The Media Lab Temecula

What The Media Lab Temecula does

The Media Lab is a nonprofit vocational training organization founded in 2020 in Temecula, California, that delivers film and media production education exclusively to adults (ages 18–59) with developmental disabilities who are consumers of the Inland Regional Center (IRC). The program covers a broad curriculum including film and cinema, broadcast TV (sitcoms, game shows, newscasting), camera/lighting/audio operation, video editing, set and prop design, stop-motion animation, acting, script writing, storytelling, and YouTube and voice-over work. Students participate either in a fully-equipped in-person studio (with cinema cameras, editing computers, broadcasting equipment, and a control room) or via a hybrid/online Zoom-based model that includes a home camera kit; both modalities are staffed continuously throughout the day.

The business model is structured around a single public funder. The program is entirely funded by the Inland Regional Center and is offered at no cost to students; it does not accept private funding or Self-Determination Program (SDP) funding. Enrollment is gated exclusively through IRC Consumer Service Coordinators, and transportation is coordinated through IRC-funded services, making IRC both the sole admission channel and the sole revenue source. Distribution is therefore a closed-loop, government-funded day-program model rather than a commercial GTM motion. Operations are run from a single studio location at 32836 Wolf Store Road, Temecula, by a team of 30+ staff led by co-founders Cyrila Richardson (Program Director) and Kevin Burke, with additional studio directors, studio managers, a case manager, community coordinator, and specialized roles including stunt and safety specialists. Marketing is limited to the organization's website and a quarterly newsletter; there is no evidence of app products, APIs, or external technology integrations beyond Zoom.

Name

The Media Lab Temecula

Legal name

The Media Lab

Website

https://themedialab.school

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Media Lab is a Temecula, California nonprofit founded in 2020 that delivers film and media vocational training exclusively to Inland Regional Center consumers with developmental disabilities, operating from a fully-equipped studio with hybrid/online options and no cost to students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Temecula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Program Services: The program is fully funded by Inland Regional Center. There is no cost to students. Students interested in paid employment are referred to their IRC Service Coordinator for potential referral to the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Media Lab is a vocational film and media school providing hands-on training in film production, broadcast TV, camera/lighting/audio, editing, set/prop/art design, stop-motion animation, acting, script writing, storytelling, and YouTube/voice-over work. The program is delivered on-site in a professional studio and via Zoom-based hybrid learning, and is offered at no cost to Inland Regional Center consumers with disabilities aged 18-59.

Product overview

The Media Lab is a vocational film and media school serving Inland Regional Center consumers with disabilities. The organization offers a unified educational program centered on community and creativity, providing hands-on training through in-person studio learning and hybrid/online options. Core curriculum includes film and cinema production, broadcast TV (sitcoms, game shows, newscasting), camera/lighting/audio operation, video editing, set design, stop-motion animation, acting, script writing, and YouTube/voice-over work. The program operates year-round in a fully-functioning studio environment with students ages 18-59.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film and Media Vocational Training Program Year-round vocation

Quantifiable outcome

• Students develop personal goals and track progress throughout the year with adjustments made to ensure comfortable pacing toward goals.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Inland Regional CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Inland Regional Center (IRC) is the primary funder and exclusive referral source for The Media Lab. All students must be IRC consumers to attend. IRC provides funding for the program and assists students with transportation arrangements. Students seeking employment are referred by IRC to the Department of Rehabilitation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• AbilityPath: A Bay Area nonprofit providing vocational, educational, and family-support services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Comparable as a regional vocational-services peer, though not film-specific and operating in a different geography.
• Lanterman Regional Center: A California regional center serving consumers with developmental disabilities in the greater Los Angeles area. Comparable as a peer funding-and-referral entity operating under the same Lanterman Act framework as IRC — a candidate anchor partner for cross-regional expansion.

Direct peers

• Exceptional Minds: A vocational program training young adults on the autism spectrum in animation, film, and post-production. Directly comparable to The Media Lab as a disability-focused creative-media vocational program with a working studio and employer-placement orientation.
• The Miracle Project: A Los Angeles performing-arts program for people with autism and other disabilities. Comparable as a creative-arts (film, theater, music) program serving the same consumer population with a mission-driven, community-building orientation.
• The Art of Elysium: A nonprofit that pairs volunteer artists with vulnerable populations including people with disabilities. Comparable as a creative-arts program for underserved populations with an emphasis on community and skill-building.
• New York Film Academy: A vocational film school offering hands-on training across film, broadcast, animation, and acting. Comparable on curriculum breadth and studio-based hands-on delivery, though commercial/degree-granting rather than disability-focused.
• Inclusion Films: A California-based film production company and training program employing and training adults with developmental disabilities. Closely comparable as a film-industry vocational program for the same population.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals Southern California: A large regional disability-services provider offering vocational, therapeutic, and community programs across Southern California. Comparable as a funder-adjacent vocational provider in the same regional-center ecosystem.
• The Arc of California: California's largest advocacy and service organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable as a major I/DD vocational-services ecosystem that operates in the same funding/policy environment (regional centers).
• VSA (Kennedy Center): The international arts-and-disability program of the John F. Kennedy Center. Comparable as a national-scale arts-education provider specifically designed for people with disabilities, though broader in scope (all art forms) and less film-production focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Media Lab Temecula