Hollyland works with Mater Dei High School’s film classes by upgrading their current systems with more innovative technology for students as they spread their creativity in the classroom

“Wait, the studio is wireless now? This is gonna be awesome!” - Former TV Mater Dei High School Production Student

Mater Dei High School

Recently, Hollyland donated to Mater Dei High School, a local private high school that needed wireless solutions, giving their students the most up-to-date gear before they go off to college. Mater Dei High School is located in the Santa Ana area and offers students a premier education. Although Mater Dei has a great sports program, their film and creative arts programs have brought lots of attention to the school. Mater Dei High School offers a robust film program that allows students to explore the world of cinema through both theory and hands-on experience. The school’s film courses cover various aspects of filmmaking, including scriptwriting, cinematography, editing, and directing. Students engage in creative projects, from short films to full-length productions, gaining practical skills in video production, post-production, and digital media. 

Hollyland has worked with Mater Dei in different ways, but this time, we thought it would be cool to get them involved with some of the newest gear. The program had already used some of our mics, but with two new mics having come out since, it was the perfect way for us to get their hands on the gear. Andrew Roberts and Kenny Connoly run and teach all the Filmmaking, Broadcasting, and Sports Journalism classes at Mater Dei. With each of their own experiences in the entertainment industry and independent experience, we knew the gear was going to the right people. Hollyland and Andrew met at the National Association of Broadcast Expo in Las Vegas in 2024, but shortly after, we sent them all the newest gear. 

Project Overview

Working with Mater Dei, the vision was to provide the students with gear that would serve them the best in their projects. With our donation of the Solidcom C1 Pros, the Pryo S, the Lark M2, and the Lark Max, we wanted their students to be able to work with the gear that would help them get over the hump when it came to creativity. Hollyland’s mission is to “inspire” and make sure that everyone can bring their ideas to life. With the opportunity to partner with Mater Dei and give their students the freedom to create, it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass. 

With the students in the film classes and programs, we found that they needed gear that was reliable and stable. With the gear that they received, Mater Dei students felt like the gear was ready right out of the box and gave them stability on every set they were on. The gear they used is the same gear that is being used on sets of commercials, movies, and documentaries. We wanted them to experience what it's like to work with professional gear that enables them to make the best projects possible. While using the gear in their school projects, personal/independent student-led projects, and broadcast classes, the students tested the gear to its limits, showcasing some functions that we didn’t expect. 

Many of the products can be seen during school rallies with hundreds of students performing and cell phones being used at the same time. With all the opportunity for frequencies to cause issues and dropouts, the Pyro S, Mars M1, and Mars 400S Pro II, still performed well. Although they had the Mars M1 and Mars 400S Pro II systems, they continued to use the products on different shoots around the school. The Solidcom system boosted all their production communication as well and students during rallies and football games could now direct others for shots or key moments. With smoother shoots and swift communication, Mater Dei has multiple uses for the Solidcom system outside of the classrooms. 

I have already (recommended the products to industry professionals)! I have recommended Hollyland to several filmmakers, documentarians, and content creators I have worked with recently.

Why choose Hollyland?

Mater Dei chose to work with Hollyland given their experience with the products. Hollyland has developed better products after each former iteration. With the ability to add new features and enhance the user experience for each new product, Hollyland finds itself at the forefront of innovation as more creators and case studies help the company understand what users want. In working with Mater Dei, Hollyland came to understand its partnership with other companies to give students the best opportunity to follow what they love. Hollyland wanted to work with Mater Dei just as much as they did and hopes to provide students and faculty with gear that will keep students at the forefront of creativity.

One of the reasons why Hollyland was chosen to work with Mater Dei also comes from the ease of setup and reliability of the products. “Set-up is intuitive, had great battery life, and had no dropout while filming,” according to Andrew Roberts. Many of the products received by Mater Dei had some of the longest range and reliable functions from Hollyland. With the ease of not having to configure and change too much out of the box, students were free to use the transmitters and communications systems as soon as they received the gear. With the long-range transmission and clarity, communication was clearer and they saw an increase in efficiency in project filming. With clearer picturing and fast reliable connection, you can be sure that audiences will enjoy the results. 

Takeaways

Overall, the case study Hollyland organized with Mater Dei High School was a huge success. With the introduction to the classes and how the products would be used, it is clear that the classes are in good hands with Andrew and Kenny. Hollyland is happy to support universities and schools whose students need production-level gear. Hollyland is very satisfied with how the case study was conducted and can’t wait to work with Mater Dei to set their students up for success. We hope that Mater Dei will continue to use the gear we provided and pour more into student-led projects. With the students favoring the products due to their reliability and range, we hope to see more content and inspirational pieces. 

With new features and innovations coming from Hollyland shortly, Hollyland is ready to equip the next generation of creators and cinematographers. If there are programs that have a desire to work with Hollyland, we are open to working with you to put the products in the hands of those who have a passion for creativity. Thank you Mater Dei High School students and faculty for partnering with us and allowing us to donate the products to the school. We hope to keep creating alongside you all. 

"Can we please get the Hollyland mics for the shoot? They're just better than (the other brand)." - Current Mater Dei Student