Billie Eilish, Judd Apatow and Other Stars Share Career Advice with Dodge College Students

Master classes at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts are more than a chance to meet someone famous—they are an essential part of the learning experience for Chapman students interested in building careers in entertainment.

Dodge College Dean Stephen Galloway has established the tradition of bringing dozens of critically acclaimed and award-winning professionals to campus every year, each offering an intimate look at their personal stories as well as what it really takes to be successful in Hollywood. After enlightening moderated conversations with actors, directors, musicians and more, students have the opportunity to ask questions and gain insights that will help them in their careers after graduation.

But the chance to talk to famous people is pretty cool, too. Featured guests during the 2023-24 series included:

Bllie Eilish and her brother Finneas, the duo behind the Oscar-winning song “What Was I Made For” from the 2023 film “Barbie”
America Ferrera, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress and Oscar nominee for “Barbie”
Judd Apatow, Emmy Award-winning writer-director-producer, whose films include “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”
Oliver Stone, Oscar-winning director of “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July”
Alexander Payne and Kevin Tent, director and editor of Oscar-nominated films “Sideways” and “The Holdovers”
Chloé Zhao, director of the Oscar-winning film “Nomadland”
Jon Batiste, multihyphenate musician, 2024 Oscar nominee for Best Original Song and Oscar-winning co-composer of the Pixar film “Soul”

Dodge College was also happy to welcome Chapman alumni Justin Simien ’05 (director, “Dear White People” and “Haunted Mansion”) and three-time Emmy nominee Hannah Einbinder ’17 (“Hacks”) back to campus.

Dodge College Welcomes Hollywood

On stage at Folino Theatre, directors, producers, actors and other top entertainment professioanls talk about their careers and offer advice to the next generation. Scroll through to get a sampling of their words of wisdom.

``Go after the thing that’s pulling you, that you’re curious about. Make stuff because you feel like doing it.``

Jon Batiste

``Your work has to stay urgent and connected until you die.``

Alexander Payne

``There’s only one rule if you want to work in production: you can never be late. The moment you’re late you’re fired.``

Kevin Tent

``I had been told my whole childhood that everything I was, was going to make my dream impossible. The truth is that my dreams became possible because of everything that I was.``

America Ferrera

“People don’t like you for the fake things you do. They like you for the real things you do.”

Billie Eilish

``It sounds corny, but your work is a gift to people. It’s an offering, and you want to be successful. But at the very core, it’s like a loving gesture to the audience—the sharing of your story or your soul. That’ll be your best work.``

Judd Apatow

Chapman in Hollywood master classes

Billie Eilish, Judd Apatow and Other Stars Share Career Advice with Dodge College Students Dodge College master classes bring the entertainment world’s brightest stars to Chapman.