SEASON FINALE! EPISODE 306: LOS ANGELES ALUMNI SPECIAL airs on BYUTV July 15 @ 9pm, July 22 @ 5pm

Media Arts alum Hubbel Palmer ('01)

This special edition of First Look follows Media Arts alumni who live and work in Los Angeles as they share advice for young BYU filmmakers thinking of making the plunge. Also featuring faculty host Rodger Sorensen.

From the newest arrival to the seasoned veteran, there are many Media Arts alumni working in the film and television industries in Los Angeles. Shot in their offices and homes in the city, our graduates share their struggles and insights about leaving student life behind and working in the entertainment capital of the world (without losing their souls!). Featuring alumni Eric Anderson, Brian Gibson, Hubbel Palmer, Melissa Puente, and Jenni Bushman.

Melissa Puente ('99) examines her Emmy®
for her work on the NBC series "Starting Over"

EPISODE 305: CONEY ISLAND airs on BYUTV July 8 @ 9pm, July 15 @ 5pm

"Coney Island"

Featuring “Coney Island,” with director Brandon Dayton speaking with TMA faculty Sharon Swenson. Also featuring faculty host Rodger Sorensen.

In "Coney Island," Dayton portrays a world set in reality yet infused with magical elements. Set in an earlier time, the film focuses on a boy facing the realization he may never get what he wishes for. Brandon joins Media Arts faculty member Sharon Swenson in a deeper analysis of the film’s meaning, as well as the challenges faced in making it.

EPISODE 304: KIDS GROWING UP airs July 1 @ 9pm, July 8 @ 5pm

"Warplay"

Featuring “Warplay,” with director Bryan Lefler, and "Andy," with writer/producer Ben Gourley and director Brandon Dayton speaking with TMA faculty member Tom Russell. Also featuring faculty host Rodger Sorensen.

In "Warplay," director Bryan Lefler illustrates the imagination of a child during an afternoon game of war, where reality and fantasy seem to overlap. In an engaging conversation with Media Arts faculty member Tom Russell, Lefler discusses the distinct impact media has on the decisions we make, as told through his film's child protagonist and his sobering struggle to distinguish the two in a media-saturated world.

Ben Gourley, writer/producer of “Andy,” and director Brandon Dayton tell their film's story through a foster child’s point of view as he struggles to adapt to his new surroundings. The film offers a fresh perspective on how children view the world around them--one that has taken on new meaning for the filmmakers since becoming parents themselves. Together with Media Arts faculty member Tom Russell, Ben and Brandon discuss how "Andy" helps us to see the ways children want to do good but often test boundaries to make sense of their complex and often rapidly shifting environments.

"Andy"

EPISODE 303: THE POTTER'S MEAL (airs Jun 17 @ 9pm, Jun 24 @ 5pm)

"The Potter's Meal"

Featuring “The Potter's Meal,” with director Steve Olpin speaking with his former TMA advisor Tom Lefler. Also featuring faculty host Rodger Sorensen.

Despite there not being an established documentary program at BYU yet, film student Steve Olpin created an ambitious long-term project featuring his pottery instructor, Joseph Bennion called "The Potter's Meal." The film would go on to earn acclaim from a variety of venues, including the Heartland and Sundance Film Festivals.

Living a life of simplicity, we see Joe devoting his time and energy to his family, his pottery, and his garden--following the belief that by living for what you love and being closer to nature, one may understand God better and draw nearer to Him. Steve Olpin joins us to revisit what went into making this stirring film as a student at BYU.

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Steve Olpin is a filmmaker with a documentary and action sports background. He has made films about artists, musicians, a scientist, a mortician and numerous action sports athletes. His films have been screened and honored in national and international film festivals including the Sundance Film Festival. The Heartland Film Festival honored him as a visionary with the Crystal Heart Award for his films The Potter’s Meal and In The Presence of Healers. His directing and cinematography work have been featured on NBC, PBS, ESPN, USA Network, Outdoor Life Network, Fuel Network and Fox Sports Net. He has directed for both television programs and television commercials. His work explores passionate, driven people. His feature length documentary “Nasty’s World” won Grand Prize at the 2003 X-Dance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. With creative partner Tim Irwin, Steve has been directing behind the scenes documentaries for DVD special features including the Jack Black hit comedy “Nacho Libre.”

EPISODE 302: EXPERIMENTS IN ADAPTATION

"Seaside"

Airs June 10 at 9:00 PM and June 17 at 5:00 PM
Featuring “Seaside,” with producer Kendall Wilcox and director Caroline Prohosky speaking with TMA advisor Tom Lefler, and “Garden of Hesperides,” with director Brandon Dayton, speaking with TMA faculty Jeff Parkin. Also featuring faculty host Rodger Sorensen.

BYU Dance Faculty member Caroline Prohosky and TMA student Kendall Wilcox joined together in hopes of telling a story that would meld the art of modern dance with film in "Seaside." Through their collaboration, the symbolic storytelling nature of modern dance is expressed through carefully conceived cinematic tools such as lighting, cinematography, and music. Ultimately, each complements the other well in this unique cross-disciplinary film. In this episode, Caroline and Kendall discuss their work, as well as some challenges they encountered along the way.

Behind the scenes on "Garden of Hesperides"

"Garden of Hesperides" is a film adaptation of the C.S. Lewis short story "Forms of Things Unknown." Brandon Dayton, the director, made this striking film with a small crew and Super 8 camera in Goblin Valley during a rush of extra-curricular creativity early in his BYU career. In his discussion with TMA faculty member Jeff Parkin, he shares with us the excitement of tackling an ambitious adaptation project, as well as the challenges faced while working with limited resources.

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Brandon Dayton learned early on that he loved to draw and tell stories. Throughout his schooling, he experimented with comics, animation and film to the detriment of his GPA. While at studying at BYU he made four short films, snuck into as many illustration classes as possible and eventually graduated with a degree in Theatre & Media Arts.

Since graduation, he has worked as a writer, animator, illustrator, storyboard artist, and Christmas-light hanger. He currently works at EA Salt Lake as a concept artist, and is nearing production on his first mini-comic, Green Monk. He hopes to someday return to filmmaking.

He lives in West Jordan, UT with his wife, Annie and daughter, Lucy.

You can follow Brandon's work on his blog: www.mbdayton.blogspot.com

EPISODE 301: CONNECTIONS

"Night Becomes Day"

Airs June 3 at 9:00 PM and June 10 at 5:00 PM
Featuring “Night Becomes Day,” with director Jacob Hinmon and TMA faculty member Tom Russell, and “Still Lifes,” with director Ryan Arvay. Also featuring faculty host Rodger Sorensen.

In this episode of First Look we feature two films that explore human connection through their use of visual storytelling and minimal dialogue. Director Jacob Hinmon joins Media Arts faculty member Tom Russell in a conversation about his film “Night Becomes Day,” which he says seeks to portray the "potential of that connection to affect others and the way we live our lives."

Next, Ryan Arvay sends us a report from his new home in Florida about his experience making "Still Lifes" – a contemplative piece which focuses on the outward expressions of strangers in a diner that in turn make speculations about those around them.

"Still Lifes"

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Since finishing his studies at BYU in 2006 Jacob was the director of Film and Video Production for the Hinmon Agency, an advertising/marketing agency in McMinnville, OR. As Director he wrote, directed, and produced television commercials, promotional videos, and other video content for the internet. Since then he has recently started his own production company, Four + One Productions.

He is married to Megan Pugmire and they have two daughters, Maddie and Evie.


Ryan Arvay graduated from BYU with a BA degree in directing. Though Still Lifes was his first film at BYU, he had been making "little movies" since he was 12 years-old. Today he resides in the Florida panhandle with his wife and two children. In recent years he has worked as a free-lance illustrator and graphic designer. The DVD packaging for his second student-film - which he created with fellow BYU alum Seth Taylor - was included in the 2005 AIGA 100 (the American Institute of Graphic Design's top honors). He has also recently worked as a journalist and a photographer. His most current project will be conducting interviews and recording oral histories for a local non-profit organization. Though Ryan has worn many different hats since graduating, his love of film continues. He is currently developing a feature-length documentary which he says is inspired by his other love - historic preservation.

EPISODE 213: DOCUMENTARIES: ADDRESSING THE OTHER

"Balarama & Sita Priya"

Featuring “Balarama & Sita Priya,” with director Nathan Armstrong, and “B.Y. Shoe,” with director Tim Irwin. Also featuring faculty hosts Ben Unguren and Brad Barber.

In “Balarama & Sita Priya,” Nathan Armstrong spends time with members of the Hare Krishna faith in a somewhat unexpected location: Spanish Fork, Utah. Balarama & Sita Priya are two converts to the Hare Krishna faith. Director Armstrong reports he was interested in the way their faithful involvement with this religion connects with the modern world. The film provides an eloquent demonstration how upholding the values of one’s faith and worshiping in sincerity are evidence of true devotion.

Tim Irwin knew for awhile that he wanted to make a documentary about shoes. “B.Y. Shoe” examines the shoes that people wear around campus and what that may reveal about the individual. Shoes come with a style, a story, and oftentimes a hefty price. Ultimately, "B.Y. Shoe" explores an expected contrast that causes us to reexamine some how we appraise and prioritize things like shoes.

"B.Y. Shoe"

EPISODE 212: EXPERIMENTS

"2Ne211"

Featuring “2Ne211,” with director Tim Irwin; “Pat Asplund: A Merry Widow,” with director Erin Fox; “Ode to an Orange,” with director A. Todd Smith; and “The Sari,” with director Manju Varghese. Also featuring faculty hosts Tom Lefler and Tom Russell.

In “2Ne211,” Tim Irwin interprets the scripture from 2 Nephi Chapter 2 Verse 11 by using abstract, conflicting images in split-screen, inspired from his own life experiences. On one side there is peace, but on the other there is industrial chaos, reflecting both the serenity and turmoil inherent in his and ultimately each of our lives that come with having opposition in all things.

"Pat Asplund: A Merry Widow"

Erin Fox incorporates stories about her roommate’s mother with experimental footage in “Pat Asplund: A Merry Widow.” Erin filmed Pat in a variety of settings from her day-to-day activities and brought them to life with techniques which visually communicate something complementary to what Pat may be saying. The result is a unique portrait of a unique woman, who happens to really enjoy her life.

“Ode to an Orange” was A. Todd Smith’s application film to get into the Media Arts major at BYU! One would think this imaginative short came from a more advanced student, as Todd combines Super8 footage with digital video in a vibrant interpretation of the short story by Larry Woiwode.

"Ode to an Orange"

In “The Sari,” Manju Varghese captures a daily routine from the life of an Indian woman: putting on a sari. Manju brings a sense of magic and wonder to this routine in each of her production choices, and collaborated with her family in a variety of roles to create this short film, fittingly, about familial traditions.

"The Sari"

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Tim Irwin got his start making films about skateboarding and punk bands. In his own words: When I was 16 my life changed for a few reasons. I started skateboarding, and I took a video production class. I spent my time skateboarding, playing in a punk band, or making films about skateboarders and punk bands. It's amusing to me that I am doing the same things as an adult that I was passionate about as a teenager. But I'm grateful that it has worked out that way. Documentaries are my passion--all forms of non-fiction film making. I'm interested in making films about people who are passionate about what they do. I'm inspired by all sorts of flavors of art and film.

I started my professional film making at Dog on a Bike Films where I was able to be part of some really fantastic projects. It was there that I met and worked with Steve Olpin. A creative relationship that has given me many opportunities to further my craft. Steve and I still work together often and I am stoked on that. We also own a post production company together.

Check out more of Tim's work here:

www.timirwin.net

ranchexit.blogspot.com

EPISODE 211: ARTISTS AND ARTISANS

"Milton Glaser the Famous Graphic Designer Makes a Drawing"

Featuring "Milton Glaser The Famous Graphic Designer Makes a Drawing" with director Chris Coy,"Il Contrabasso," with director Geoff Groberg, and "Capoeira: Finding the Center in the Ring" with director Justin Cook. Also featuring faculty hosts Brad Barber and Ben Unguren.

Chris Coy combined his visual arts studies with his interest in film by making this unique short documentary about BYU's visiting artist Milton Glaser. In it, the audience is offered a unique look at how Glaser operates by offering one single take, focused on a drawing he composes while ruminating on his experiences with the form.

In "Il Controbasso," both subjects, the instrument and the musician, are of interest for director Geoff Groberg. A musician himself, Groberg shares insights gained on his labor of love while making this short documentary that explore the beauty and joy of playing the upright bass.

Being a documentarian himself, we asked former student Justin Cook to shoot and edit his own segment on location in New York, where he currently studies film in the MFA program at Columbia University. In it, Justin shares his thoughts on the subjects of his film--a Colorado couple who teach capoeira, a Brazilian blend of martial art and dance, and how their passion changed the way he viewed his own life.

BYU TMA Grad Justin Cook sends a report from NYC

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Geoff Groberg now works within a variety of media arts formats. Check this out for more examples of his work.

Chris Coy ('06, BFA Graphic Design) is a graphic designer, fine artist, and filmmaker currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Examples of his work can be found here.

Regarding his film, Chris has some more thoughts he'd like to add: While it may not be obvious in the film, as Milton Glaser is drawing the picture, he is also simultaneously giving an impromptu lecture. The final film was take two of two takes- the first being rejected because portions of his picture were drawn outside of the the frame. It was a little difficult to ask him to do it all over again- as the first take was also fantastic but he obliged graciously.The project was generously funded by the BYU Museum of Art and BYU's TMA department with all aspects of production completed by full time students.

See more of Milton's work here.

"Il Contrabasso"

"Capoeria: Finding the Center of the Ring"

EPISODE 210: DEVELOPMENTS IN ANIMATION

"Rupert"

Airdate TBA
Featuring "Rupert," "The Brief Social Life of Charles Wickham," "Herman & Sally," and "Gestures" with guests Donald Mustard and faculty hosts Brent Adams and Kelly Loosli.


BYU faculty members Brent Adams and Kelly Loosli discuss early award-winning animations from the mid to late 90's that garnered enough attention to help their program evolve and ultimately develop into the recently created BYU Animation Center. "The Brief Social Life of Charles Wickham" won a student emmy, and many from its student crew went on to work on "Rupert," which largely helped establish the collaborative methods used in the department today. "Herman & Sally" is a uniquely ambitious cell drawing short, as it was a combined BFA project between the directors.

READ A REVIEW OF THIS EPISODE FROM BYU ENGLISH PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR OF THE "MORMON LITERATURE DATABASE" GIDEON BURTON HERE.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM:

Check this out for more on "The Brief Social Life of Charles Wickham"

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

After graduating with a BA in Design from BYU in 1998, Ben Cloward began a career in the video game industry as an animator. He provided character animation for console games including Robotech: Battlecry, Spy vs Spy, Curious George, and Flushed Away. Ben is currently working for Bioware as the Senior Technical Animator on an unannounced massively multi-player online game. He lives with his wife and five children in Austin, Texas.
Ben enjoys being a mentor and helping students who are interested in getting into the video game industry. He'd love to answer any questions people have or get in touch with anyone who needs some help breaking in. Learn more about Ben here.

"The Brief Social Life of Charles Wickham"

"Herman & Sally"

"Gestures"

EPISODE 209: FUN FILMS

"3 AM"

Airs Feb 25 at 9:00pm
Featuring "3 AM," "Tolerance," "Light the Tree," and "Pickles" with Andy Bailey, Mark Hedengren, Bryce Randle, Jackson Barlow, Jacob Moffat, Jared Cardon, and Derek Pueblo with faculty hosts Brad Barber and Jeff Parkin.

These films are short and fun--often the result of spontaneity and a love of making movies. Their narratives range from a high stakes night of making a sandwich to a bizarre late night conversation between two tired friends. Two of the pieces, "Tolerance" and "Light the Tree" developed from the demanding "24 Hour Filmmaking Marathon" at the LDS Film Festival, where participants write, shoot, and edit a short film in 24 hours.

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Q. Bryce Randle II graduated from the Media Arts Program in 2006. While at BYU, he worked at Walt Disney Pictures as the editorial intern on Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Bryce currently lives in Utah and has worked on features, documentaries, and commercials. He is married to Nancy Randle and has a boy named Derek.

"Light the Tree"

"Pickles"

"Tolerance"

EPISODE 208: CRISIS AND UNITY

"Barren Earth"

Featuring "Barren Earth" by Bryan Lefler with faculty host Tom Russell

In this episode, former TMA student Bryan Lefler discusses why he chose, as a young, unmarried film minor, to make an ambitious dramatic narrative about an engaged couple dealing with a sobering development that could make or break their union. The film delves into how conditions and relationships are challenged in a moment of crisis, while probing the notion of unconditional love.

EPISODE 207: DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT OUR FAMILIES

"Cleon"

Airs Feb 18 at 9:00 pm and Feb 25 at 5:00pm
Featuring "Cleon" and "Married to Art" by Tim Skousen and Matt Schramer with faculty host Ben Unguren

TMA student documentary filmmakers are frequently drawn towards exploring stories within their own families. In this episode we feature two such films--First, Tim Skousen discusses his affectionate portrait of his great uncle Cleon, who explores the role storytelling has taken in his life as an essential gospel teaching tool. Next, Matthew Schramer frames his film "Married to Art" in terms of how his parents collaborate and create art together.

"Married to Art"

EPISODE 206: ROOTS AND WINGS

"Roots and Wings"

Airs Feb 11 at 9:00pm and Feb 18 at 5:00pm
Featuring "Roots and Wings" by Christian Vuissa and Agustina Perez with faculty host Tom Lefler

Winner of the Association for Mormon Letters' Award for Film, "Roots and Wings" is a dramatic narrative about a family's introduction to the LDS Church. Departing slightly from how we might expect such a story to play out, the film takes an earnest look at how this event affects the family's traditions and expectations of each other. Filmmakers Christian Vuissa and Agustina Perez join us to discuss the personal nature of this story, drawing on their own families' conversion stories.

EPISODE 205: COMEDIC NARRATIVES: MISFITS & OUTSIDERS

"285: The Movie"

Featured "285: The Movie" and "Hoagies" with filmmakers Matt Kammerer, Tyler Weston, and Brandon Arnold with faculty member Jeff Parkin

In this episode we feature two unique comedic narratives. "285: The Movie" and "Hoagies" both reflect a sense of funmaking in the process of filmmaking. While humorous, they emerged from classroom discussions on film history and aesthetics, at times even commenting on larger issues than may initially meet the eye. The filmmakers join us to discuss the genesis for their work, the traditions they were drawing on, as well as how some of the films' quirky characters came to life on screen.

"Hoagies"

EPISODE 204: EARLY ANIMATED FILMS

"Gobo the Basketball"

Airs Feb 4 at 9:00 pm
Features "Gobo: The Basketball", "8 Minutes at 325 Degrees," and "Nocturnal," with former student Todd Wahlquist and faculty hosts Brent Adams and Kelly Loosli.

BYU animation faculty members Brent Adams and Kelly Loosli discuss the painstaking process of computer animation and claymation in early works by ambitious student pioneers which laid the foundation for BYU's current animation program. As we feature these early works, the discussions focus on the resources available over a decade ago, and how the animation department has evolved since those early years.

"8 Minutes at 325 Degrees"

"Nocturnal"

MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:

Kelly Loosli has worked in animation and live action production for the past fourteen years, working on both the artistic and managerial sides of the industries. Mr. Loosli began his career as a clay animator for television commercials at the age of 15. While attending Brigham Young University he received a Student Emmy for his clay animated film entitled "Nocturnal." Some of Mr. Loosli's additional work experience includes DreamWorks Feature Animation working on Films like "Shrek" and "Spirit," and Buena Vista Motion Pictures, the live action division of Walt Disney. Mr. Loosli has spent the last two years helping create Brigham Young University's animation program while teaching animation and storyboarding, while also completing production of the animated feature "The Princess and the Pea" for Feature Films for Families. Mr. Loosli is currently working with University students to complete a Disney style animated short film based on the Aesop fable "The Lion and the Mouse."

EPISODE 203: DOCUMENTARY: "ONLY THE PIZZA MAN KNOWS"

"Only the Pizza Man Knows"

Airs Jan 28 at 9:00pm and Feb 4 at 5:00pm
Featuring the documentary "Only the Pizza Man Knows" and filmmaker Scott Christopherson, with faculty host Sharon Swenson.

Recently graduated student Scott Christopherson joins the show to talk about making his intimate and sobering personal documentary, "Only the Pizza Man Knows." In it, he explores the complex legacy left to him by his father, its effect on their family life, and how Scott takes all of this into consideration when making his own future plans.
MORE ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:

Scott graduated with Honors from Brigham Young University in 2007 with a B.A. in Media Arts, emphasizing in documentary production, and a Minor in Asian Studies. While studying at BYU, Scott established a non-profit organization called the Thai Film Fund dedicated to helping Thai tsunami survivors tell their own stories through filmmaking and photography. Scott is currently teaching documentary film at Spy Hop Productions in Salt Lake City and plans on
attending graduate school at San Francisco State University in the fall.

EPISODE 202: ADAPTATIONS OF SCRIPTURES

"Akedah"

("The Binding," an adaptation of the Abraham and Isaac story)

Airs Jan 28 at 5:00pm
Featuring "The Good Samaritan" and "Akedah (the Binding)" and filmmakers Alisa Anglesey and Jonathan Tanner with faculty host Tom Lefler.

This episode explores student filmmakers taking the scriptures as the text for their films. Alisa Anglesey and Jonathan Tanner share insights on how incorporating stories from the Bible taught them about filmmaking while giving them a new way of looking at details within the scripture stories.

"The Good Samaritan"

EPISODE 201: DRAMATIC NARRATIVES

"Violette"

Featuring "Violette,"directed by Aline Conti and "The Loss of A Wrestling Match," directed by Jed Cowley, with TMA faculty members Tom Russell and Brad Barber.

Our first episode features the student-produced dramatic narratives "Violette" and "The Loss of a Wrestling Match." "Violette" tells the story of a young girl dealing with isolation who finds redemption in an unexpected encounter with a shepherd. The film recently premiered at the Santa Monica Film Festival and earned an honorable mention at the 2008 LDS Film Festival. Director Aline Conti joins us and shares insights about how her own childhood in rural Corsica played a part in making this story come to life.

"The Loss of a Wrestling Match," which recently premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, is a semi-autobiographical piece about a high school student’s struggles with perfection and failure. In this segment, we catch up with recent graduate Jed Cowley at his new home in New York City, where he's an MFA film student at Columbia University, to discuss his final film at BYU.

READ A BYU STUDENT'S REVIEW OF THIS EPISODE HERE.

"The Loss of a Wrestling Match"

BYU TMA Grad Jed Cowley

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