Foundation – Grant Recipients

2016 Gold Circle Award Winners

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.
Nocturne in Black – 1st Place
The Julie Stories – 2nd Place

2015 Gold Circle Award Winners

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

2014 Gold Circle Award Winners

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
Erin Li
Alcee H. Walker

Students Spring/Summer 2014

Stefan Kubicki
Ryan Moody
Ko-Rely Pi
Meg Smaker
Miguel Silveira

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
Puja Maewal
Keola Racela
Michael Tounian

Spring/Summer 2012

Alethea Avramis
Joel Novoa
Jerell Rosales
Jordan Salvatoriello

2012 Gold Circle Award Winners

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.
The Foreigner – 1st Place

Graceland Girls – 2nd Place

Fall/Winter 2011

Micah Robert Barber
Rebecca Louisell

Spring/Summer 2011

Casey C. Johnson
Vanessa Knutsen
Elizabeth Wells

Fall/Winter 2010

Dallas King
Matthew Hashiguchi
Cristina Malavenda
Olivia Newman

Spring/Summer 2010

Ka’ramuu Kush
Rammy Lee Park
Michael Rohrbaugh
Darryl Wharton-Rigby
Brad Tucker

Fall/Winter 2009

Jacob Jaffke
David J. Kelly
Jenna Lyng
Lauren Wolkstein

Spring/Summer 2009

John Baldino
Richardo Koirda
Marcus Metsala
Charlene Music
Elif Refig

2009 Gold Circle Award Winners
Two student films were honored at the Caucus Awards Dinner on December 6, 2009. First place Gold Circle Award for Outstanding Student Film was presented to director/writer Jarrett Lee Conaway of University of Southern California for his film “Turbo”. Second Place Gold Circle Award was presented to director/writer John Baldino of Chapman University for his film “The Snallygaster Tale”.

“Turbo”

In the near future teenagers turn to one outlet for their angst, a photo-realistic arcade fighting game called Super Turbo Arena 2, where they battle as virtual gladiators.

“The Snallygaster Tale”

During the Great Depression, a young boy befriends a white hen on his father’s chicken farm, only to discover that his affection for the animal may be at odds with his own survival.