USG University is a Team-Up Between Universal Studio Group and Roybal
Universal Studio Group is back with its USG University panel series for the fourth straight year.
Presented in partnership with the Roybal Film and Television Magnet School, each virtual talk dives deep into the making of one scene from a USG-produced show: Apples Never Fall, Based on a True Story, Dr. Death, Girls5Eva, The Gilded Age, Hacks, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and We Are Lady Parts. The panels were produced for the educational benefit of Roybal students, who are studying for future below-the-line careers in the entertainment industry, but are also available to the public online.
In addition, USG hosted an in-person event for Roybal tenth graders on May 16 at NBCUniversal’s FYC House (located at The Aster in Hollywood) on mentorship, with this reporter moderating a conversation with Hacks re-recording mixer John W. Cook II, Loot key costumer Beckett McMahan, Lopez vs. Lopez production designer Claudia Roque, Ted visual effects supervisor Tommy Tran and Based on a True Story editor Varun Viswanath, followed by breakout roundtable sessions between each panelist and the students.
“We are pleased to deepen our company-wide partnership with the Roybal Film and Television Magnet and support their impactful work with students who are interested in working in entertainment,” USG chair Pearlena Igbokwe said in a statement. “At USG, we strive to unlock access to the industry for emerging storytellers and provide them with the resources, training and mentorship they need to flourish in their career. We created USG University so students can hear directly from our roster of prolific creators and enhance their knowledge about different career paths behind the camera.”
NBCUniversal is a founding partner of the Roybal Film and Television Fund, supporting the school year-round with funds, equipment and mentorship resources. The company recently hosted Roybal students on the lot for a full day that included workshops, conversations with studio leaders, a set visit and a volunteer activity.
“Our partnership with NBCUniversal has provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain a more nuanced and real-world understanding of the below-the-line crafts they are studying in the classroom,” Roybal Learning Center principal Blanca Cruz said in a statement. “USG University is a forum where our students can receive mentorship from industry veterans, which elevates our students’ overall learning experience.”
