Posted: May 13, 2015 | Written by Danyel Whyte
Retirement does not keep Bud Tedesco from “the real world of make believe.”
If we go behind the scenes of the television department at Riverside City College we find Tedesco, after his retirement three years ago, still contributing on campus.
With a background in editing for ABC Television Network and a history with the Academy Awards, the former instructor sticks around to share his knowledge of the industry.
“The challenge now is to share my experience with the students here,” Tedesco said.
“A lot of the instructors here are sort of industry trained which is different from the academic route that a lot of instructors have because they haven’t really been exposed to the real world of make believe, that’s what I call it.”
Tedesco continues teaching at RCC to give students a different perspective based on what the television industry is like outside of the academic realm.
He specializes with hands on learning to help his students be the best they can be when they move on from school.
He hopes to bring the experience of the outside world into an environment that is typically sheltered.
“We try to bring that little bit of realism from that real world of make believe to here and hopefully it pays off,” Tedesco said.
“Instructors come here with whatever position or discipline they’re teaching and if they have worked in that area, they’re bringing something really special and additional to the classroom to the students and that’s what I hope to bring.”
According to Tedesco, his teaching experience now is much different from the academic protocol of teaching full-time.The part-time instructor now gets to focus his time inspiring students.
“I enjoy this because a lot of our students have moved on and are working in the industry as producers, associate producers and directors displaying their talent in front of the camera,” Tedesco said.
“We focus our students to be multi-skilled and to learn different jobs because you have to be multi-skilled in this business.”
Tedesco first started the Film and Television Program at RCC over 25 years ago and it is still running strong. There are over 25 different courses with degrees and certificates in different areas of television and film offered.
“The program definitely has a special place in my heart,” said Jimmy Moreno, an RCC student and staff member.
“This program kind of creates small families. We all shoot together, love film and cinema. This place gives us a place to do that stuff.”
Tedesco has influenced RCC students to go the distance and exceed their expectations, and develop into competent students ready for the real world.
“Bud has a lot of influence on the program and has built a lot of personal relationships with the students and really enabled them to do the things that they had to do,” said Rahul Thakar, student lab aid for the FTV class.
“He puts cameras in your hands right away. He is very encouraging. I mean there have been times where we go to accomplish certain things and all we would have to do is approach him and he would figure out ways to help us.”
The stepping stones of retirement have led Tedesco down a path that keeps him as part of the department’s team. There is something special that he can bring to the FTV where according to Tedesco, “All the arts kind of come together in the film industry- acting, music, graphics, art…that’s where it happens.”
