Alumnus speaks about Hollywood experiences

By Allison Kowalski
LIFESTYLES EDITOR

Hollywood producer and director Joel Klein visited his alma matter and talked to current College at Brockport communication students about his experience in broadcasting Wednesday, March 26. Klein has more than 20 years experience in television, directing and producing. He is currently a professor at Burling College in Vermont where he teaches filmmaking.

Klein graduated with a B.A. in communications in 1985 and earned a master’s degree in television, radio and film from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University, one of the top communication universities in the country.

This visit back to Brockport is his first in many years. One thing that surprised Klein was the familiarity and renovations the campus has undergone.

“I love the updates to everything,” Klein said. “It all looks the same, but updated.”

One of the most significant changes at Brockport is the improvement of student life, Klein said. There are more concerts, cafés and a student union.

Before Brockport, Klein always knew that he wanted to work behind the scenes in television. When he was a child, Klein would film short films in his backyard. Little did he know this favorite pastime would become a full-time job one day.

“It’s simple,” Klein said. “Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to work on television.”

When Klein was a graduate student at Syracuse, he and a fellow student won a national student Emmy for a documentary he made in his filming class called Love Them to Death. The documentary was about a local animal shelter in Syracuse. Originally, Klein said he planned to create a documentary about an inner-city basketball court, but changed his mind after he visited an animal shelter with his friend who wanted to adopt a dog. The goal of the documentary was to present a microcosm about a day in the life at the animal shelter.

Klein said there are three areas to the animal shelter: the reception area where people say they are looking to adopt or get rid of a dog, the kennel area where dogs are waiting to be adopted, and the farthest area, where dogs are waiting to be put to sleep because no one will adopt them. Though the film deals with animals, it focuses on the life of a dog either waiting to be adopted by a loving family or approaching death because no one wants them.

After Syracuse, Klein moved to Los Angeles to look for a job in entertainment television. Hollywood is the place for entertainment while New York City and Washington D.C. television focuses more on news. Hollywood was established in Los Angeles because of the warm climate, Klein said.

Eventually, Klein got a job as a production assistant where he ran normal errands like getting coffee and even more unusual errands such as finding toilet seat covers. When Klein was not running around Los Angeles, he was observing everything around him in every area from marketing to writing elements.

After paying his dues, Klein began producing reality television shows such as “Fear Factor” and “Scream Play.” He never wanted to be on film, but rather work behind the scenes.

“I liked television production,” Klein said. “I liked being involved in this stuff.”

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