Over 450 people representing 21 states and two foreign countries attended the 2008 Biola Media Conference, held on Saturday, May 3 at the CBS Studios in Studio City, Calif.

This year's topic centered on the theme "Blueprint Hollywood: Designing for the Digital Age." The speaker roster included mainstream Film/TV and digital media producers/directors/writers and branded entertainment professionals such as Chuck Slocum, executive director of the Writers Guild of America; Steve Tompkins, television writer for The Simpsons and Bernie Mac; Terry Botwick, president of Vanguard Films; Arthur Anderson, producer/director of Mission Impossible 2 & 3, Paycheck and Face Off; and Jordan Hudgens, CEO of Vidshadow network.

The conference focused on the challenges for Hollywood at the dawn of the online entertainment revolution as well as the innovative options in production, content, distribution and marketing that accompany these evolving opportunities.

Fresh off the writer's strike, with Hollywood still defining "emerging" marketplaces, the BMC couldn't have hit on a more critical topic.

Hosting the event was Biola Cinema and Media Arts department chair, Lisa Swain; producer and former Biola professor, Craig Detweiler; and producer Phil Cooke.

Allen Weaver, a Biola Media Conference attendee, said, "The networking and fellowship opportunities were priceless! I found it personally inspiring to meet so many who are doing what they love within the context of God's vision for their life. The entire experience helped me to see not only where I presently am but where I want to be."