring characters, stories, and entire universes to life onscreen.
Michael, Project Hail Mary, Rooster

Credits to Be Proud Of: LAFS & LARS Alumni on Michael, Project Hail Mary, HBO’s Rooster & More

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From a wide theatrical release to Marvel's biggest Disney+ debut to a BAFTA Game Award win, alumni from The L.A. Film School & The L.A. Recording School continue to show up in the credits of the industry's most visible work. Here's a look at what's been making us proud lately.
Taylor Black

The Long Game: How Taylor Black Became One of Streaming’s Most In-Demand Colorists

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What do recent streaming hits such as Earnhardt (Amazon Prime), John Candy: I Like Me (Amazon Prime), McCartney 3-2-1 (Hulu), Queen of Chess (Netflix), SHAQ (HBO MAX), and The Menendez Brothers (Netflix) all have in common?  None other than our talented Class of 2004 film program alum and senior colorist Taylor Black, who brought his artistic skills to each of those projects and many others, helping to bring to life the literal vision of directors like Colin Hanks (John Candy: I Like Me) in post-production, setting the visual tone for what we would all eventually see on our screens across the biggest streaming platforms.
BTS Arirang

LAFS & LARS Alumni on BTS’ Arirang, One Piece, Imperfect Women & More

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Sometimes, the credits speak for themselves. From a number-one BTS album to premium HBO drama to one of the biggest streaming franchises in the world, alumni from The L.A. Film School & The L.A. Recording School are working on significant projects right now and we want to take a moment to recognize it. Here's a look at some of the recent projects and honors making us proud.
Maddie Goldberg

From LAFS to ESPN: Meet Emmy-Winning Animator Maddie Goldberg

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A 2022 graduate of the Animation Visual Effects program, who credits being prepared at all times as the key to landing an animation role at ESPN just months after graduating, when a chance encounter with their VP of Creative Studio turned into an opportunity to live out her animation dreams, winning an Emmy along the way.