Senior Instructor of Journalism Rick Brunson won two Emmy Awards as field producer for the documentaries “A City That Cares” and “Beneath the Same Sky.”
The Nicholson School’s Film & Mass Media program, in partnership with UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning and Department of Legal Studies, won top honors at the National Academy of Arts and Television Science’s 48th Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards on Dec. 7 in Orlando.
“A City That Cares” and “Beneath the Same Sky,” two short-form educational documentaries about the immigration crisis at the southern U.S.-Mexico border, won Emmy Awards in the Public Affairs – Single Program category. Both films focus on border communities, law-enforcement agencies and the people and organizations attempting to bring humanitarian solutions to the crisis.
The two short-form educational documentaries were produced by Video@CDL in partnership with the Nicholson School and the Department of Legal Studies and made possible through a Digital Curriculum Initiative grant from UCF’s Pegasus Innovation Lab.
Nicholson School Senior Instructor of Journalism Rick Brunson was honored with two Emmys for his role as field producer on both films. Dr. Irene Pons, Senior Lecturer of Legal Studies at UCF’s College of Community Innovation and Education and the inspiration of the project, was honored as executive producer. Aaron Hosé, Media Production Manager & Lead Producer at Video@CDL, was honored with an Emmy as director of “A City That Cares.’’ Christine Kane, a Video Producer at CDL, was awarded an Emmy as director for “Beneath the Same Sky.’’ Kane picked up another Emmy, along with her colleague Tim Reid, also a Video Producer at CDL, for photography on “A City That Cares.’’ CDL Video Producer George Lopez took home an Emmy as producer on “A City That Cares.’’ UCF Journalism alumna Amy Diaz (Class of 2024) and Brunson’s Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, was associate producer on “A City That Cares.’’
Fourteen Nicholson School students served as show runners for the 48th Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on Dec. 7.
The Emmy Award-winning Team UCF, from left: Aaron Hosé, Media Production Manager & Lead Producer at CDL; Rick Brunson, Senior Instructor, Nicholson School; Christine Kane, Video Producer; Dr. Irene Pons, Senior Lecturer, Legal Studies; Tim Reid, Video Producer; and Kevin Corcoran, Assistant Vice Provost, CDL. Not pictured: George Lopez, Video Producer at CDL.
Nicholson Senior Instructor Rick Brunson delivers the thank you speech for the team at the Emmy Awards for “Beneath the Same Sky,” which won in the Public Affairs Program category.
It was a golden night for UCF Knights, who dominated the categories entered in the Emmy Awards. It also represented a highwater mark for the Center for Distributed Learning, which brought home a record five Emmys. The two winning films are part of the Emmy Award-winning “A Break for Impact’’ series of documentaries that spotlight the plight of migrants.
“The success of this whole project is gold-standard evidence of the power of collaboration and the power of excellent storytelling to promote student success and understanding of the world they are living in,’’ Brunson said. “It was such an honor to be invited to join this team, this project and to contribute to these powerful films. I’m a big believer in solutions-based journalism. You can’t just spotlight a problem and walk away. That only leads viewers to despair. Showing how people are working together to solve problems we all have a stake in brings hope. And as an educator, I’m in the hope business.’’
This is the second big honor for “Beneath the Same Sky.’’ The film was a selectee at the prestigious DOC NYC Film Festival in New York City in November, where the film made its world premiere.
In addition to winning so many Emmy Awards, the Nicholson School distinguished itself another way at the program: 14 Film & Mass Media students ably served as show runners, working long hours backstage and onstage to keep the program going for the more than 800 guests at the black-tie optional gala. The students were: Emmy Bailey, Kaitlyn Classen, Justice Covert, Madison Fuentes, Jeremy Gottschalk, Jenna Greaves, Dwayne Jones, Juno Le, Emma Longwell, Demetrius Montero, Edgar Rodriguez, Rafael Rosario, Samantha Sambucharan and Samantha Vuturo.
UCF Today also published an article with more details about this amazing achievement, which you can read here.
Written by Rick Brunson. Photos by Amy Diaz and Stefania Salerno.
Published to Nicholson News on December 10th, 2024.
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