News & Press

On October 26, the inaugural class of Young Entertainment Professionals was introduced to the HPA community through a series of presentations, mentorship events, and exhibition tours at the annual SMPTE Technical Conference and Exhibition.

The daylong event began with introductions from the YEP Committee members, HPA President Seth Hallen, SMPTE-HPA Executive Director Barbara Lange and SMPTE President Robert Seidel. Post-production guru Garrett Smith presented a history of cinema. Over lunch, YEP participants split into roundtables led by industry mentors from studios, major vendors and manufacturers. The afternoon included guided tours of the exhibition area by industry insiders, a stop at the SMPTE Oktoberfest party, and the SMPTE-HPA Student Film Festival.

The first class of YEP includes 29 young men and women between the ages of 21 and 29, hailing from the US and beyond. They hold responsible creative and technical posts at studios, facilities, tech companies and in some cases accomplished individuals from outside of the industry.

HPA president Seth Hallen noted, “The formation of the YEP program and spending time with these amazing young people is inspiring. It became clear in our day together that mentoring is a two-way street, and they bring as many insights for us as we bring to them. As our industry continues to change and its complexities deepen, this group is proof that the future is in great hands.”