San Gorgonio Pass area CHP partners with MSJC to produce public safety videos
Mt. San Jacinto College and the San Gorgonio Pass Area California Highway Patrol (CHP) office partnered to produce two powerful Public Safety Announcements (PSA) regarding the disastrous consequences of distracted driving and driving while intoxicated.
The Pass Area CHP office released on its social media platforms the first video to bring awareness to the dangers of drunk driving on Dec. 19 as part of December's National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month. Mt. San Jacinto College shared the messages across its social media platforms.
According to CHP officials, the San Gorgonio Pass Area is not immune to driving under the influence (DUI) incidents. These events range from minor collisions and enforcement stop arrests to major injury or fatal collisions. The goal of this PSA is to highlight the tragedies of those involved in DUI collisions and to help prevent them from occurring in the future.
In March 2019, the CHP San Gorgonio Pass Area reached out to Alan Marsala, assistant professor of MSJC's Digital Media program, to produce the PSA videos.
The request was well received, and it was determined that the senior class of the 2019 fall semester would split into two groups and create two separate, stand-alone PSAs.
Over the last several months, Marsala's students have worked tirelessly to write, direct, film, and edit the two videos for the CHP San Gorgonio Pass Area. During this process, several community partners, including the Calimesa Fire Department, American Medical Response (AMR), and Stagecoach Towing, came together and provided the necessary resources for these powerful messages. The result was two professionally produced PSAs that are designed to leave lasting impressions yet short enough to allow the videos to be shared or posted on media platforms, according to the CHP.
"This was an amazing opportunity for our students and for the MSJC Digital Media department,” Marsala said. “The students were able to produce work with purpose, meaning, and reach with a stellar result. The officers supported the students' visions for these PSAs and provided remarkable locations, props, and guidance. I am immensely proud of what the class delivered and I look forward to furthering our relationship with CHP on future projects together.”
Students involved in the production said the partnership gave them real-world experience that will help them with their future career goals and made them realize the important impact their digital media skills can make on society.
“The opportunity to work with the California Highway Patrol was a very pleasant surprise,” Nick Mastrangelo, MSJC student, said. “The project gave me real-world experience that will greatly benefit my future career. It made me much more comfortable dealing with high-profile clients and will hopefully lead to future opportunities similar to this one!"
Student Jacob Allen called his participation in the PSA one of the most rewarding experiences he's had. “Not only did it show me how to apply everything I've learned in class, but also how to solve problems on the fly,” Allen said. “Working side-by-side with the community first responders was amazing and the fact they trusted our artistic vision definitely put into perspective how important and impactful this career path can be. I am able to take away from this project that with the right mentor and guidance, the digital media creators of this generation have a bright future applying our passions to everyday scenarios.”
“Working with the CHP was a great way for our class to work in a professional environment all while gaining experience for our portfolios, student Jacob Miller said.
In a press release, the CHP said “As we enter a time of the year where DUI incidents are historically prevalent, it is our goal to use this message as a reminder of the harsh realities of DUI. We encourage all our media partners to help us share this important safety message.”
For further information and/or questions, please contact CHP Public Information Officer Matt Napier at (951) 769-2000 or after hours at (916) 407-7511.
Information about Mt. San Jacinto College's Digital Media program can be found at msjc.edu/digitalmedia.