Dafna Lemish
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- “Alt.news 26:46,” the student-produced television news program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, continues to earn praise from industry professionals.
The award-winning half-hour alternative TV news magazine earned an Emmy on Saturday, Oct. 22, from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter during ceremonies at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis. Alt.news 26:46 earned the Emmy in the specialty program category.
In addition, Jan Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television, earned an Emmy in connection with her half-hour documentary, “The Tragedy of Bataan,” which originally aired in spring 2010 on WSIU-TV. Thompson is also the alt.news 26:46 faculty adviser. Thompson earned an Emmy in the writer: program/program feature (non-news) category.
Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, said the college is proud of both Thompson and the alt.news student team for their Emmy wins this year.
Thompson “continues to produce award-winning documentary work and this latest project on the Bataan Death March veterans is a valuable contribution to history and a great tribute to the soldiers who were caught up in that tragedy,” he said. “The alt.news team continues their winning streak and has built a lasting legacy at SIU Carbondale. Their continued success is an inspiration.”
The award-winning program was episode 1205, which aired March 27, and took a look at the music scene with “Less Than Jake,” “Here Come the Mummies,” “The Punch Brothers,” and “Dickwolf.” Segment producers for the show were Susan Shirclifff, a senior in cinema from Prospect, Ky., and Kevin Ryan, a senior in cinema from Springfield.
Dylan Damian and Kelly E. Reed were the program’s executive producers for the two shows nominated. Damian, who is fromCarbondale, is a senior with a double major in television production and cinema, and will graduate in May 2012. Reed, who is fromGrayslake, graduated in May with a degree in cinema.
Alt.news also earned an Emmy nomination in August for best news show.
This is the 30th overall regional Emmy for alt.news 26:46 dating back to 2001. Of those awards, 28 are from NATAS’ Mid-America chapter in St. Louis and two are from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.
“The dynasty continues and it shows the dedication that our students have for reaching and achieving excellence,” Thompson said.
According to current alt.news records, the show won five national College Television Awards in the last 12 years -- 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, and 2011, to go with two second-place finishes and one third-place finish.
“Once again, our students prove to themselves and to others that beyond their talents and the skills that they acquire while in our programs, it is the teamwork, collaboration, dedication and passion that they bring to their creative work which makes them stand out consistently year after year,” said Dafna Lemish, chair of the Department of Radio-Television.
“Competing and winning on a professional level is a huge recognition of the kind of students that we attract and the opportunities they are being offered in the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts to spread their wings and excel,” she said.
Thompson’s win marks her third regional Emmy in her career, to go along with 14 nominations. Thompson also earned nominations in the documentary/historical, and musical composition/arrangements.
The documentary features first-hand accounts from 15 Bataan Death March survivors. Between 5,000 and 15,000 of the more than 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners did not survive the 65-mile forced march in the spring of 1942.
An updated version of the half-hour documentary will air nationally on PBS stations this fall with actor Alec Baldwin doing the narration. WSIU-TV will broadcast the documentary at 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11.
“We are so proud to have faculty members such as Jan Thompson who are talented and productive artists in their own right to serve as role models for our students,” Lemish said. “This particular documentary is a milestone in Jan’s career, a project she is deeply invested in that fills a black hole in the history of the Second World War. The determination, devotion, hard work and talent that she put in this project are exemplary. This award signals to our students that they can use media not only as a career for themselves, but also as a way to make a difference in the world.”
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The hard work and dedication of Southern Illinois University Carbondale students involved with “alt.news 26:46” continue to earn professional recognition.
The student-produced television program earned two nominations for regional Emmys earlier this week from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards. The award-winning half-hour alternative TV news magazine earned nominations in the magazine program and specialty program categories.
Alt.news has earned an Emmy in the competition’s magazine news show category the past four straight years, and five out of the last six years.
In addition to the student recognition, Jan Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television and documentary unit director, earned three nominations for her half-hour documentary “The Tragedy of Bataan,” which aired in spring 2010 on WSIU-TV. Thompson is also the alt.news 26:46 faculty adviser.
Thompson earned nominations in the documentary/historical; musical composition/arrangements; and writer: program/program feature (non-news) categories. The documentary features first-hand accounts from 15 Bataan Death March survivors. Between 5,000 and 15,000 of the more than 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners did not survive the 65-mile forced march in the spring of 1942.
The 35th annual awards ceremony is Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis. Actress Nikki Boyer, who also earned a regional Emmy and is a graduate of Webster University in St. Louis, will host the awards.
The chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Southern Illinois, central Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs, according to event organizers.
Alt.news’ tradition continues with the nominations for professional Emmys, said Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts.
“We couldn't be more proud of these students who research, create, and produce this award- winning program year after year,” he said. “Literally hundreds of students have been involved with alt.news since its inception and it is a great example of the hands-on opportunities that our students have in the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. These folks go on to be the media industries leaders of the future.”
The continuing success is a source of pride, said Dafna Lemish, chair of the Department of Radio-Television.
“They are a dedicated, hard-working and creative group of students who are just committed to producing exciting and meaningful media content,” Lemish said. “It only goes to show how the hands-on opportunities provided to our students, combined with talents and hard work, give them a huge advantage in the professional world even before they make their first step in the market searching for jobs.”
The student nominations are for outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2011.
“It’s always exciting to see the students recognized for their hard work and their talent. It’s even more exciting when it’s in the professional world,” Thomson said.
Dylan Damian and Kelly E. Reed were the program’s executive producers for the two shows nominated. Damian, who is from Carbondale, is a senior with a double major in television production and cinema, and will graduate in May 2012. Reed, who is from Grayslake, graduated in May with a degree in cinema.
The alt.news 26:46 magazine program nominee is for episode 1203, which aired Jan. 30. The episode includes a look at the Hotel Louisville Downtown, which is not only a full-service hotel, but also serves as a transitional living facility for women and families, charging only a penny a night; the Museum of Bad Art in Boston, the history of pinball machines, and Eoto, an “electronic dubstep band.” The episode captured the national student College Television Award for the best collegiate television magazine news show in the nation at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s 32nd annual College Television Awards in April. Segment producers for the show were Susan Shirclifff, Kevin Ryan, Jenna Tromburg, and Kathryn Voves.
Shircliff is a senior in cinema from Prospect, Ky.; Ryan is a senior in cinema from Springfield; Tromburg is a senior in cinema from Centennial, Colo., and Voves is a sophomore in cinema from Glen Ellyn.
The specialty program nominee is for episode 1205, which aired March 27, and took a look at the music scene with “Less Than Jake,” “Here Come the Mummies,” “The Punch Brothers,” and “Dickwolf.” Segment producers for the program were Shircliff and Ryan.
According to current alt.news records, the show won five national College Television Award in the last 12 years -- 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, and 2011, to go with two second-place finishes and one third-place finish. In addition, since 2001, the program has earned 29 regional Emmys -- 27 from NATAS’ Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.
The program begins its 13th season Oct. 9 with the season premiere set for 10 p.m. on WSIU-TV Channel 8. More information is available at http://an2646.com/. Damian, Beth Radtke, a junior in television production from Tinley Park, and Kyle Loughrin, a senior in television production from Loves Park, are the executive producers.
Thompson’s work, meanwhile, sets a tone as an example for the students, Lemish said.
“She herself is an active documentarian who is putting out high-quality work on topics of social significance that attracts national attention well beyond our region,” Lemish said. “Her recent work ‘The Tragedy at Bataan’, being nominated for three different awards brings her -- as well as the department of Radio-TV as a whole -- great prestige and pride. With so many award-winning and dedicated faculty and students, this is a great place to be in for your professional education these days.”
During the project, Thompson interviewed more than 65 veterans over a 17-year period.
“It’s nice to be recognized in the best historical documentary category, but it’s even more special when you are recognized for writing the music and writing the script,” Thompson said.
“Professor Thompson's new project on the Bataan Death March will be recognized as the definitive media piece on this tragic chapter in history,” Kolb said. “We are very proud of her determination to bring recognition to the heroic efforts of the American and Filipino soldiers who lost their lives and those who struggled through this tragedy. She continues to be a mainstay of our documentary production tradition at SIUC.”
An updated version of the half-hour documentary will air nationally on PBS stations this fall with actor Alec Baldwin doing the narration. WSIU-TV will broadcast the documentary at 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11.
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- It's a habit that the crew of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's College Television Award-winning program, "alt.news 26:46," is becoming familiar with.
For the third time in four years, the student-produced half-hour alternative TV news magazine captured the national student College Television Award for the best collegiate television magazine news show in the nation at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s 32nd annual College Television Awards. The awards ceremony was Saturday, April 9, at Renaissance Hotel Hollywood.
The winning episode, which aired in late January, beat out submissions from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and the Art Institute of California-Los Angeles.
"We are thrilled that alt.news 26:46 has won yet another national Emmy for their creative work,” said Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. “This is an unprecedented record of success for any program or activity within the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. Alt.news is demonstrably one of the best and most successful student-produced programs in the history of the College Television Awards. Our congratulations go out to all involved with the show -- the students and their faculty adviser, Jan Thompson.”
Dylan Damian and Kelly E. Reed were the program’s executive producers. The episode includes a look at the Hotel Louisville Downtown, which is not only a full-service hotel, but also serves as a transitional living facility for women and families, charging only a penny a night; the Museum of Bad Art in Boston, the history of pinball machines, and Eoto, an “electronic dubstep band.”
Other short pieces in the episode were two fake movie trailers, “Everybody Poops,” a horror film, and “Guilt,” a sequel to “Doubt.” The was also a fake commercial for Selfphone, “the only phone that dies when you die,” and “With Love, alt.news,” where housewives write love letters to the alt.news mascot, Kelly said.
Damian and Kelly are featured in a photograph with actor David Henrie in the celebrity selection of Life.com.
The win is a “tremendous accomplishment” for alt.news, which is in its 12th season, said Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television and documentary unit director.
“To be able to win almost year after year at the College Awards and go head-to-head with the top schools in the field, and to continue to win at the Mid-America Emmys …and go head-to-head with professionals shows just how gifted and hard working our students are,” Thompson said. “They come from small towns and big towns but they continue to have the heart and desire to strive for excellence and not be intimidated by anyone or anything.”
According to current alt.news records, this is the show’s fifth national College Television Award in the last 12 years -- 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, and 2011, to go with two second-place finishes and one third-place finish. In addition, since 2001, the program has earned 29 regional Emmys -- 27 from NATAS’ Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.
In addition to the College Television Award, alt.news 26:46 received a Gold Plaque for “Best Student Produced Television Show” at the 47th Hugo Television Awards for the same episode.
Damian and Reed noted the many hours put into the winning episode. The awards show that “the hard work everyone put in was well worth it,” Damian said.
“We are thrilled with the win,” Reed said. “The competition was top notch and it's still a little unbelievable that we came through like we did. I'm absolutely thrilled.”
Damian is a senior in radio-television from Carbondale and will graduate in May 2012. Reed, a senior in cinema and photography from Grayslake, will graduate next month. She is the first female executive producer to win a College Television Award for alt.news, Thompson said.
A total of 13 current alt.news 26:46 staff, and five alt.news alumni attended the awards show in California, Thompson said. While in Hollywood, current students toured the “Light Iron” post-production facility of founders and alt.news 26:46 alumni Michael Cioni and Ian Vertovic. Thompson said that about 25 former program alumni are in Los Angeles and showed up at a variety of events to meet the current alt.news crew.
“I think what is most amazing about the show in terms of its continued success is that every year the executive producers change and a new staff comes in along with them,” Damian said, noting that six of 10 staff members were new this year.
“So every year the style of the show changes. There’s a new theme, the graphics are different, the set is new, and the idea of changing things is really what the show is about,” he said.
Damian and Kelly said support from the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts is integral to the program’s success.
Alt.news 26:46 airs on WSIU-TV. The sixth episode for season No. 12 is at 10 p.m. Sunday, May 8, with an encore presentation at 10 p.m., May 15. More information is available at http://an2646.com/.
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Alt.news 26:46 continued to show its domination Saturday night when the student-produced television program earned another professional regional Emmy.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s award-winning half-hour alternative TV news magazine received an Emmy in the magazine news program category at the 2010 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards in St. Louis. The program, “episode 1103,” aired Jan. 24, 2010.
The awards at the 34th annual event were for outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2010.
The regional Emmy marks the fourth straight year -- and fifth in the last six years -- that alt.news 26:46 earned top honors in the magazine news show category.
"The enormous talent of our students always amazes me. I am very proud of our students who year after year continue to create excellent work, and who are not afraid to go head-to-head with professionals,” said Jan Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television and documentary unit director, who also is the program’s faculty adviser.
“This win continues to build on the dynasty. What is important to remember is students graduate each year and there are new students who step up.” Thompson said.
The program begins its 12th season this month with the season premiere set for 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 24 on WSIU-TV Channel 8.
Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, applauds the program's continuing success.
"We are extremely proud of the efforts and successes of alt.news 26:46 over the years. It's great to see the students' creative work pay off in awards, but even more important is the learning experience they take away from conceiving and producing that award-winning programming," Kolb said. "They are to be congratulated for their continued success. We believe that alt.news has won more professional Emmys than any other student produced program in the country."
Professor Dafna Lemish, chair of SIUC’s Department of Radio-Television, said the award and program’s continuing success “is an ongoing and lasting achievement that speaks volumes to the dedication, hard work, excellent skills and creativity that go into this extra-curricular work of our students.”
“It goes to show that our students find their studies in Radio-TV to be a lot more than a place where you come to get a degree, but an holistic experience with the real world of high quality television production,” she said. “When students are motivated -- they put in their all -- many hours of volunteer work and a lot of team effort. Winning the award repeatedly shows that it pays off. We are very proud of our students, and of our faculty member, Jan Thompson, who has been their faculty adviser for 10 years now, and is dedicated to helping the students get the most out of themselves.”
John D. Elder, a May 2010 bachelor’s degree graduate in radio television from Carol Stream, and Kevin M. Hill, a senior with a double major in radio-television and cinema and photography from Arlington Heights were the program’s executive producers.
While this is not alt.news 26:46’s first Emmy award, the win is “just as exciting and difficult as it ever was,” Hill said.
“It never gets any easier, nor should it, “ he said. “This is something that we strive for, and when it just so happens that our efforts are recognized with a nomination or even a win, it is an amazingly powerful reminder that we need to continue the tradition of hard work we have been a part of for many years.”
Involved with alt.news 26:46 since his freshman year, the opportunity enabled him to experience every part of the production, and to “hone in what I really feel passionate about,” Hill said.
“This isn’t just a couple-hours-a-week operation, this seems like a volunteer career, and that’s just fine with me,” he said. “The hope is that this will one day help us all in our search for a real career, which from the looks of our alumni, it will.”
Hill hopes to show incoming freshmen involved this year “the ropes, so that they, too, can figure out what it is they are passionate about while finding a way to be successful with it.”
Elder, who is in Austin, Texas, now does freelance video editing for several businesses and production companies. The award is a testament to the program’s annual consistent quality from a variety of sources, including alumni who began the show and students who continue “the tradition of quality.” He also cited continued support from WSIU Public Broadcasting, the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, Thompson, and other faculty and staff within the college.
“The award represents months of hard work by students who volunteer hours of their lives to be involved in making something of great quality that takes a whole team and whole lot of teamwork to pull off,” Elder said. “This award is not just for Kevin and I, it’s for anyone who was involved. It is a symbol of all the hard work we put into the show for a whole year.”
Since 2001, the program has earned 29 regional professional Emmys -- 27 from NATAS’ Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter. In 2009, the show earned its fourth national college Emmy in eight years when it received the award for the best collegiate television magazine news show in the nation.
The Mid-America chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs, according to event organizers.
Alt.news 26:46 also earned two additional regional Emmy Award nominations in August -- Jenna E. Tromburg, a senior in cinema and photography from Littleton, Colo., for “The Bishop Castle,” in the arts/entertainment feature segment category, and Frank E. McDonald Jr., a senior in radio-television from Bartlett, and James A. Throgmorton, a junior in cinema and photography from Carbondale for “For Kids Sake,” in the public/current/community affairs – story/feature category.
More information is available at http://www.an2646.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The media machine that is alt.news 26:46, Southern Illinois University Carbondale's student-produced alternative TV news magazine, just keeps turning out winners.
The award-winning half-hour news program earned five regional Emmy Awards Saturday, Oct. 3., at the 2009 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Chapter Professional Emmy Awards. The 33rd annual awards ceremony was at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis.
"Alt.news 26:46 continues to be a hallmark of excellence in our student-produced media," said Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. "The success of this endeavor rests primarily with the talented students we have recruited to our MCMA programs. My thanks also go to Professor Jan Thompson who has advised and mentored alt.news students for several years now. I am happy that I have been able to offer support for programs like alt.news and remain committed to helping our students achieve the best. Bravo to all involved -- a fantastic achievement."
In March, the show earned its fourth national college Emmy in the last eight years when it received the award for best collegiate television magazine show in the nation. Since 2001, the program has now earned 28 regional professional Emmys; 26 from NATAS' Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.
The Mid-America chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs, according to event organizers.
"Our students continue to make us proud and to showcase the benefits of the education and extracurricular activities that they can take advantage of in our department and our college," said Associate Professor Lisa W. Brooten, interim chair of the Department of Radio-Television.
Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television and documentary unit director, is the show's faculty adviser. The nominations and awards continue to show the professional level that students achieve, she said.
"I am extremely proud of these students. There are not too many television shows even at the professional level that can sustain this level of excellence," Thompson said. "And we continue do this with undergraduate students who graduate each year."
The awards were for outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009. The organization announced the nominations in August.
The alt.news 26:46 regional professional Emmy-winning recipients are:
Other alt.news 26:46 professional regional Emmy nominations went to:
Alt.news 26:46 airs on WSIU-TV. The first episode for season No. 11 is at 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25, with a look at the MuddyGras in Texas, and the indiemusic scene through the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. The season's second show airs at 10 p.m., Nov. 15.
Check with WSIU.org for more programming updates. More information and previous episodes and awards are available at the alt.news 26:46 Web site at an2646.com.
Read the full article on the Southern Illinoisan's website
ST. LOUIS - Southern Illinois University's student-produced series "alt.news 26:46" was honored Saturday night with five Mid-America Emmy Awards.
The awards recognize outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast during the 2008-2009 calendar year. They were presented at a black-tie dinner at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis.
"Alt.news 26:46" is a student-produced news magazine program. In its 11-year history, it has won more professional Emmy awards than any other student-produced program in the country.
The show has a major presence at the National College Television Awards, placing first the last two years against competition including Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.
The program is broadcast on WSIU, but also was broadcast for a short period of time on WTTW, the Chicago PBS station, a first for a student-produced series.
Its broadcasts currently span five states and reach 1.3 million households. Episodes can also be viewed on the Web site, an2646.com.
Jay Carey of Carterville and Tom Lareau off Watseka, Magazine Program, "alt.news 26:46 Episode 1003."
Dylan Damian of Carbondale, Promotion Single Image Promo Single Spot (non-news), "alt.news 26:46."
Scott Blair of Deerfield, On-Camera Talent Performer/Host; "alt.news 26:46."
Jay Carey of Carterville, Human Interest; "Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping.'
Kevin Rogers of Naperville, Specialty Program; "alt.news 26:46 10th Anniversary Special."
Also nominated were:
Carey, Ats/Entertainment; "Calypso Tumblers"
Carey, Damian and Tom Lareau of Watseka and Tim Wilkerson of Crystal Lake; Graphic Arts Graphics Program/ News; "alt.news 26:46 Graphical Elements."
Kevin Hill, executive producer at "alt.news 26:46," said the group was very happy with the way the awards ceremony turned out and is proud of all of its members.
Hill also extended thanks to WSIU, the SIUC College of Mass Communications and Media Arts, Dean Gary Kolb and adviser Jan Thompson for their support over the past decade.
- Information for this report courtesy of Kevin Hill and John Elder of "alt.news26:46"
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- When it comes to student-produced television, there are few who can argue with the success at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Alt.news 26:46, the University's award-winning half-hour alternative TV news magazine, racked up seven nominations last week for the 2009 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards.
The 33rd annual awards ceremony is Oct. 3 at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis.
In March, the show earned its fourth national college Emmy in the last eight years when it received best collegiate television magazine show in the nation. Since 2001, the program has earned 23 regional Emmys; 21 from NATAS' Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.
"Now that we are going into our 11th year I really believe it is safe to say that we have created a dynasty," said Jan Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television who is also the show's faculty adviser.
"They are not just competing with professionals, they are competing with some of the top media schools in the country," she said.
The chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs, according to event organizers. NBC's Today Show correspondent Mike Leonard will serve as host.
"Alt.news 26:46 continues to produce wonderfully creative work that is consistently recognized by the professional community as of the highest quality," said College of Mass Communication and Media Arts Dean Gary P. Kolb. "The fact that they have already won 23 Emmys in professional competition testifies to this. We expect them to add significantly to that total this year with another seven nominations. No other student-produced show in the country can boast as many Emmy awards as alt.news, and that is a testament to the quality of our programs and students in media arts at SIUC."
"We are all very proud of these students,"said associate professor Lisa Brooten, interim chair of the Department of Radio-Television."That undergraduate students can compete in professional categories and win major national awardsisreally good indication of the kind of quality instruction and hands-on experience that students receive here in our college."
Thompson said she could not have envisioned the continuing success level when the program started.
"We've always had talented students but to continue to perform at this level head to head with professionals just always blows my mind away," she said.
The nominations are for outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009.
Alt.news 26:46 2009 NATAS Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy nominees are:
More information is available at http://an2646.com/.
Source: Saluki Times
Hilla Medalia, Director/Producer -- A Peabody Award Winner Israeli Producer and Director. After joining the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) she began her academic career in the United States where she earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Southern Illinois University (2001 and 2004). She then worked in various positions including senior producer of the award-winning documentary 39 Pounds Of Love. The film won the 2005 Ofir Award ("Israeli Oscar") and was released in U.S. (Landmark) theatres in late 2005 and made it onto the Academy Award short list for best documentary film.
Medalia received a 2005 Regional Emmy Award for her student documentary project Condition: John Foppe (program feature - public affairs category) and the 2004 Angelus Award for directing the student film, Daughters of Abraham. Her first feature documentary TO DIE IN JERUSALEM, screened around the world and has garnered many prestigious awards, including the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Emmy Award nominations. The film screened in multiple festivals around the world including the Jerusalem Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, Fipa Biarritz, where it won a jury award. The film was broadcast in the United States as an HBO feature and has aired on television around the world including YES in Israel.
For more information, please visit the website at www.afterthestormfoundation.org
Hilla Medalia's inspiring documentary, ostensibly about three New York theater vets who come to New Orleans to mount a benefit production of the Broadway musical "Once on this Island" goes right to the eye of the storm. The production, which hauntingly mirrors the real-life events of the hurricane, is fraught with the raw emotions of children struggling to live in a broken-down city. Quickly disabusing any notion that New Orleans' problems can be fixed with mere wood and nails, the film journeys into the personal family life of each teen cast member. The mesmerizing courage of these young performers speaks volumes about the role art can play in re-invigorating the heart and soul of New Orleans. [Description courtesy of LAFF]
"After the Storm"
Documentary Competition
Directed By: Hilla Medalia
Executive Producers: Ed Priddy, John Priddy
Producers: Hilla Medalia, James Lecesne
Screenwriters: Bob Eisenhardt, Hilla Medalia
Cinematographers: Ran Shetreet, William Sabourin OíReilly
Editor: Bob Eisenhardt A.C.E.
Music: Stephen Flaherty
Featuring: Gerry McIntyre, James Lecesne, Randy Redd, Ray·n Arnold, Annie Britton, Eric T. Calhoun, Jr., Griffin Collins III, Deshawn Dabney, Joel C. Dyson, Hannah Guillory, Grant Hunter, Taylor Marrs, Gabrielle Porter, Ashley Rose Richard, Jasmin Simmons, Desiree Stevenson, Jon Stevenson, April Stewart
U.S.A., 2009, 89 mins
[EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling International Spotlight and dramatic and documentary competition directors who have films screening at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.]
What initially attracted you to filmmaking and how has that evolved since starting out?
The heart of this project is the importance of art and community in people's lives and in the lives of kids in particular.
What wasfascinatingis that kids, especially adolescents, haven't fully developed the ability to create a narrative about their own lives. And that ability is stifled in people who have survived trauma. By offering them the vehicle of the play, and watching them tell their own stories, we got to see them create a narrative. As Ashley says, "This is what happened to me during Katrina, and this is how I got over it."
The other thing I felt was that we all have heard about Katrina, but we don't really know "how it is now." I didn't want to make a film about Katrina; I wanted to make a film about life inNew Orleans now, through the eyes of the kids participating in the show. I wanted to show how theater helped them put their lives in order and allowed them to actually deal better with everything else in their lives.
How did the idea for your film come about and what excited you to undertake the project?
As fate would have it, I was introduced to James Lecesne, a writer and actor who was planning a trip to New Orleans one year afterHurricane Katrina.He wanted to see for himself what the situation was on the ground.He didn't know where he was going and what he was going to do; the only thing he knew was that he wanted to help. He saw the connection between OnceOn This Island and post-Katrina New Orleans.
I am not sure why, but I was immediately inspired to join him. During this first trip, I realized I had to tell this story and when I met the kids, I was convinced even furtherÖ they are just amazing.
How did you approach making the film, and were there any pivotal moments of learning during the life of the project for you?
From thebeginning,I was very interested in the kids. I felt that by simply following their lives I could create a portrait of New Orleans that could span the past, present and more importantly, the future. At the same time, the dedication and the determination of the New York crew of artists that went down proved the healing power of art. Their work could serve as an inspiration not only for the film, but also for the kids.
For me, it was the first time I was filming kids, so I had to learn how to get them to open up while being really gentle.What was really difficult was talking to them about some of the experiences they went through. It felt like it was closed in a box inside them andevery timeI tried to talk to them about it and open this box, they would be so emotional and cry.I had to learn to WATCH the kids and learned to trust that they would tell their stories through their affect, or through ACTION rather than through WORDS. I learned that within the context of storytelling, each child would tell his or her own story in his or her own way, and not necessarily by explaining it or narrating it for the audience. We get to SEE their storyówhich is the perfect use of film.
What were some of the biggest challenges in making the film?
There were manychallengingmoments, just like in every other project I have worked on. One of those was when we discovered just how total the whole Mardi Gras thing was in New Orleans. We had no idea that the entire city would shut down. Everything was closed, exceptóof courseóPopeyeís [Chicken and Biscuits].
Another moment was when it started raining really hard. It seemed like the city was going crazy, and no one showed up or could move. It rained and rained and all the kids freaked. One of them, Jon, left the show; Joel, the lead, didnít show up and Gerry, the director of the play, said he was leaving. And it all threatened to fall apart. Itís in the film, so you can see it.
Are there any interesting anecdotes from the shoot?
The first day of shooting during theauditions was very powerful. After I was blown away by Rayan, who made us all cry, we met Grant, Eric and Hannah. I realized that each one of these kids was so badly traumatized and yet put a happy face on it all, making it seem as though, in Ericís words, ìGood things come out of bad experiences, too.î For me, that was a real eye-opener. Still, they were so divorced from their own pain and from the fact that they had survived something horrific. And yet, when given the opportunity, they broke down crying.
What other genres or stories would you like to explore?
My first film,ìTo Die in Jerusalem,î is a political documentary. ìAfter The Stormî is also somewhat political, but really is more positive, inspiring and funny. I love documentaries, but I am also interested innarrativefilms and other genres, as long as the story is strong and I feel it is important that it be told.
What other projects are you looking to do?
I am interested in a number of different areas. What connects all my projects is the social importance I see in the issues on which each of them focuses. Iím currently working on a new documentary, ìHappy You Are Alive,î which focuses on PTSD and its treatment. I am developing other projects, including a documentary about women in the Middle East, and working on a feature film, but since it will be my first fiction project, I am taking my time.
CARBONDALE, ILL -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale broadcast students cleaned up at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards.
Alt.news 26:46, an unorthodox news magazine program that airs monthly on WSIU Television, received the Emmy for Best Magazine Program in the professional category and also won the award for Best Student Production.
SIUC students also won in the professional categories of Best Program Feature, Best Graphics Program and Best Director in a Post-Produced Show. The academy held the awards ceremony Saturday (Oct. 29) in St. Louis.
Jonathan Hayes, a senior in Radio-Television from Atlanta, won five awards, including three for his association with alt.news 26:46 in graphics and as an executive producer. He said the department's hands-on emphasis and commitment to creative freedom made the student-run show stand out from the competition.
"We don't have to live by a conventional standard and we don't let anything sway us," he said. "If you come here and start working on the show when you're a freshman, you can get so much experience. It's more than just classroom time."
Scott R. Hodgson, associate professor in Radio-Television, who also received a nomination for an Emmy in the Education category, said SIUC students made a big impression on the broadcast world.
"When you have students who are beating the professionals in the market, what it shows is their excellence and hard work," Hodgson said. "They have just done outstanding work. And WSIU has given them a lot of freedom and opportunity to be creative and tell unique, interesting stories."
Hayes said the awards will open doors for him and others as they prepare for life in the professional world of television.
"It's already making a difference," said Hayes, who has been working on alt.news 26:46 since he was a freshman. "I got handed six or seven business cards, some saying they would give me a job and others saying to call them. I guess they liked what they saw and they want to hire us."
SIUC Radio-Television Emmy winners included:
Best Magazine Program: "alt.news 26:46"
Hayes; Catrina Marsh, 2005 graduate, Mahomet; and Jared Kagel, senior, Bloomington, executive producers.
Best Program Feature ñ Public Affairs: "John Foppe: Condition"
Hilla Medalia, 2004 master of arts graduate, Israel, producer/director; Hayes, producer/editor; Dong Yu, producer, Springfield; and Andrew Mitchell, senior, Champaign, videographer.
Best Graphics Program: Hayes, "alt.news 26:46."
Best Director in a Post-Produced Show: Hayes, Waiting for Time: The Lives of USP Marion."
Best Student Production: "alt.news 26:46, "Marsh and Hayes, executive producers.
Shaping high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.
CARBONDALE, Ill. - - WSIU, the television station at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a production by two SIUC students both brought home coveted Emmy awards in October.
WSIU television's two-hour documentary, "The Legend of Charlie Birger," took the award for lighting direction after receiving nominations in four categories - - documentary, editing, writing and lighting.
"Beacon of Hope: The Cross at the Crossroads," by SIUC students Brittany Dust, who graduated in May, and Cory Byers, won the prize in the student production category. Dust and Byers tied in the category with a production from Lindenwood University called "A New Frontier: The Sibley Story."
The honors came at a gala Oct. 16 at the Hyatt Regency in St. Louis presented by the National Television Academy Mid-America Chapter.
The Mid-America Regional Chapter is now in its 28th year of awarding Emmys in recognition of outstanding achievement. Chartered in 1962, the chapter now has more that 300 members and serves television professionals in all of Missouri and markets in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Louisiana.
Dust and Byers's documentary dealt with the history of a 198-foot cross erected in Effingham three years ago. Both are natives of Effingham.
"The Legend of Charlie Birger," produced by WSIU Public Television, examined the life and times of the charismatic gangster and bootlegger whose Prohibition-era exploits continue to capture regional attention to this day.
WSIU-TV staff David A. Kidd, Michael Vendl and Mark J. Wetstein, and students Grant Morrow and Matthew Kras were the recipients of the lighting direction honor.
Others nominated for their parts in the production are Kidd and Jak Tichenor, writing; Kidd, Morrow, Kras, Tichenor and Roger M. Suski, documentary; Kidd, Morrow, Suski, Benjamin Doyle and Dan Murrie, editing.
Leading in research, scholarly and creative activities is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint for the development of the University by the time it celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2019.
CARBONDALE, Ill. - It was another successful Emmy run for Southern Illinois University Carbondale students last weekend at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards in St. Louis.
The award-winning half hour alternative TV news magazine alt.news 26:46 garnered five Emmys at ceremonies on Saturday. In all, alt.news 26:46 received 11 nominations.
"We are very proud of the achievements of the alt.news 26:46 group in being awarded Emmy's at the NATAS competition in St. Louis this past weekend," interim Mass Communication and Media Arts Dean Gary P. Kolb said.
"This continues a long tradition of award-winning media including films, photographs, videos, and audio pieces produced by students in our college and demonstrates the quality of the instruction and facilities that they are experiencing here in MCMA," Kolb said.
Alt.news 26:46 won in the magazine program category for episode No. 803, which aired last year. That program's co-executive producers were Andrew D. Kastler, a senior in radio-television, from Waterloo, Iowa, and Kyle S. Tekiela, a junior in cinema and photography, from Bartlett.
"It's as much of a satisfying win for me it has to be for everyone else who worked on the show," Kastler said of the news magazine's program success. Kastler also received recognition for garnering the prestigious Walter Cronkite Scholarship from National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Mid-America Chapter.
Other Emmy-winning recipients were:
"This is quite an impressive achievement for our students to go head-to-head with professionals," said Jan Thompson, an associate professor in SIUC's radio-television program. "Most importantly, these are mostly all undergraduate students."
Additional Emmy nominations went to:
SIU Foundation