Biola Opens 45,000-Square-Foot Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts

By Elena Vasquez

Biola University opens its new Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts building officially on Thursday. The 45,000-square-foot facility sits on the university's campus south of Los Angeles. It arrives half a century after Biola began teaching film and television.

The building houses a 3,000-square-foot soundstage, editing suites, a theater and a game design facility. More than 450 students currently study in the Cinema & Media Arts program; at full capacity, the school will serve up to 700.

The program produces more than 500 student productions each year — roughly one finished project per student annually, a volume few film schools of its size can match.

The takeaway: a 50-year-old program now has the physical plant to double its reach.

Who paid for it?

A lead donation from Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, owner and president of In-N-Out Burger, made the building possible. The school bears the name of her grandmother, In-N-Out co-founder Esther L. Snyder.

"I love production and film myself, so I am excited for the opportunities Biola University's Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts will give talented students to hone their craft," Snyder-Ellingson said. "At the same time, they will be building a foundation of Christ-centered values that will guide them as they shape our culture for generations to come."

She added that her grandmother "was committed to helping students pursue their education and build brighter futures."

Biola is known as the top Christian film school in the country.

What's inside the building?

The new soundstage joins two existing ones, giving the school three. Students can access the facilities 24 hours a day. The building also includes:

• Color grading suites
• Audio mixing suites
• A scoring and Foley stage
• A motion capture stage
• Collaborative editing spaces
• Scenic storage and a green room
• Props and memorabilia on display

Founding dean Tom Halleen, a former AMC television executive, said the building was designed to replicate the professional environments students will enter after graduation.

"What we're trying to do is build a program that leans into the needs of the industry," Halleen said.

The takeaway: hardware built to professional spec, open around the clock.

How does the school connect students to the industry?

Biola reports 100% of its students participate in industry internships. Working professionals teach and speak on campus, and Halleen said their immediacy is the point.

"Industry professionals get to tell students, 'This is what I did yesterday' and 'this is what I'm doing tomorrow. This is what I did today before I drove in to teach this class tonight,'" Halleen said.

He named Skywalker Sound as an example: students learn dialogue editing from someone working at that level.

"Southern California is the ideal place to be able to do what we do," Halleen said.

Halleen frames character as equal to craft. "I could teach a smart person to do the job," he said. "But it was the character that I was looking for, people that I can really trust and rely on."

The takeaway: internships are universal, and instructors still work in the business.

What can students study — and who has graduated?

The school offers three majors: writing; game design and interactive media; and cinema arts. Students can specialize in directing, creative producing or cinematography, and train for all four screens — movie, television, computer and mobile.

Alumni include "Dr. Strange" director Scott Derrickson, YouTuber Zach King and "Jurassic World" digital production manager Laura Aldridge. Earlier this year, six alumni worked on the winning entry in the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest.

"We always wanted to be the school that teaches not just how to do it, but what happens next," Halleen said. "I want them to say I had a great time, I learned a lot and I'm ready and I feel like I'm the most capable interviewee for that job."

With capacity for 250 more students and a professional-grade building now open, the Snyder School positions itself as a direct feeder into an entertainment industry whose hiring standards Halleen knows firsthand.