Menu
“I first had the opportunity of working with Rodney on Napa Valley Dreams.
I was able to experience his talent and passion for storytelling and film making, which equally included the sound. It was with this passion that he asked an incredibly unrealistic question, “can we mix Napa in Dolby Atmos?”. I was confused by how he even knew of the technology. It was barely announced. Dolby Atmos had not been heard of by most film makers. The public was unaware.
When he asked me that question, I laughed, because I was mixing some of the very first international feature titles for Fox at the Dolby facility in Atmos. Napa Valley Dreams was the first documentary ever mixed in this emerging premier format that every blockbuster is now mixed in. Dolby even has a selection of Napa Valley Dreams on their Atmos demo disc.
Rod followed Napa Valley Dreams with The Butterfly, The Harp, and The Timepiece, another short film that pushed creative boundaries by using images, music, and sound to tell his story with limited use of dialogue to drive the story. While my career primarily serves the major studios, I very much look forward to seeing what project Rod is going to work on next and more importantly, what other young team members is he going to give an opportunity to develop and grow. I look forward to working with him on his future projects.”
— Doug Higgins,
Vice President, Global Audio Services, Pixelogic Media
“Rodney and I worked closely together on three different projects:
Rod was Head Writer on Season One of ‘The Evidence’, a show I produced and directed. This season generated a larger audience and won more awards than any other show produced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church up to that time.
Rod was Head Writer on Season Eighteen of ‘Lifestyle Magazine’, another series that I produced and directed. Rod and I worked very closely together on both of these series developing episode topics, working together on all aspects of filming and production, and often sitting side-by-side in the edit bay, preparing each episode for distribution.
Rod and I also worked closely together on a Christmas Special, where, to avoid union issues, Rod wrote under the pseudonym R. C. Drake. The Special, called ‘Miracle at Gate 213’ starred Academy Award Winners Shirley Jones and Louis Gossett, Jr., and Emmy-nominee Della Reese. NBC broadcast ‘Miracle’ nationally on Christmas 2013 with well over 70% coverage nationally.
Rod’s passion for storytelling is a driving source in his life.”
— Jeff Wood,
Producer/Director
“Rodney is a devoted teacher, a talented writer, an effective and responsible producer, and an innovative director who has spent his career furthering film arts in every way he can. He pays great attention to what’s trending in the entertainment industry and is an excellent judge of whether those trends are worth embracing or are simply passing fancies. He has built a diverse network of film professionals from his students, friends and colleagues and frequently finds opportunities to bring various elements of his circle together in a way that benefits all of them.”
— Jan Kimbrough,
Professional Writer in Film & Television
“Rodney is a professional beyond reproach, a creative without rival, and a leader of the highest order. It may sound like a string of clichés to speak in such a manner, but I simply can’t refrain from expressing myself in such an effusive manner.
He is a man that could be devoting the bulk of his time and resources to enrich the Hollywood landscape. Instead he chooses to transplant that industry into the fertile soil of Riverside.”
— Mark V. Lagrimas,
General Manager, KVCR Television/Radio/Digital & FNX
“I met Rodney Vance when he was director of the film and television program at Pacific Union College here in Napa Valley, as his department supplied a number of student interns for our company. I also had many occasions to observe and discuss with him his efforts to produce his fine documentary film Napa Valley Dreams, and in addition I would view and discuss his students’ films with him.
I am a veteran of some 35+ years in the film industry, and am currently a producer for Francis Ford Coppola’s company American Zoetrope. As someone who has worked alongside creative people my whole career, I have great respect for those who exhibit a passion for their work. Rod not only clearly exhibits that passion, but also demonstrates a passion for teaching the next generation of visual storytellers.
— Anahid Nazarian,
Producer, American Zoetrope