EL MONTE – Mountain View High School (MVHS) students across all grade levels participated in a full-scale studio production on Feb. 23 as the school’s Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy (VISTA) program filmed its annual Red Camera Training project at Silver Dream Factory Studios. The collaboration brought together students from VISTA, theater, choir, and dance to produce “Life is a Musical.”

Written and directed by VISTA seniors, the project gave students hands-on experience with Red digital cinema cameras, professional sound equipment, and studio lighting inside a working soundstage. Industry professionals — including a director, director of photography, sound designer, and lighting specialists — mentored students alongside Mountain View educators.

“This experience shows students what’s possible when they collaborate at a professional level,” MVHS VISTA instructor John Mann said. “They are not just learning about film production, they are doing the work in a real studio environment with professional expectations.”

The story follows a man who leaves his home one morning and encounters townspeople who break into song, moving him from place to place. Songs were written by stage technology and advanced theater students. This year, choir students joined the production for the first time, performing on camera with choreography support from the dance program. All musical numbers were performed live.

“It feels really nice to have a lead role. I had no idea what I’d be playing when I said I was interested, but I wanted to stay open to the opportunity. It’s been a long day, but I’m grateful to be on set learning with my peers and working with movie-level equipment,” Mountain View sophomore Robert Pascual Cano said. “I love being in VISTA, gaining more insight into the cameras and recording our football games and events, and I’m hoping I can make it to another set after high school.”

The training is designed to mirror professional film production. Students worked on a soundstage with professional lighting grids and studio infrastructure. The film concludes with a rain scene requiring coordinated lighting, sound, and camera work. Students also handled art direction and production design, creating several props using 3D printing technology.

Mountain View alumni who previously participated in VISTA also returned to assist on set, offering current students a glimpse into the program’s long-term impact.

Through cross-department collaboration and studio-based training, the VISTA program continues to prepare students for college and careers in the entertainment industry.

“This production highlights the power of collaboration and hands-on instruction,” El Monte Union Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “Our students are developing technical expertise, creativity, and confidence that will serve them well in college and their future careers.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

EMUHSD_MVHS VISTA RED CAM_1: Mountain View High School students act out a barber scene in an original musical production during the Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy program’s annual Red Camera Training project at Silver Dream Factory Studios on Feb. 23.

EMUHSD_MVHS VISTA RED CAM_2: Mountain View High School students operate professional cinema cameras during the Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy program’s annual Red Camera Training project at Silver Dream Factory Studios on Feb. 23.

EMUHSD_MVHS VISTA RED CAM_3: Mountain View High School students perform a musical scene on a diner-style set at Silver Dream Factory Studios during the Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy’s annual Red Camera Training on Feb. 23.