Unity Studios and Lifton Institute for Media Skills Report Hiring Stats on First Graduating Class

ALLEN PARK, Mich., May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Unity Studios and the Lifton Institute for Media Skills (LIMS) today announced that more than half of the LIMS inaugural class, which began in October 2009, reported finding work on at least one film, TV or music video production within 90 days of their January 2010 graduation.

"We are committed to leading the growth of Michigan's burgeoning film industry by training the next generation of movie and television workers in southeast Michigan," said Jimmy Lifton, president of Unity Studios and founder of LIMS. "It speaks to the quality of our programming and the talents of our 105 graduates that 53 have already found work in the film and television production industry."

Some of the productions that LIMS students have worked on include

Transformers 3, FOX TV's "24," the Lifetime Network's movie Guilty Innocence, the upcoming Randy Travis movie Jerusalem Countdown, the locally produced movie, West Bloomfield, and a music video by Detroit-based rappers D-12.

"We hired 15 recent LIMS grads as crew members for our upcoming film," said West Bloomfield producer Juan Shannon, who is also the owner of Modern Tribe Communications. "They are all very creative and thoroughly qualified. Based on my experience, I'm confident their skills can compete with anyone in the industry."

Unity Studios and its affiliate companies have also hired 36 graduates from its inaugural class for positions in administration, film production/post production and the construction of two sound stages. Two graduates are also now on staff at Lifton's Oracle Post, one of Los Angeles' largest independent post-production audio studios.

"In addition to working with our students to help them find employment throughout the country, Unity Studios is also working to bring projects from Los Angeles to Michigan," said Lifton. "In one recent case, we hired 12 of our LIMS sound editing graduates to do post-production work for the feature-length documentary film, 'The Rescuers.'"

LIMS can also take credit for bringing together the five students, who upon graduating, formed their own film production company, Poison Apple Entertainment, LLC, which is now producing short films in the horror genre.

"Attending LIMS was a life-changing experience for me," said Poison Apple Entertainment, LLC co-founder Dan Smith.  "I entered the program as a laid off hi-lo driver for General Motors with absolutely no film experience. Now, after graduating at the top of my class, I not only own my own film production company, I'm also co-producer and editor for a local TV show."

Smith added, "LIMS changed the way I think. It really helped me develop the creative part of my brain."

Graduation of LIMS second class, which currently has 93 students enrolled, is scheduled for June 2010.

About Unity Studios

Unity Studios is a full-service production and film industry training facility in Allen Park, Mich.  It is owned and operated by Jimmy Lifton, formerly of Southfield, Michigan.  With 30 years in the entertainment industry, Lifton has produced 13 feature films and is a principal of Oracle Post, one of the largest independent post-production audio studios in Los Angeles. Among its clients are ABC, Fox, HBO, NBC, Disney, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Lionsgate, Universal, Dreamworks, Warner Brothers, VH1 and MTV.  For more information about Unity Studios, visit www.unitystudiosmichigan.com.

About the Lifton Institute for Media Skills

Located on the grounds of Unity Studios, the Lifton Institute for Media Skills (LIMS) offers 14 programs in film production, including production management, set construction, camera grip & electric and post audio and video.  For more information, please visit www.liftoninstitute.com.

SOURCE Unity Studios