Among these noteworthy alumni, Joshua Gitersonke, a recent inductee of the class of 2024 Spotlight Academy, has been nominated for an individual Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program. Gitersonke, known for his exceptional work as the Director of Photography on The Amazing Race, previously won an Emmy in 2019 for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork. This year’s Emmy nomination marks his 11th overall.
“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized for my work in cinematography, especially for a project as challenging and rewarding as ‘The Amazing Race,'” said Joshua Gitersonke. “The biggest takeaway from attending The Los Angeles Film School was the invaluable experience of working on so many real-world projects during my time there. Being the Director of Photography on 8 thesis films surrounded by so many talented people enabled me to gain practical skills and experience, which has led me to where I am today.”
Mehrnaz Mohabati, also announced last week as an inductee of 2024 Spotlight Academy class, has been credited as an ADR Mixer on seven Emmy-nominated projects, including Fallout, American Horror Story, Palm Royale, Ripley, The Other Two, The Righteous Gemstones, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Moreover, Mohabati boasts an additional 30 credits in the Sound Department, with more than 30 more currently in post-production.
“Being inducted into the Spotlight Academy and seeing the projects I’ve worked on receive Emmy nominations is a dream come true,” said Mehrnaz Mohabati. “I came to the U.S. with a master’s in sound and I’m so grateful for my decision to attend the recording division of LA Film School to further my education. The most beneficial takeaway from my time was learning about networking, especially as an immigrant. It was crucial to understand how to deal with different personalities in the industry. 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 on Emmy-nominated series. Newacheck’s work as a Director and Co-Executive Producer of What We Do in the Shadows holds eight Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series. Hughes worked as a Key Assistant Location Manager on two Emmy-nominated series, The Brothers Sun and Physical.
Keith Morrow, a film graduate, has been acknowledged for exceptional work as both an Assistant Editor and Mix Tech on a total of 10 Emmy-nominated projects. His credits include notable titles in reality television and comedy including American Idol, Love is Blind, The Voice, Celebrity Family Feud, Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer, and Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die.
Recent grads and rising stars Christian Baldonado and Nikita Smekalkin are making their way to the top through their own contributions on Emmy-nominated projects. Baldonado has worked as an Audience Coordinator on two nominated shows: America’s Got Talent and American Idol, while Smekalkin has been credited as a Visual Effects Coordinator on The Righteous Gemstones.
It’s worth noting the collaboration that seven LAFS graduates had on a single project together, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. The seven grads 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 are an outstanding achievement for each individual and the record number of nominations from alumni at this year’s awards highlight the extraordinary talent held by the Los Angeles Film School graduates in the entertainment industry. The Los Angeles Film School extends its heartfelt congratulations to all those nominated.
For more information on The Los Angeles Film School or The Los Angeles Recording School, visit lafilm.edu.
