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Filmmaking Major Wins Student New England Emmys

The Boston/New England division of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced that Shirley Reid, a senior Filmmaking major, has won two Student New England Emmys. Reid was the winner in the Animation/Graphics/Special Effects category as producer/director and designer, as well as the winner in the Audio/Sound category as sound designer.

Filmmaking Senior Shirley Reid wins two student Emmys

Reid pulls her inspiration for her work from a worldview philosophy. “There is a ballet of crisis and spectacle inherent in my world view. The struggle between beauty and war, generosity and greed, ecstasy and terror, narrowed into meaningful minutiae is what I strive to explore with video and digital media,” says Reid.

She also credits mentors Gordon Glover, Malcolm Francis, Eric Sample, Julia Swift, Kevin Murakami and Gary Scudder, who she says she owes “a renewed sense of awe in the splendor of people, even my fellow students, and the rest of earth’s wonders and agonies.” Reid was surprised that she has been honored this way, but despite taking the road less traveled by, she believes in her message:  “Be vigilant and grateful. I look for the moment when my actors engage in themselves and the moment.  As the Buddhist saying goes: you cannot invite wind, but you must leave the window open.”

 

CCM ANNOUNCES WEATHERVANE SPRING 2017 ISSUE

Weathervane is the official digital magazine of the Division of Communication and Creative Media, fully produced by students and faculty under the direction of Kim MacQueen, Managing Editor of the Champlain College Publishing Initiative (CCPI) and CCM Dean Paula Willoquet-Maricondi.

 

Weathervane features news stories and profiles showcasing CCM students, faculty, and alumni. It celebrates the talent and achievements of the CCM Division to our campus and broader communities of alumni, parents, industry partners, and CCM supporters.       Weathervane Spring 2017 Issue

 

Champlain College Student Showcase Premieres on Vermont PBS

Promo Video

The Division of Communication and Creative Media at Champlain College and Vermont PBS have partnered to present a one-hour broadcast premiere of Champlain College Student Showcase to air on Vermont PBS at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 2. The program, which is a collection of 12 student-produced works by 17 Broadcast Media Production and Filmmaking majors, will be part of Vermont PBS’ Made Here segment which “defines a broad range of content from local filmmakers, allowing Vermont PBS to share a wider range of local stories as seen through many different eyes.” Coordinators of the Champlain College Student Showcase are Senior Manager of Local Content- Vermont PBS Eric Ford and Professor Van Dora Williams, program director of Broadcast Media Production, Filmmaking and Sonic Arts at Champlain College. http://current.org/2016/12/with-made-here-initiative-vermont-pbs-homes-in-on-locally-sourced-programming/

The Champlain College Student Showcase line-up:

Student ProducersProject Titles
Kaylee Mumford, Veronica Minor, Caroline NollVermont Symphony Orchestra Green Room
Caleb Cioffi and Spencer PearsonBurlington Records
Olivia LyonsMural Project
Olivia Lyons12 Hour Comics Day
Alex SabatellRising Stars in Burlington Music
Kamerin StroudSerenity
Tyler KillerCircles
Sean GoodwinRule 3
Dillan HodakCelluloid Stories
Christa BennettSTEM
Katherine Lawrence, John Amigo, Scott Nickerson, Kirsten PottsOld Spokes Home
Ryland ChinPine Island Community Farm

 Additional Champlain College Student Showcase Airings:

Thursday, March 2, 8 p.m. on Vermont PBS
Friday, March 3, 2 a.m. on Vermont PBS
Wednesday, March 8, 8 p.m. on Vermont PBS Plus
Wednesday, March 8, 8 p.m. on Vermont PBS Plus
Saturday, March 18, 2:30 p.m. on Vermont PBS Plus
Saturday, March 18, 2:30 p.m. on Vermont PBS Plus
Thursday, March 30, 9 p.m. on Vermont PBS Plus
Thursday, March 30, 9 p.m. on Vermont PBS Plus

 

Filmmakers David LaRosa, Janine Laino, and Kathleen McGrath from Feenix Films recently visited students in the Filmmaking program at Champlain College. They showed their latest feature, Clandestine, and held a panel on independent filmmaking during the evening of April 8. Earlier that day they held a workshop with the students about directing actors. The next day, LaRosa appeared on FOX morning news program as a guest on Julia Swift’s “At the Movies” weekly Segment.

The aspiring filmmaking majors also spoke to the filmmakers about interning and working on their next film. The filmmakers, so impressed with the Champlain students, went into the Champlain College school store to buy merchandise to flaunt the school name. They spoke of coming back when they have finished their next film. They are looking forward to connecting with our students at film festivals.

“In all of my classes this week, the students keep referencing stories and advice that they learned from the Feenix team over the weekend.”  -Julia Swift, Filmmaking Assistant Professor

David Rocchio, Founder of Stowe Story Labs presents fellowship awards to filmmaking majors with Dean Willoquet-Maricondi.

Champlain College celebrated the success of its stellar students in the Division of Communication and Creative Media (CCM) by awarding $1,000 CCM Dean’s Scholarships for eligible returning undergraduate students and 10 CCM Excel Awards for graduating seniors.

The recognitions took place during the Honors Night ceremony on Thursday, April 13 at Champlain College. The event featured a Star Art reception where the honorees and their guests mingled with student artists who painted watercolor works of celestial-themed art on site.

In addition, winners of the annual Vermont Association of Broadcasters Scholarship were announced, as well as recipients of the Stowe Story Lab Fellowships for aspiring filmmakers presented by Founder David Rocchio, and the CCM Dean’s Choice Award for the college’s second annual 2017 Juried Student Exhibition.

“We are tremendously proud of our CCM students’ accomplishments. Honors Night is an opportunity to publicly recognize and celebrate their talent and hard work, and their dedication to serving Champlain’s mission of being ‘the finest small, globally and professional focused college in the United States,” says Paula Willoquet-Maricondi, Dean of CCM.

See the photos from the event HERE

CCM Dean’s Scholarship winners: Broadcast Media Production Major – Kirsten Potts, Sophomore; Communication Major – Jessica Shultz, Sophomore; Creative Media Major – Jeremy Partyka, Junior; Filmmaking Major – Simeon Pol, Junior; Game Art & Animation Major – Colton Orr, Junior; Game Design Major – Amanda Gates, Sophomore; Graphic Design & Digital Media Major – Rachel Farrell, Sophomore; Professional Writing Major – Jordan Upshaw, Sophomore; and Public Relations Major – Jadelynn Ye, Junior.

CCM Senior Excel Award winners: Dillon Delogue, Broadcast Media Production Major; Sarah Steward, Communication Major; Ricky Rizzo, Creative Media Major; Gillian Racine, Filmmaking Major; Emma Campbell, Game Art & Animation Major; Levi Rohr, Game Design Major; Zachary Denis, Graphic Design & Digital Media Major; Sarah Wilkinson, Professional Writing Major; Margaret Kuchinski, Public Relations Major; and Laura Fillbach, MFA in Emergent Media Major.

Dean’s CCM Choice Award – Juried Student Art Exhibition winner: McKenzie Brandon, Sophomore – Creative Media Major

Stowe Story Labs Fellowship winners: Cassandra Crowley, Senior – Filmmaking Major and
Brian Holder, Junior – Filmmaking Major

Vermont Association of Broadcasters Scholarship winners: McKenzie Cordell, Junior – Broadcast Media Production Major; Noah Kidney, Junior – Broadcast Media Production Major; Kaylee Mumford, Junior – Broadcast Media Production Major; John (Spencer) Pearson, Junior – Broadcast Media Production Major

Ti Laurent, is a 2015 film directed by Champlain College Assistant Professor of Film John Rasmussen premiering Thursday, March 30, 7 p.m., at Main Street Landing Film House in Burlington.  He will be in attendance at the screening to introduce the film and lead a discussion afterward.

Film Director John Rasmussen

Ti Laurent centers on a young, poor boy (Pedro Bellabe) who is fighting for survival. Scenes were shot on the streets of the La Savane section of Les Cayes, the most impoverished region in southern Haiti. A review of Ti Laurent was recently reviewed in Seven Days.  For ticket information, visit The Vermont International Film Foundation website: vtiff.org

Rasmussen is a filmmaker working in narrative, documentary and experimental forms.  His work ranges from project documentation for organizations such as Oxfam, The United Nations Ethical Fashion Initiative and Americorps to grassroots local narrative filmmaking in the U.S. and Haiti.

Rasmussen’s work has been exhibited in festivals in Mexico, Haiti, France, Canada, China and the United States.  He has taught a wide variety of courses in filmmaking at The University of Miami, Miami International University of Art and Design, Le Centre d’Art in Port-au-Prince and founded a film group in the low-income neighborhood of La Savane in Les Cayes, Haiti.

 

 Under the Influence Accepted for Publication

Under the Influence, a collection of poems, short fiction, and creative non-fiction by Professional Writing Professor J.C. Ellefson has been accepted for publication by Fomite Press. Ellefson’s poetry has been published throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France and Japan, and he has taught writing and literature at Shanghai University and the Universidade Dos Acores. He holds a BA from Penn State University and an MFA from Norwich University.

Swift Reviews “The Great Wall”

Champlain College Filmmaking Assistant Professor Julia Swift reviewed the Matt Damon monster film The Great Wall on Local 44 Morning Brew. The film, directed by Zhang Yimou, is the largest production ever filmed entirely in China. The movie is rated PG-13. Swift appears weekly as a movie reviewer on The Box Office segment, a production of Fox TV-WFFF’s Local 44 Morning Brew. See the movie review here:  The Great Wall . 

Oppenheim Interviewed on Fake News Trend

Fake news is a trending topic in both traditional and social media, particularly when it comes to political news coverage. Professor Keith Oppenheim, assistant professor for Broadcast Media Production in the Division of Communication and Creative Media, was recently interviewed by WCAX-TV. See the clip here:

http://www.wcax.com/story/34491500/special-report-fake-news

 

Endangered Alphabets Marks International Mother Language Day

Writer, artist, and Champlain College professor Tim Brookes blends linguistics, calligraphy, politics and art in an exhibition that opens on the college campus on Feb. 21, International Mother Languages Day–a day that celebrates the principles of embracing diversity and cultural acceptance on a global scale.

The exhibition will be on the second floor of the Communications and Creative Media building on the Champlain campus. It will run from February 20-March 10, and will be open to the public as well as to the Champlain community. Official gallery hours for the public are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays, though members of the Champlain community may visit it at any time.

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