![]() The Caucus Foundation’s Gold Circle Awards were presented to two student filmmaker grant recipients. Ellie Foumbi of Columbia University took the First Place Gold Circle Award of a $60,000 Panavision Camera Package and $2,500 from The Caucus Foundation for her film, Nocturne in Black. Julio Vincent Gambuto from USC was awarded the Second Place Gold Circle Award prize of $20,000 illuminate Studios Post Production Package and $1,000 from The Caucus Foundation for The Julie Stories. The Caucus Foundation Television and New Media Award of $6,000 was presented to Producer Michael Stanziale and Writer/Director Daniel Klein for The Kama Sutra Club of the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Chapman College.
The Caucus Foundation’s Gold Circle Awards were presented to two student filmmaker grant recipients. Jesse Gustafson of Columbia University took the First Place prize of a $60,000 Panasonic camera package and $2,500 from The Caucus Foundation for his film “Day 39”. Alexis Korycinski from AFI was awarded the Second Place prize of a $20,000 Illuminate post-production package and $1,000 from The Caucus Foundation for “The Haircut”.
Day 39 – 1st Place The Haircut – 2nd Place
Two student films were honored at the Caucus Awards Dinner on December 11, 2014. First Place Gold Circle Award for Outstanding Student Film was presented to writer/director Ryan Mood of Columbia University for his film Obituaries. Second Place gold circle Award was presented to producer Ko-Rely Pi of Chapman University for Pitter Patter Goes My Heart.
Obituaries – 1st Place Pitter Patter Goes My Heart – 2nd Place | |
Students Fall/Winter 2013 Jess Baclesse | Students Spring/Summer 2014 Stefan Kubicki |
Caucus Presents $9,550 in Grants to Aid Five Student Filmmakers
The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors Foundation has selected five student filmmakers from diverse backgrounds to receive $9,550 collectively in the Foundation’s Spring/Summer 2014 Student Grant Program, it was announced by Foundation President Chuck Fries. Students receive assistance to complete their student thesis films. Grants to 138 students, in-kind awards and internships totaling over 1.2 million dollars has been awarded since the awards program was established in 2001.
Recipients of this round of grants are: Stefan Kubicki, AFI for “Against Night”, Ryan Moody, UCLA for “Obituaries”. Ko-Rely Pi, Columbia University for “Pitter Patter Goes My Heart”, Miguel Silveira, Columbia University for “Devil’s Work” and Meg Smaker, Stanford for “Cuba and the Boxer”.
The Caucus Foundation is primarily funded by proceeds of The Caucus Annual Awards Dinner honoring individual creative accomplishment, as well as overall career achievement and grants from Carole and Robert Daly Foundation, HTV/illuminate, American Video Group, Hollywood Charities Foundation, UltimateTV/Microsoft, and The Caucus. The aim of the Caucus Foundation grants is to help combat the lack of diversity in content and people behind the camera in the entertainment industry. Eligible awardees must be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate, graduate or fellowship program and working to complete a thesis film, TV or interactive project for their degree. Applicants are required to submit a final script, final budget, rough cut, financing plan, shooting/post schedule, crew list and student status.
“We are proud to offer this awards program designed to help aspiring filmmakers who might not otherwise have the funds available to finish their projects,” said Foundation President Fries. “Each film tackles a serious issue and the slate of films covers a broad spectrum of diversity,” he said. “And, our Caucus members, as professional producers, writers and directors participate in the program by offering hands-on expertise to the grant winners as they complete their films.”
Fall/Winter 2012 Michael Fitzgerald | Spring/Summer 2012 Alethea Avramis |
![]() Two student films were honored at the Caucus Awards Dinner on December 2, 2012. First Place Gold Circle Award for Outstanding Student Film was presented to writer-director Alethea Avramis of UCLA for her film The Foreigner. Second Place Gold Circle Award was presented to producer-director Jordan Salvatoriello of Emerson College, Boston for her film Graceland Girls. Graceland Girls – 2nd Place
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Fall/Winter 2011 Micah Robert Barber | Spring/Summer 2011 Casey C. Johnson |
Fall/Winter 2010 Dallas King | Spring/Summer 2010 Ka’ramuu Kush |
Fall/Winter 2009 Jacob Jaffke Spring/Summer 2009 John Baldino
“Turbo”
“The Snallygaster Tale” | |
Fall/Winter 2008 Jarrett Lee Conaway | Spring/Summer 2008 Amy Adrion |
Fall/Winter 2007 Nick Delgado | Spring/Summer 2007 Kevin G. King |
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Spring/Summer 2006 James Darling | Fall/Winter 2006 Rain Breaw |
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Spring/Summer 2005 Jerry Chan | Fall/Winter 2005 Nathan Collett |
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Spring/Summer 2004 Vashti Anderson Blythe Frank Eli Akira Kaufman Brian David Lazarte Risdon ![]() Eric Wostenberg | Fall/Winter 2004 Samantha Green |
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Spring/Summer 2003 Alberto Balboza | Fall/Winter 2003 Luke Hutton |
Spring/Summer 2002 Christine Kelley Arati Misro Jackie Stone Ham Tran Dean Yamada | Fall/Winter 2002 Sonya Chi Sarah Johnson Sara Rashad Yon Motskin Andre Sala |
Spring/Summer 2001 Kevin “EO” Coleman O. Thaddeus Frazier Grace Lee John McCoy Karen (Karina) Alex Pyudik Mike Saenz | Fall/Winter 2001 Carissa Martin Tamara Maloney Maria Rosenblum Diane Zander |