Here’s what some of his students at Woodbury University and the University of California, Berkeley wrote about him. He advises students and continues to do so after graduation as part of his mentoring groups:
Woodbury
Dr. George Larkin is an amazing professor, coach, and mentor who has and continues to support students with finding their paths to success in the film & television industry. His help extends past graduation, making sure that his alumni are well on their way to greatness by sharing job opportunities and industry news from his expansive network connections. To this day, I credit Dr. Larkin with launching my career and guiding me to success. I am forever thankful for his thoughtfulness and for always having his students' futures in mind. Thanks for everything, George! JH.
While a professor’s duties on the surface are to teach, each professor has a responsibility to assert their own definition of how they should perform. George Larkin was not given the responsibility, but rather believed it was in his definition of teaching to help students beyond the classroom. George constructed a community within the university that enabled students focused on any form of art to come together, share jobs, and request work. George pulled from his own resources to ensure students, including myself, had the greatest opportunity for success. George has endlessly been an extraordinary professor and mentor. AB.
George Larkin is a great professor who cares about every individual student. He spends significant amounts of his time at school counseling and advising students. Most importantly, he is truly dedicated to his students. George focuses on helping students get through school and helping them get a job after college as well. I've taken many classes with him and he has always been fair and treated everyone equally. I can't thank him enough for his indispensable advice. AM
George Larkin has been a terrific mentor to me. Even after mygraduation, he has been there to help guide alumni’s and to giveadvice. George Larkin cares about his students and is passionate about securing the next generation of filmmakers with the right career path. SS
George Larkin is an incredible mentor. He is truly dedicated to his students. He goes above and beyond in ensuring his students break into the film industry and earn their dream jobs. George still manages to keep track and check in with former students as his number of alumni keep growing. He will support you all the way and help guide you back even when you're running in circles. George is definitely a mentor students should never take for granted. Truly thankful for you, George! VC
George Larkin has been extremely helpful in setting me up with success throughout college as well as after graduating. To the Woodbury Film student body as a whole, he's gone out of his way to set up a Facebook page that he updates several times a day with interesting articles to job and internship postings, and everything in between. In addition, through this page, many students and alumni from the Woodbury community have gathered to share information about events, job opportunities, and interesting insider links that allow us to constantly stay connected. I have had several job interviews with major companies such as NBC, Netflix, and Buzzfeed through this Facebook page alone. Aside from social networking, George has personally helped me in the hunt for internships and jobs throughout the years. Through his connections and referrals, George has set me up with three out of the four internships I've had including an internship for The 73rd Annual Golden Globes. His advice and encouragement have helped me grow and become more confident in my work. What I find most impressive about George Larkin's mentorship is that he does not do the work for you, but rather gives you the opportunity to prove yourself through your own work. If he sees you are dedicated and you have the passion, George gives you the advice and the connections he's made in order to help you find steady work and build a network of professional-working filmmakers. JF
Personable with his students and does whatever he can to help his mentees network through internships and connections. Intends to see you graduate with your feet on the ground so you can take your first steps in the industry right after school. BA
Dr. George Larkin was the most influential mentor of my time studying at Woodbury University. With his help, I managed to obtain five internships at renowned production companies, which culminated in two years of hands-on industry experience. His knowledge of the industry allows him to guide his students through the tricky pitfalls of young filmmakers. He shows them how to present the best version of themselves at all times in the entertainment industry. Reputation is everything. Dr. Larkin enthusiastically helps driven students find the path the want to walk down and teaches how to best reach those goals. BM.
George Larkin has been an incredible mentor to me and helped pave the way for my career as an editor in the film industry. From my early years in college, he not only advised me on career-path strategies, but also introduced me to working professionals in the industry. Because of this, I have worked on pieces for The Golden Globes, The Twilight Zone, feature films, and many more. His passion for teaching and attention to detail have created an excellent environment for me to learn from and thrive as an editor in an otherwise difficult industry. I would highly recommend him as a mentor, seeing as his advice and guidance have helped make my career what it is today. JF
He is always willing to help students reach that next step into the professional world of film. JP
Berkeley
George was not only my TA at UC Berkeley, but is also the Creator and Admin of BFF (Berkeley Film Friends), a Facebook group of like-minded Berkeley alumni working to make it into the entertainment industry. George has been an amazing mentor and beacon of knowledge for navigating this industry and someone who I have called upon multiple times for advice or furthering my network. He is always willing to share his brilliance and goes the extra mile for those seeking help from him. AB
George has worked tirelessly and selflessly to foster a community for UC Berkeley students and alumni who wish to pursue a career in film. He has helped with the personal and career development for so many people, and has created a space that will continue to provide resources for Cal students for years to come. From job opportunities, to career advice, to how to write a resume, George has been integral in contributing to Berkeley’s, and now Woodbury’s excellence in film. CL
I have known George for about 4 years. He is a charismatic speaker and a kind, generous person who has helped mentor many students over the years. George has taken the lead in big ways to help keep film & television alumni networks strong at UC Berkeley and beyond. Because of George, I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from some truly talented individuals in the entertainment industry. I am very thankful for all of George's efforts to foster entertainment mentorships and connections between those in early stages of their careers with those more established. George is dedicated, hardworking and passionate about what he does. Thank you, George! KI
I truly admire how George has been able to create and cultivate multiple generations of Cal Alumni and students who aspire to pursue careers in the entertainment industry. Through his brainchild Berkeley Film Friends, he's constantly connecting both students and alumni with opportunities to visit studios such as Pixar, Dreamworks, and Lucasfilm. I can't thank him enough for introducing me to amazing mentors, and his indispensable advice. AC
George has been an incredible mentor to me both professionally and personally, providing advice on networking, setting up informational interviews with professionals in the entertainment industry, and referring me for internship opportunities. Through his organization Berkeley Film Friends, he has inspired a refreshing culture of collaboration amongst members and single-handedly transformed the once small Berkeley film community into a robust and rapidly-growing institution. I know I couldn't be where I am today without George's continued support and advice. In the future I hope to be in a position where I can pay it forward to future generations of film professionals as George has so graciously done for me. KL
George started the student group Berkeley Film Friends as a grad student at Berkeley and has been doing an amazing job as it's leader for the past six years. As a result of this resource George created, countless students have been provided with internship and job opportunities, exclusive tours of entertainment facilities and studio lots, and general useful connections to other students and alum, as well as information about film festivals and contests. I’ve personally made a number of friends that I would not have met without Berkeley Film Friends and have been on tours of Pixar, Lucas Film, and Skywalker Sound because of George. CP
While I was a student, George was one of the most involved teachers in both my education and my career. He has pushed me towards opportunities like an internship with Spike, trips to places like Pixar and the Family Guy studio in Los Angeles, and numerous workshops for lighting and writing. In addition to being a great guide to the industry and an excellent instructor, George maintains constant communication with his students to ensure their success in their endeavors beyond graduation. I can say without a doubt that he has shaped my career more than any other instructor I have encountered and I am very grateful to have someone as resourceful, engaged, and intelligent as George in my corner. OL.
I couldn't be more grateful to George for making film making more accessible and more enjoyable to me. AB
George is an excellent teacher and mentor. He finds ways to make the material not only interesting but also highly engaging. He found new angles and insights on material we thought we learned in the past and he did it all in a very interactive and rewarding way. He has a way of uniting the class and bringing out the best and most ambitious side in all of us. Other than his role as professor, George was a great mentor who went above and beyond to help me personally. His guidance went and continues to go beyond the classroom and into the very uncertain depths of early career development. Any student who is fortunate enough to have George as a full time professor will come out a stronger person and student than when he or she began. JC
George is a really wonderful teacher and mentor, he taught me everything I need to know about networking and how to succeed in the entertainment industry. George's group, Berkeley Film Friends where George helped us connect with working industry professionals, was extremely beneficial, the group grew exponentially and has expanded to Los Angeles as well. George is extremely professional, organized, eloquent, and attentive, he would be an asset to any company he works at. I would not be where i am today if it wasn't for George. LI.
George Larkin has singlehandedly done more to advance the careers of Cal film students than anyone else I have met combined. I've partnered with George on a number of occasions to give his students a chance to peek inside the animation industry and ask questions about the business -- and in doing so I've witnessed firsthand how much George truly cares about mentoring his students and how tirelessly he works to help them succeed both in their time at UC Berkeley and in their professional lives after graduation. George is a strong leader in the Berkeley film community and an inspiration to those he teaches. MD
George is a passionate filmmaker and inspirational leader! At UC Berkeley, he has actively grown the film identity by establishing a network for Cal Bears to ask questions and share answers. His constant presence and contributions fuel the group in engaging conversation. Always encouraging and collaborative, George is genuinely devoted to helping anyone interested in the industry. He frequently connects individuals to establish great working relationships and friendships. Through George, I was able to land two of my first entertainment internships. They were invaluable experiences and both began because of his referrals. Meeting George has been a huge pleasure. He is a tremendous talent and someone I can always count on. BC
I cannot say enough positive things about George. He improved both my undergrad and post-grad experiences in film & TV, and is an extremely intelligent, all-around wonderful person! KL
As a filmmaker himself, George understands the students in BFF at a deeper level than any type of counselor at the university. He knows the struggle we all go through and respects our passion. With his first-hand experience, he has advised us on everything from post-production editing to touching up our resumes. For me personally he has been a mentor, offering direction when I made difficult decisions. I was able to secure an internship immediately after graduation thanks to his recommendation. He truly has a heart for his students. Given the extraordinary and continual growth of the group, it is evident that George Larkin has filled a great need at Cal. SC
I can't think of a person who's helped UC Berkeley film students more than George Larkin has. He founded Cal's largest film networking group, Berkeley Film Friends, through which I and others were advised on internships, connected to alumni working in the fields we wished to pursue, and given the opportunity to visit legendary studios like Pixar and Lucasfilm. He's helped me make cherished connections and friends, but most admirable is his genuine interest in giving students the resources to help impact an industry he loves. Coming from a research institution that offers few practical skills and guidance for people in the creative fields, this kind of mentorship is invaluable. An incredible instructor at the University of California, Berkeley, an inspiring and intellectual artist, and a dear friend of mine, George Larkin, created a platform where students of Berkeley’s Film and Media Department could share information and support each other in this cutthroat and competitive world we call the film and entertainment industry. Within the modest film community of Berkeley, a good majority of the students sought opportunities in entertainment realm, but were often held back due to a lack of motivation and resources needed for that first step; Berkeley Film Friends quickly became an ardent beacon that guided many students. George provided students with the encouragement and insight needed to gain access in the countless internships and career opportunities available to them. Through tours in entertainment hotbeds such as Pixar, Lucasfilm ILM, and DreamWorks, along with group meetups where George himself would share his experiences and advice, and his everyday contributions through group postings, George sparked a new wave of students who acquired a passion to pursue what once did not seem possible. George has helped me an innumerable amount of times, by providing me with opportunities and support; it’s incomprehensible how one person could’ve done the same for the nearly two-thousand student members of the group. Berkeley Film Friends has become more than a networking group; not only has it has become a family of filmmakers, entertainers, and artists, it has become an archive of success stories. George Larkin was the one who gave students the chance to take that very first step. Rachel