L.A. Film School Alumni Behind Olympic Docu-series, Hit Shows, and Vegas Entertainment

In July of this year, The Los Angeles Film School alums made impressive contributions across the film and television industry. Their work spanned from a compelling documentary about a rising Olympic legend to one of the most talked-about television shows of the season. Additionally, they played vital roles in creating an immersive entertainment experience in Las Vegas. These achievements showcase the diverse talents of the school’s graduates and their significant impact on the industry.

Disney Jr’s Ariel

Matthew Silverman finished work as Production Coordinator on the first season of the new series, Disney Jr’s Ariel. This is Silverman’s second production with Disney Jr., having previously worked on the CGI-animated series Mira, Royal Detective. Silverman pursued an Associate’s degree in Animation. He then continued and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree as well.

Synopsis

Disney Jr.’s Ariel is an animated musical series for preschoolers, inspired by the classic tale of The Little Mermaid. The show follows 8-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends go on exciting underwater adventures in the Caribbean-inspired kingdom of Atlantica and beyond. Familiar characters like King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian, and Flounder appear alongside new additions, including Ariel’s best friends, mer-children Lucia and Fernie, and various charming sea creatures. This enchanting series offers a delightful mix of fun and adventure for young viewers.

Simone Biles: Rising

The Netflix series, Simone Biles: Rising, about Biles’ path back to Olympic Gold, is scoring big with Netflix viewers, peaking at #2 in the US. 2011 Film alum Alex Trudeau Viriato edited the recently released series. Some more of his recent work as an editor has been for the Jon Bon Jovi documentary on Hulu, Thank You, Goodnight.

Synopsis

Simone Biles Rising, a captivating new Netflix series, offers an in-depth look into the gymnasts’ extraordinary career. The docu-series highlights her groundbreaking achievements and traces her unexpected withdrawal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The four-part series provides a comprehensive view of her journey, focusing on her resilience and determination as she prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This inspiring documentary is a must-watch this Olympic season.

The Boys

Jessica Malumay (Film 2012) worked as a Post-Production Coordinator on the new season of Amazon Prime’s series, The Boys. The buzzworthy fourth season premiered on Thursday, June 13. Malumay has been a part of a busy release schedule this year, having also worked as a post-production coordinator on other Amazon Prime series like Fallout, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Reacher. 

Synopsis

The Boys takes place in a universe where super-powered individuals are celebrated as heroes by the public and are employed by the powerful corporation Vought International, which commercializes their abilities. However, behind their heroic facades, many of these “heroes” are arrogant, selfish, and corrupt. The show centers on two main groups: the Seven, Vought’s top superhero team, and the Boys, a group of vigilantes determined to expose and take down Vought and its deceitful superheroes.

Twisters

Andrew Wagner (Digital Filmmaking 2022) was credited as Location Production Assistant on Twisters. This exciting role was Wagner’s first major feature film credit, after he had worked on several independent films and short films since graduating, including the full-length Robot Riot.

Synopsis

Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Carter, a former storm chaser traumatized by a tornado encounter in her college years. Now safely studying storm patterns in New York City, Kate is drawn back to the plains by her friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) to test a new tracking system. She meets Tyler Owens (Powell), a daring social-media star who thrives on sharing his dangerous storm-chasing adventures. As storm season escalates, unprecedented phenomena emerge, forcing Kate, Tyler, and their teams into a life-threatening battle against converging storm systems in central Oklahoma.

The Las Vegas Sphere

Nelson Monroig (Animation 2019) is currently working as a Project Manager for the Sphere in Las Vegas. Before that, Monroig worked on VR projects for Facebook/Meta and as a quality assurance lead for Disney. A US Army veteran, he works with the interactive portfolio of the Sphere, which has seen recent acts such as U2 and Phish, with an upcoming concert series for the Eagles starting in September. Darren Aronofsky’s Postcards from Earth is showing now at The Sphere, featuring work by 2014 Audio Production alum, Mehrnaz Mohabati. Mohabati is among the 2024 inductees to the Spotlight Academy.

July Industry Round-up

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