Alumni Highlights: LA Film School Graduates Dominate Hollywood & Beyond in March
From Amazon Prime’s new streaming hit to SXSW panels, Emmy nominations, and groundbreaking indie projects, Los Angeles Film School alumni are making headlines across the entertainment landscape. Check out these incredible achievements from our talented community!
Martin Pensa’s “Holland” Takes Amazon Prime By Storm
The Editor Behind Prime’s Biggest 2025 Hit
Academy Award nominee Martin Pensa (Film, 2001) has another hit on his hands! His latest project, the Nicole Kidman thriller “Holland,” is currently the #1 streaming film on Amazon Prime for 2025.
This “wildly unpredictable thriller” follows meticulous teacher Nancy Vandergroot (Kidman) whose picture-perfect life with her husband (Matthew Macfadyen) and son (Jude Hill) unravels into a twisted tale of suspicion and secrets.
Pensa, who joined our Spotlight Academy in 2020, continues his illustrious career that includes an Oscar nomination for “Dallas Buyers Club” in 2014.
Hannah Lux Davis Drops Knowledge at SXSW
Music Video Visionary Shares Industry Secrets
Hannah Lux Davis (Film, 2006) captivated audiences at SXSW with her candid panel “How to Make a F*cking Awesome Music Video.” The Spotlight Academy member shared insights from her record-breaking career, which includes videos that smashed YouTube records (including Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next”) and nearly two dozen MTV VMA nominations.
Beyond revolutionizing the music video landscape, Hannah’s versatile directing portfolio spans documentary series like “Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated” and high-profile brand campaigns for Pepsi, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, and Samsung.
LISTEN: How to Make a F*cking Awesome Music Video | SXSW
Joe Smith: From Mr. Beast to “Red Sonja”
Producer Extraordinaire Tackles Comic Book Adaptation
Joe Smith (Film, 2011) is bringing the iconic warrior “Red Sonja” to life in this year’s highly anticipated comic book adaptation. But that’s just the beginning—his packed schedule includes an indie thriller production and a collaboration with legendary director Renny Harlin in Munich.
Smith’s impressive resume spans both traditional and new media, including 100+ episodes of Emmy-nominated television (including five seasons of “Wahlburgers” with Mark Wahlberg) and serving as Senior Producer for Mr. Beast, YouTube’s largest channel worldwide.
Nicole Fletcher Earns Emmy Recognition
Sound Expert Nominated for “Monsters at Work”
Nicole Fletcher (Recording Arts, 2009) received a prestigious Children’s and Family Emmy Award nomination for her exceptional dialogue editing on Disney+’s “Monsters at Work.” The animated series, now in its third season, continues the beloved Monsters Inc. universe, following Tylor Tuskmon as he transitions from aspiring Scarer to Jokester.
Fletcher’s nomination for Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for an Animated Program highlights the crucial role our audio alumni play in bringing animated worlds to life.
Veterans Tell Veterans’ Stories in “The Cost”
Alumni Collaboration Tackles Military Mental Health Stigma
Three recent graduates—Shawna Cunningham (Digital Filmmaking, 2022), Ernesto Rodriguez (Film, 2023), and Christian Garrido (Film/Entertainment Business, 2022)—are joining forces on “The Cost,” a powerful film addressing mental health struggles among military veterans.
The story follows Marine Corps Scout Sniper David Cervantes, who must attend therapy after a critical battlefield moment affects his unit’s safety. Created primarily by veterans, this important project aims to normalize seeking psychological help within military communities.
Entertainment News
YouTube at 20: How the Video Colossus Launched the Creator Economy and Turned From Hollywood Foe to Friend | Variety
Over the past 20 years, Google-owned YouTube has become the world’s most-watched video platform and over time has made it into the big leagues of TV through rights deals with the NFL, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal.
Paid Streaming Hits 100 Million Milestone as U.S. Recorded Music Revenue Growth Slows to 3%: RIAA | Billboard
Streaming revenue accounted for 84% of the $17.7 billion generated last year.
Tentpoles Are Just the Beginning: Inside Disney’s Plan for Multi-Platform Advertising Dominance | The Hollywood Reporter
Disney is selling streaming ad packages around Oscar winner ‘Anora,’ while the upcoming women’s college basketball tournament is seeing NFL-like buys.
How the Music-Branding Business Became a Billion-Dollar Industry | Billboard
As Billboard brings back its first Branding Power Players list since 2019, partnerships with artists “are bigger than have ever been,” says MAC Consulting’s Marcie Allen.
These success stories represent just a glimpse of how LA Film School alumni are reshaping entertainment across all platforms. From blockbuster features to streaming giants, music videos to meaningful indie films—our graduates continue to prove that LA Film School alumni are truly a force to be reckoned with.Want to share your latest accomplishment? Contact the Alumni Relations office!