March 22, 2007
A Ball State film that won a Student Academy Award in 2006 is now a finalist for a College Television Award.
"Perspective," a short film by Sam Day, a senior telecommunications major from Georgetown, Ind., and Travis Hatfield, a 2006 telecommunications graduate from Floyds Knobs, Ind., is under consideration for a first-, second- or third-place award in the comedy division during ceremonies sponsored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation March 31 in Los Angeles.
"Perspective," a film about a young man who fights with his conscience and memories in an attempt to win back a lost love, was written and produced in 2006 on campus by Ball State students and recent graduates.
The College Television Awards recognize excellence in college student film/video productions. National in scope, the contest accepts entries in various categories from scores of colleges and universities each year. First-place winners receive $2,000, second-place winners receive $1,000 and third-place winners receive $500.
In addition to winning a Student Academy Award, the film has received numerous honors in the last year, including the Best of Festival award at the 2007 Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival of Media Arts.
"We feel fortunate that our film has been recognized for excellence several times," Day said. "We could not have produced the film without the assistance of our fellow students. We also have to thank the many Ball State faculty and staff who mentored us during the process."
The film by Day and Hatfield was produced with assistance from Ball State's Center for Media Design (CMD) and the Institute for Digital Entertainment and Education (IDEE) in cooperation with the College of Fine Arts and the College of Communication, Information, and Media.
IDEE, one of four immersive-learning institutes created by the university with funding from a $20 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., is working with Ball State's seven academic colleges to create innovative curricula and experiences that immerse future students in the skills required to work in all aspects of the film and television industries.
Ball State received its first Student Academy Award in 2005 with Jaron Henrie-McCrea's movie "Knock Knock" by combining the resources of several colleges and departments within the university as well as the Center for Media Design.
"Without a doubt, our continuing success on a national level is an example of how the university is harnessing the talents of its students and tapping into the mentoring abilities of top faculty," said Rodger Smith, IDEE director who served as the film's executive producer. "Our students are able to produce work in a technologically advanced atmosphere that is causing people in the film industry and in academe to recognize that Ball State is a destination point in the Midwest for students interested in cinema."
By Marc Ransford, Senior Communications Strategist