Television Showcases
Reposted from https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/2017-csun-television-showcase / May 15, 2017 / by Silvia Bizio
It was a room full of enthusiastic young students at the Writers Guild Theater on Sunday night as the CSUN Cinema and Television Department unveiled the winners of the documentary and narrative shorts thesis projects from the graduating class of 2017. Earlier this year that department of the California State University of Northridge received a grant of 2 million dollars from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to be assigned to their television production studios and for student scholarships. The grant will be recognized in the Fall of 2017 when the Manzanita Hall of the University will be renamed the “Hollywood Foreign Press Association wing”.
But for this night the real winners were the directors, producers, editors, cinematographers and writers who created 19 beautiful short movies out of which a group of judges (including alumni) chose the finalists. Clips of the nominated films were shown during the award ceremony, which was produced, with the help of students and faculty, by CSUN Production Professor Alessandro Jacchia. The clips were followed by inspiring speeches of some of the CSUN professors and alumni: professor Henryk Cymerman remembered how it was the movie The Conformist by Bernardo Bertolucci to convince him, as a young man in the Israeli army, to become a writer, while Jon Stahl, chairman of the department, talked about the importance to be kind and respectful with your team members in this often not so kind industry.
Best documentary award, best documentary directing went to Deanna Spinale and her documentary Whose Trauma is it Anyway?. Deanna is a young professional (she produced the half time show with lady Gaga at the recent Super Bowl) who went back to school to finish her degree even though she was already a working producer. Best Narrative short His/Hers, directed by Marla Macarr and Produced by Stephanny Salazar, won 5 awards, while best Directing went to Gonzalo Lomeli for Yo Soy Mujer. Best in Show went to the Documentary Whose Trauma is it Anyway? produced by Kelly Spicer.
All the films were produced and directed by students in in the Television Option, under the guidance of the television option faculty, with funding provided by the California State University, Northridge, and Associated Students Instructionally Related Activities Fund.
The students must raise any additional monies needed and are given creative freedom in their productions.
This is the first public presentation of their work, each and all projects are unique, deserve recognition and praise: they endured countless sleepless nights, sweat, tears, pain, dedication, and talent to be here, for this we salute and honor our students tonight.
The Television Production Option is also are proud to acknowledge our affiliation with the Hollywood Foreign Press (HFPA). Many of our technical equipment and postproduction sound and film suites are the result of their donations. In January 2016, the HFPA announced an additional $2 Million gift to CSUN’s Department of Cinema and Television Arts for the complete overhaul and renewal of the camera, sound, lighting and control room equipment in our Television Studio and the establishing of a diversity driven Hollywood Foreign Press Association Scholars Program. In recognition of their generosity the Manzanita Hall South Wing has been named the Hollywood Foreign Press Wing.
AWARDS
- BEST DOC STORY
The Water Boy
Vivi Badillo / Blair Windette
- BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Yo Soy Mujer
Gonzalo Lomeli / Josue Rodriguez
- BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN (tie)
His/Hers
Marla Macarr
AND
Sound Check
Kiana Calderone
- BEST DOC CINEMATOGRAPHY
Serve
Josh Bantay
- BEST NARRATIVE CINEMATOGRAPHY
His/Hers
Deanne Cortes / Marla Macarr
- BEST DOC EDITING
Whose Trauma is It Anyway?
Alyse Kollerbohm
- BEST NARRATIVE EDITING
His/Hers
Lynette Hartouni
- BEST DOC SOUND EDITING
Whose Trauma is It Anyway?
Jaime Lopez
- BEST NARRATIAVE SOUND EDITING (tie)
His/Hers
Jayden Yen
AND
Sound Check
Jarrod Booth
- BEST DOCUMENTARY DIRECTING
Whose Trauma is It Anyway?
Deanna Spinale
- BEST NARRATIVE DIRECTING
Yo Soy Mujer
Gonzalo Lomeli / Josue Rodriguez
- BEST DOCUMENTARY
Whose Trauma is It Anyway?
Kellie Spicer
- BEST NARRATIVE
His/Hers
Stephanny Salazar
- BEST IN SHOW
Whose Trauma is It Anyway?
Kellie Spicer / Deanna Spinale / Jacob Stealey / Jaime Lopez / Alyse Kollerbohm