An epic battle between J.J. Abrams and George Lucas and a show that took a humorous approach to big election issues were among 11 works made by Film and Electronic Arts students honored at the 26th annual California State University Media Arts Festival at California State University, Los Angeles.
Held on Nov. 5, the festival gave students studying film, broadcasting, video, screenwriting and new media within the 23-campus California State University system a chance to showcase their work for critical review. A judging panel made up of entertainment industry professionals and faculty members selected the winners in each category.
“Star Trek Wars” won the Rosebud award for Audience Choice and third place in the Narrative category. The short film imagined Lucas and Abrams fighting for the future of the “Star Wars” franchise and eventually coming to a compromise after being visited by the ghost of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry. The compromise leads to unity and acceptance by the fan bases of both franchises, respecting and admiring a creative work.
For producers Amelia Benavente, a graduated film major, and Stephanie South, a senior film major, being chosen as Audience Choice award winners by their peers validates the hard work of the cast and crew.
“Coming from the CSU system, we are all well aware that we are the underdogs with limited resources compared to other film programs at other schools in the area,” South said. “When the odds are stacked against us, our motivations to achieve naturally become stronger.”
The producers used a cast and crew of over 100 people, most of whom were found on campus. With the help of students in the Theater Arts and Music departments, Benavente and South were able to utilize local resources in the film’s production.
“We have such an array of talented individuals at CSULB that it seemed obvious to recruit talented students to be a part of our crew,” Benavente said. “At the time, only a few of our crew were alumni and the rest were students that were just as passionate about the craft as we were.”
This same passion also drives senior film major and current student manager of College Beat TV, Nicole Ilagan. Ilagan’s work on “And We Vote! Celebrity Edition” led to a Rosebud for best television variety show at the festival.
“This award is not just for me, but for the cast and crew of College Beat Television,” Ilagan said. “Winning this award validates the hard work, time and dedication put into the hours of production and post-production by crew members.”
“And We Vote! Celebrity Edition” took a humorous look at the issues in the days leading up to the Nov. 8 election to help voters find a perfect fit when it came to candidates and ballot propositions. Ilagan said it was the vision of producer Jessie Butera to use the show as a platform to create a safe space to talk about politics and current issues.
Other CSULB winners at the Media Arts Festival include Melanie Comstock, who won first place in the Documentary category for “Detour.” Teddy Valentovich and Fran Portillo’s “The Adventures of Lucy” came in second place in the Narrative category.
Mihika Padbiri and Claire Fisher placed second and third, respectively, in the Experimental category. Keleigh Kaliher’s “Hurricane Taylor” (second place) and Frank Truong’s “Getaway” (third place) earned honors in the Short Screenplay category.
Kyoung A. Kang earned first place honors in the Promotional category for “Let Me Re-Live: Paper Cup. Ilagan and Erica Quiroz earned third place for their work on “Beach Access” in the Television News category.
For the winners, the recognition helps boost the university’s Film and Electronic Arts department’s reputation.
“So many great projects have been coming out of our university for the past few years,” Benavente said. “They just keep getting better thanks to professors that value the quality of the story over anything else and help guide the students while keeping that in mind.”