Dan Watanabe has been working in the film and entertainment industry for as long as he can remember. Initially he was on the business end of the industry working as a production executive for over twenty-five years. He worked on Baywatch, Air America, Sirens, numerous movies of the week, and game shows (Family Feud, To Tell the Truth). Dan currently runs the screenwriting critique group for the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society and consults with motion picture/television production company CRC Entertainment.
Dan is uniquely qualified to help you through the steps of contributing to entertainment education and helping your organization qualify for California Film Commission related tax credits.
Click on each of the tabs below to see how you can engage with the CFC Career Readiness Program then click the "ASK DAN" button to get started.
Click the red button above to have Dan contact you about the CFC-CRP program.
Click the tab below to see the many ways you can engage with the CFC-CRP program.
Dan Says: Let us help you train the next generation of film professionals through paid internships. Through the technical training and hands-on experience provided, student interns will be better prepared for success as upcoming film industry workers. Internships can be within the film project’s departments such as the production office, on set, or post-production. Internships can also take place inside a production company or studio department, e.g., development, accounting, production, construction, studio operations, costume shop, sound services, video mastering.
Ideal positions give interns in-depth exposure to a particular department as well as an opportunity to explore the breadth of jobs available in the entertainment business.
Make sure to Ask Dan about how we can help with intern selection.
Dan Says: Help students and instructors create a more effective classroom experience. Industry professionals are invited to give guest lectures, in-class demonstrations, or career day presentations. Coming on campus to work with faculty and students is a rewarding way to share the expertise gained through years of industry experience. Production companies can structure their 8 hour commitment by combining individual classroom, lecture and/or career day presentations.
Dan Says: Inviting students for a tour of your facility is a great way for them to see how the entertainment industry works "behind the scenes." Whether it be a tour of a studio, sound-stage, set visit, or a trip to a control room, this would provide the student with a hands-on experience of how the various crafts and technicians work together. The studio or production facility tour is not what the public would experience – it must be individually tailored to the students’ areas of interest.
Dan Says: Community college students benefit when industry experts and educators work together. Help with curriculum development or record how-to videos that can be utilized across multiple campuses. Hosting a conference can be a great way to create a "one stop shop" that serves students, instructors, and administrators. Keeping educators informed of industry changes helps us better prepare students for success in the film industry.
Dan Says: Our CCC Entertainment Collaborative Intern fund is hosted by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, a 501c3, and will allow qualifying students to receive paid internships at meaningful entertainment production sites relevant to their career goals.
Make check* payable to:
Foundation for California Community Colleges
Attention: Nicole Scholes
1102 Q Street, Suite 4800
Sacramento, CA 95811
*Please note CCCECIF on the check to receive CFC Tax Credit receipt.
For more information please contact Nicole Scholes at 916.325.8578 or [email protected]