Eric Timmons takes us on a transformative journey through the world of educational filmmaking, revealing how authenticity and student voice are reshaping career pathways for underrepresented youth in Santa Ana.

The story begins with a pivotal moment of pedagogical humility—when students rejected Timmons' theater program, he asked why instead of doubling down. This simple act of listening launched a revolutionary approach to education that now thrives as the Saintly Film Academy CTE pathway at Santa Ana High School. The four-year program blends English language arts with progressive film production skills, creating cohorts of students who move through narrative filmmaking, episodic content creation, documentary production, and finally independent thesis films.

What distinguishes Timmons' approach is his strategic foresight about where the industry is heading. Rather than preparing students exclusively for traditional Hollywood careers, he connects them with local videographers, photographers, and marketing teams who need their digital storytelling skills immediately. The program also embraces emerging technologies like virtual production environments (the LED wall technology used in productions like The Mandalorian) and content creation for platforms that are disrupting traditional media hierarchies.

Most powerfully, Timmons addresses representation gaps head-on. Citing research showing that Latino directors are 6.5 times more likely to hire other Latinos in key creative roles, he focuses on empowering students to become decision-makers who can transform who gets to tell stories in our culture. Through partnerships with working Latino filmmakers who serve as mentors, students see people who look like them succeeding in the industry.

The results speak volumes—students are securing paid internships, starting production companies while still in school, and using their skills to elevate voices in their community through projects like "Discover DTSA" in partnership with the City of Santa Ana. As one student realized: "We can start doing this now. We don't have to wait."

Join us for this inspiring conversation about how creativity, technology, and culturally responsive teaching are creating new pathways to success that simply didn't exist before. Discover how film education is transforming not just students' futures, but potentially the future of media itself.

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