The Los Angeles Film School Alumni Amass Credits on Nearly 300 Nominations Across 50 Projects for 2024 Emmy Awards

,
Emmy Awards

The Los Angeles Film School is thrilled to announce that 25 of its alumni contributed to 22 projects, collectively winning 69 Emmys at this year’s awards. In total, 50 L.A. Film School alumni contributed to projects receiving a remarkable 299 Emmy nominations ahead of the 2024 awards, showcasing the remarkable talent that the school continues to foster.  

The top winner of the evening, “Shōgun” with 19 awards, also saw significant contributions from L.A. Film School alum John Creed (Recording Arts, 2012), who served as a Dialogue Editor. He was individually recognized for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour). This marked John’s fourth Emmy nomination and third win, previously securing awards for “Barry” in 2019 and 2022. 

Recent Spotlight inductee Mehrnaz Mohabati (Audio 2014) worked as an ADR Mixer on a total of 4 Emmy-winning series: “Ripley,” “Fallout,” “American Horror Story: Delicate,” and “Palm Royale”. In particular, “Ripley” was honored for Outstanding Sound Editing, which she directly contributed to. Mehrnaz was credited as an ADR Mixer on three other Emmy-nominated projects: “The Other Two,” “The Righteous Gemstones,” and “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”. This year alone, she’s already been credited in the Sound Department on 30 projects, with over 30 more currently in post-production.

“Being a part of these award-winning productions has been a dream come true,” said Mehrnaz. “I am incredibly proud to represent The Los Angeles Film School and grateful for the education that prepared me for such opportunities. It’s an honor to contribute to projects that push the boundaries of storytelling through sound.” 

Other notable L.A. Film School alumni contributions include: 

  • Devon Rush (Film, 2016), a Matte Painter on “The Bear,” which took home 11 Emmy awards. Devon’s work has spanned major visual effects projects, including “Unfrosted,” “Candy Cane Lane,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” 
  • Yuki Ogino (Film, 2006), who served as the Production Lead on “Jim Henson: Idea Man,” which won five Emmys. Yuki has worked on acclaimed documentary specials and productions for Netflix and National Geographic. 
  • Brice Bradley (Film, 2008), Yermin (Randy) Garcia (Film, 2011), and Jamiel VanOver (Film, 2010), all contributed to “Hacks,” which won three Emmys this year. 
  • Haharhel Valencia (Film, 2014), a key member of the Wardrobe department for the Oscars, which took home four Emmys, including Outstanding Production Design. 

The L.A. Film School takes great pride in the diverse range of alumni credited across this year’s Emmy-winning projects. From sound editing to visual effects, the accomplishments of these alumni underscore the school’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of industry-leading talent. 

The Emmy nominations were released last week, unveiling numerous contributions from Los Angeles Film School alumni

The Los Angeles Film School is proud to announce a total of 50 alumni who have contributed to 50 projects which have received a remarkable 299 Emmy nominations for the 2024 awards. Notable highlights include alumni credited on the top two nominated series this year “Shōgun” (25 nominations) and “The Bear” (23 nominations), as well as recent Spotlight inductees.

Among these noteworthy alumni, Joshua Gitersonke, a recent inductee of the class of 2024 Spotlight Academy, has been nominated for an individual Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program. Gitersonke, known for his exceptional work as the Director of Photography on The Amazing Race, previously won an Emmy in 2019 for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork. This year’s Emmy nomination marks his 11th overall.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized for my work in cinematography, especially for a project as challenging and rewarding as ‘The Amazing Race,'” said Joshua Gitersonke. “The biggest takeaway from attending The Los Angeles Film School was the invaluable experience of working on so many real-world projects during my time there. Being the Director of Photography on 8 thesis films surrounded by so many talented people enabled me to gain practical skills and experience, which has led me to where I am today.”

Mehrnaz Mohabati, also announced last week as an inductee of 2024 Spotlight Academy class, has been credited as an ADR Mixer on seven Emmy-nominated projects, including Fallout, American Horror Story, Palm Royale, Ripley, The Other Two, The Righteous Gemstones, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Moreover, Mohabati boasts an additional 30 credits in the Sound Department, with more than 30 more currently in post-production.

“Being inducted into the Spotlight Academy and seeing the projects I’ve worked on receive Emmy nominations is a dream come true,” said Mehrnaz Mohabati. “I came to the U.S. with a master’s in sound and I’m so grateful for my decision to attend the recording division of L.A. Film School to further my education. The most beneficial takeaway from my time was learning about networking, especially as an immigrant. It was crucial to understand how to deal with different personalities in the industry. And, I found my mentor through LA Film School, which has been invaluable to my career.”

Two previous Spotlight Inductees, Kyle Newacheck and Paquita Hughes, were credited on Emmy-nominated series. Newacheck’s work as a Director and Co-Executive Producer of What We Do in the Shadows holds eight Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series. Hughes worked as a Key Assistant Location Manager on two Emmy-nominated series, The Brothers Sun and Physical.

Keith Morrow, a film graduate, has been acknowledged for exceptional work as both an Assistant Editor and Mix Tech on a total of 10 Emmy-nominated projects. His credits include notable titles in reality television and comedy including American Idol, Love is Blind, The Voice, Celebrity Family Feud, Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer, and Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die.

Recent grads and rising stars Christian Baldonado and Nikita Smekalkin are making their way to the top through their own contributions on Emmy-nominated projects. Baldonado has worked as an Audience Coordinator on two nominated shows: America’s Got Talent and American Idol, while Smekalkin has been credited as a Visual Effects Coordinator on The Righteous Gemstones.

It’s worth noting the collaboration that seven L.A. Film School graduates had on a single project together, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. The seven grads were credited as follows: Mitchell Gebhard as Boom Operator, Julia Hapney as Makeup Artist, Ian Hopperton as Visual Effects Editor, Mehrnaz Mohabati as ADR Mixer, Matthew Purkis as Additional Grip, Carley Steichen as Camera Utility, and Lucy Spa as Research Coordinator.

These nominations are an outstanding achievement for each individual and the record number of nominations from alumni at this year’s awards highlight the extraordinary talent held by the Los Angeles Film School graduates in the entertainment industry. The Los Angeles Film School extends its heartfelt congratulations to all those nominated.