BALLARD HIGH SCHOOL FILM STUDENTS GO HOLLYWOOD

During the second week in March, a dozen students in the BHS Digital Filmmaking Program travelled to Los Angeles to visit college film and television programs, catch up with program alumni, tour the industry, and meet with professional filmmakers.  The trip included Chapman University, EmersonCollege, Loyola Marymount University, and the University of Southern California – all colleges ranked by the Hollywood Reporter as among the best film schools in the country. 

In addition to official tours, the students received the inside scoop from recent graduates of the BHS Digital Filmmaking Program who are currently enrolled, or have studied, at these colleges.  Sophie DeGreen (’16) and Sho Schrock (’16) are both attending Chapman University.  Sophie is majoring in Film Production, and Sho, Creative Producing.  Lorenzo Rossi (BHS ’14) is currently at the Los Angeles campus of Emerson College.  The program allows film majors to work an internship in the film industry as they complete their degree.  At Loyola Marymount students met with Matt Law-Phipps (BHS ’10, LMU ‘15).  Matt has a production business in Los Angeles and moonlights as an actor.  (You can see him currently as Kendrick in The Payne’s on the Oprah Winfrey Network.)  The students met with Rikke Heinecke (BHS ’11, USC ‘15) at the University of Southern California.  Rikke is currently producing music videos for major artists such as Justin Bieber and The Chainsmokers.    

The students also toured Warner Brothers and Universal Studios, and attended a live multi-camera shoot of a television episode (Mom, with Allison Janney).  They also met with industry professionals to discuss their craft and careers.  On the itinerary were writer/producer Jason Cahill (Writers Guild of America award winner for The Sopranos) in addition to BHS Digital Filmmaking Program alumni such as writer Brendan McCarthy (BHS ’04, NYU ’07) – nominated this year for a Writers’ Guild of America award for his work on Grace and Frankie – production manager Mixtli Zavaleta (BHS ’07, UW-Seattle ’11), and writer/director Jesse Harris (BHS ’04).  Harris’s second feature, Borrego, is currently in development.  

BALLARD FILMMAKERS HONORED AT SHORELINE SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL

 

 

Zach Boone and Bailey Wall received the

"Golden Sasquatch" for Best Student Film

 The Shoreline Short Shorts Film Festival (SSSFF) presented the prize for Best Student Film to students from Ballard’s Digital Filmmaking Program last night at Shoreline Community College.  Zach Boone, PJ Hase, Aidan Jereczek & Bailey Wall won the award for their film Bottled Emotions.  The short concerns a man with the magical ability to steal and bottle other people’s emotions.  Another short by Ballard film students, I’ll be There by Maureen Brown, Claude Brun and Veronica Redpath, was also an Official Selection at the festival.  

The festival accepts work from professional filmmakers as well as college and high school students throughout Washington.  From 91 films submitted, only 14 were selected for the festival. This is the second annual event, and the second year in a row that students from Ballard's Digital Filmmaking Program have been prize-winners at the festival.  

Both shorts can be seen on the Digital Filmmaking Program's vimeo page.