Paul Papadopoulos
Professor, Television, Filmmaking & Digital Content Creation Program, Loyalist College
Victor Cooper
Loyalist Graduate & Filmmaker and Co-owner, Eighty Twenty Studio
Jessica Pearce
Loyalist Graduate & Television and Film Professional
As creative industries adapt to changes in technology and culture, Loyalist College is too — ensuring media students are well-prepared for the workforce.
With an ever-increasing demand for content, Canada’s creative industries are booming — generating more than $57 billion in national revenue,1 and spawning a host of new careers in podcasting, content creation, animation, digital media design, and more.
To maintain a legacy in media and creative industries, Loyalist College in Belleville, Ont., recognized early on that it’s essential to adapt to the changing media landscape.
Creative legacy
For over 50 years, Loyalist College has been the province’s best-kept secret in creative education, steadily blazing a trail of excellence in media arts education. Loyalist’s on-campus radio station, run by 91X FM, is one of the few Canadian colleges with a CRTC broadcasting license, and its Photojournalism program graduates have won national and international recognition, including National Pictures of the Year Awards, the World Press Photo Contest, and News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) Photojournalist of the Year.
“Content creation is in a constant state of flux, and we make it a priority to stay on top of industry trends,” explains Paul Papadopoulos, a professor in Loyalist’s Television, Filmmaking & Digital Content Creation program. “Each program relies on a Program Advisory Committee of industry professionals to tell us where the industry is going, informing the curriculum we teach.”
Heeding employer demands for programming that could prepare graduates for a content-hungry industry, Loyalist launched three innovative content creation programs in 2021: Advanced Filmmaking – Digital Content Creation; Television, Filmmaking & Digital Content Creation; and Journalism – Communications.
Recognizing that today’s market requires fluid content that can adapt across platforms, students in the new programs share a common first year, along with other creative industries programs like Photojournalism and Radio, to allow them to explore and develop a full suite of skills in audio, visual, digital, and print media.
Content creation is in a constant state of flux, and we make it a priority to stay on top of industry trends.
Hands-on experience
Ontario is the heart of Canada’s in-demand film and television production sector, with a staggering $3.2 billion operating revenue in 2019.2 Students in the Loyalist film programs get hands-on experience, including placement opportunities.
Filmmaker and co-owner of award-winning film studio Eighty Twenty Studio in Belleville, Victor Cooper recognizes Loyalist’s versatile education style made him adaptable. “They instilled it in us early that we have to be quick to change. And in the industry, we’re seeing huge changes, and Loyalist prepares you to be ready for that — they want you to be ready to adapt to anything.”
As an industry influencer, Cooper knows the value of his placement experiences at Loyalist and is creating those opportunities on his own sets. “We’ve had students come out from Loyalist to work on the show as interns. This hands-on experience is vital to helping students figure out what they want to do.”
Be a name, not a number
Loyalist graduate Jessica Pearce has worked as a visual effects editor and post-production manager on some of the world’s largest-grossing films, including Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars. She credits her success to Loyalist’s tight-knit community and support. “The teachers get to know you; they work with you to hone your skillset and ensure you’re on the right path,” Pearce says. “I felt like I had great support.”
Because it’s a smaller-sized college and surrounding community, students get one-on-one time with professors that larger institutions cannot match.
“At Loyalist, we’re invested in your success,” Papadopoulos adds. “Our faculty really care about you getting the most out of your college experience academically, socially, and personally.”
Take the next step
Whether it’s news, business, or social advocacy, the media industry is transforming. Forward-thinking institutions like Loyalist College are working alongside industry partners to adapt to these changes to ensure students have the in-demand skills to succeed and flourish. “You graduate from Loyalist with experience and connections,” Cooper says. “And ready to take on whatever changes are coming to the industry.”
