From Hillwood to Hollywood

One may describe the scenery at LIU Post as something straight out of a movie, and this statement isn’t far-fetched. The campus is sought after by location scouts to be the setting for TV shows such as Madam Secretary, Blindspot, The Blacklist, Royal Pains, The Following, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, along with movies such as The Rewrite. These productions have provided unique opportunities for students, especially those majoring in film.

“Our mission is always to give our students what we call experiential learning and hands-on experience, so as a result they could participate by either covering the story, or interviewing an actor, or even playing in a scene,” Rita Langdon, executive director of strategic partnerships and campus operations, said.

Film students gain useful skills by taking part in a professional filming process, and working with widely-known actors such
as Kevin Bacon, Hugh Grant, Idina Menzel, Marisa Tomei, and Whoopi Goldberg will look impressive on resumes.

“It’s not uncommon to have famous actors walking around eating lunch with our students…you have students who want to learn about the filmmaking industry, how TV shows are produced…” Langdon said. Some students are paid to act as extras.

The campus has varying locations that could depict a wide array of film settings. “Maybe [scouts are] looking for an athletic scene so they like the fields, or maybe they’re looking for mansion scenes so they like our mansion, or they’re looking for hospital scenes because we have the nursing simulation lab,” Theresa Duggan, director of conference services, said. The campus’ stables were used to depict the Irish countryside in “The Blacklist,” and the simulation lab set a hospital scene in “Royal Pains.”

The filming has had a positive impact on many students. Even if they aren’t majoring in a field related to film production, seeing well- known actors around campus can be a treat for anyone.