CSUF's Behind the Scenes took a tour Sony Pictures Studios (Photo credit: Courtesy of BTS)
When asked why BTS chose Sony Pictures Studios to tour, club president Erine Duclan said, “We did the Sony Pictures Studio Tour last spring and it was a hit.”
“A lot of people really loved it and raved about it, and some expressed wanting to do it again,” Duclan remarked.
With the desires of their club members in mind, BTS reached back out to Sony to schedule another tour for their fall 2023 event calendar. Approximately 60 CSUF students gathered in Culver City to glimpse filmmaking behind the camera.
The guided tour, which split BTS attendees into two groups, snaked through various locations of the Sony Pictures lot. The first site visited was the Sony Pictures Museum, which displayed props from films such as “Spider-Man” and “Men in Black.” Props from television shows such as Seinfeld were also showcased for the eager CSUF students.
Along with movie props, Sony Pictures showcased their famous cars that have been used in their films and television shows. Students could see the renowned 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance from “Ghostbusters” and prominent vehicles in the television show “Breaking Bad.”
As the tour progressed, attendees gathered in an antique movie screening room to view a short film about the Sony lot and the history of Sony. Once everyone was educated about the legacy of the company’s filmmaking, the tour groups went on to walk through its plentiful studio sets.
Among the studios surveyed, the two tour groups perused different types of Foley studios, where everyday sound effects are reproduced and added to films to enhance audio quality. Students were able to see the plentiful props and tools Foley artists use daily to create their craft.
The groups also toured recording studios and sound stages. Most notably, attendees got to tour the sound stage where Judy Garland’s “The Wizard of Oz” was filmed. Additional stages observed were “The Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.”
“Apparently,” Duclan offered, “one of the studios on the tour is said to be haunted!”
Although none of the attendees experienced any spooky behavior, knowing this Sony secret enriched their tour experience.
The two-hour tour concluded in the studio store for students to purchase Sony merchandise and commemorate their experience.
BTS aims to host at least three tours per semester, along with on-campus events. Follow their Instagram @csufbts to learn more about what the club is up to.
