Variety: Standout Students
April 13, 2010
From award-winning grad helmers to those committed to careers behind the scenes, these 10 pupils could teach their peers a thing or two.
Dodge College, Chapman
Allison Del Franco
Class of '09
Known as a heavy-hitter among her advisors, Chapman senior Allison Del Franco makes use of most every film-school-related connection that comes her way, which means meeting-and-greeting, emailing and interning almost nonstop.
Twenty-one-year-old Del Franco, a double major in broadcast journalism and PR/advertising, has held internships with NBC Universal, Zucker Productions, Reveille LLC, Headline Talent Agency, National Banana and Silktones Entertainment.
"Chapman provided such credible speakers to come to the film school to talk about what they're doing," Del Franco says. "Most of the time I would make it a goal to go up to the speaker at the end of the presentation, introduce myself, get their business card…"
A native of Smithtown, New York, Del Franco transferred to Chapman from St. John's in Queens because she wanted a more professional film program.
Through Chapman's local television, Del Franco recently exec-produced a one-hour drama called "Rising Above," written with Kirsten Moore and Mac Brown. The budget: $17,000.
"A lot of universities don't give students a budget like that," she says. "It's something that will definitely help me get a job, and I really want to expand on the project."
— Betsy Boyd
