WKSU Stories

Colorado Filmmaker Is Chosen to Lead Cleveland State University's New Film School

Ideastream Public Media | By Phil DeOliveira

Published May 30, 2017 at 4:16 PM EDT

Lahey started the Colorado Film School and spent 14 years as its head. He says in that time, film has become a more serious academic field and is playing a larger role in global commerce.

Cleveland State University has selected the head of the Colorado Film School to direct its new School of Film, Television and Interactive Media.

Frederic Lahey is coming to Cleveland to do what he did in Colorado: Start a film school from scratch.

But Lahey expects it to be easier in Ohio. Since 2009, state tax incentives have attracted Hollywood producers and at least temporary work for talented students.

“As we build the capabilities of the students, that also decreases costs for producers coming in from L.A.," Lahey says. "They can get increasing numbers of crew locally available so that they don’t have to spend more money flying them in.”

Lahey says he doesn’t want producers to just use Cleveland as a generic cityscape and then pack up their cameras. He wants to lure them to stay longer by offering state-of-the-art cutting and editing facilities at the new school. Lahey also plans to bring the small screen to northeast Ohio.

“A goal would be to land a series and locate them in Cleveland because that is more regular employment," Lahey says. "To get into TV is a huge goal.”

Cleveland State University’s School of Film, Television and Interactive Media was announced last fall. Lahey will meet with existing CSU staff and hire new faculty before his official first day on July 1st.