The Emmy nominations were released last week, revealing numerous contributions from Los Angeles Film School alumni.
GenMovi is proud to announce a total of 50 alumni who contributed to 50 projects that received a remarkable 299 Emmy nominations for the 2024 awards. Highlights include alumni credited in both series most nominated this year, “Shōgun” (25 nominations) and “The Bear” (23 nominations), as well as recent Spotlight inductees.
Among these notable alumni, Joshua Gitersonke, recently inducted into Spotlight Academy’s Class of 2024, was nominated for an individual Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program. Gitersonke, known for his exceptional work as cinematographer on The Amazing Race, previously won an Emmy in 2019 for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camera Work. This year’s Emmy nomination marks her 11th overall.
“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized for my film work, especially for a project as challenging and rewarding as ‘The Amazing Race,’” said Joshua Gitersonke. “What I took away most from my studies at the Los Angeles Film School was the invaluable experience of working on many real-world projects during my time there. Being a cinematographer on 8 thesis films surrounded by so many talented people allowed me to gain practical skills and experience, which led me to where I am today.
Mehrnaz Mohabati, also announced last week as an inductee into the Spotlight Academy 2024 class, has been credited as ADR mixer on seven Emmy-nominated projects, including Fallout, American Horror Story, Palm Royale, Ripley, The Other Two, The Precious Stones, And Buying Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Additionally, Mohabati has 30 additional credits in the sound department, with over 30 more currently in post-production.
“Being inducted into the Spotlight Academy and seeing the projects I have worked on receive Emmy nominations is a dream come true,” said Mehrnaz Mohabati. “I came to the United States with a master’s degree in sound and am very grateful that I decided to attend the LA Film School’s recording division to continue my education. What I took away most from my experience was learning to network, especially as an immigrant. Understanding how to handle different personalities in the industry was crucial. And I found my mentor through LA Film School, which has been invaluable to my career.
Two previous Spotlight inductees, Kyle Newacheck and Paquita Hughes, were credited in Emmy-nominated series. Newacheck’s work as director and co-executive producer of What we do in the shadows holds eight Emmy Award nominations, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series. Hughes worked as an assistant location director on two Emmy-nominated series, The Sun Brothers And Physical.
Keith Morrow, a film major, was recognized for his exceptional work as an assistant editor and mix tech on a total of 10 Emmy-nominated projects. His credits include notable reality television and comedy titles, including American Idol, Love is Blind, The Voice, Celebrity Family Feud, Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer, And Nikki Glaser: One day you will die.
Recent graduates and rising stars Christian Baldonado and Nikita Smekalkin are blazing their way to the top with their own contributions on Emmy-nominated projects. Baldonado worked as audience coordinator on two nominated shows: America’s Got Talent And American idolwhile Smekalkin was credited as visual effects coordinator on The right gemstones.
Of note is the collaboration between seven LA Film School graduates on a single project, Buying Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. The seven graduates were credited as follows: Mitchell Gebhard as boom operator, Julia Hapney as makeup artist, Ian Hopperton as visual effects editor, Mehrnaz Mohabati as ADR mixer, Matthew Purkis as additional grip , Carley Steichen as Camera Utility and Lucy Spa as Research. Coordinator.
These nominations represent an exceptional achievement for each individual and the record number of alumni nominations for this year’s awards highlights the extraordinary talent of Los Angeles Film School graduates in the entertainment industry. GenMovi extends its heartfelt congratulations to all nominees.