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Sunday, April 19
 

9:00am PDT

Top Tips: What We Learn from the Great Women Screenwriters in Early Hollywood
Sunday April 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
Panelists will showcase a dynamic slide deck highlighting screenwriting wisdom from the trailblazing women of early Hollywood — pioneers like Alice Guy Blaché, Lois Weber, Frances Marion, Anita Loos, Jeanie Macpherson, Marguerite Bertsch, and Mae West. Drawing on their groundbreaking work, the session will reveal practical tips and timeless techniques that continue to inspire writers today. Afterward, attendees are invited to join an interactive discussion and hands-on workshop: history buffs can dive deeper with questions while screenwriters can share their own scenes, exchange feedback, and sharpen their craft with peers.

Moderator: Leslie Kreiner Wilson, Pepperdine University
Panelists: Alessandra Bautze, Georgia State University
Rosanne Welch, Stephens College


Moderators
LK

Leslie Kreiner Wilson

Pepperdine University
Speakers
avatar for Rosanne Welch

Rosanne Welch

Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting
Rosanne Welch (Ph.D.) is the Executive Director of the Stephens College MFA program in TV and Screenwriting in LA. She has written for Beverly Hills 90210, Picket Fences, ABCNEWS: Nightline, and Touched by an Angel. She edited When Women Wrote Hollywood (2018), runner up for the... Read More →
AB

Alessandra Bautze

Georgia State University
Sunday April 19, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
W308

12:45pm PDT

Festival of Media Arts: Student Showcase Session - Scriptwriting Competition
Sunday April 19, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT
Join us for this series of sessions showcasing the work of our Festival of Media Arts Student Scriptwriting winners.

Moderator: Leslie Kreiner Wilson, Pepperdine University

Narrative Feature Category
1st Place: Bailey Lynn, University of Alabama; America's Champion

Short Narrative Film Category
Award of Excellence: Erin Sides, University of Montevallo; From Found to Lost

Original Television Series Pilot Category
Best of Festival: Cooper Johnson, Missouri State University; Bandit

Award of Excellence: Jaiden Arada & Priscilla Jackson, University of Georgia; SPF

 


Moderators
LK

Leslie Kreiner Wilson

Pepperdine University
Speakers
avatar for Cooper Johnson

Cooper Johnson

Screenwriter, Missouri State University
J. Cooper Johnson is an award winning screenwriter that recently graduated from Missouri State University in December 2025. Johnson works as a social media film marketer and has worked with companies such as Lionsgate for John Wick 4, Prime Video, Lifetime, Buffalo 8 / Bondit.
BL

Bailey Lynn

University of Alabama
JA

Jaiden Arada

University of Georgia
ES

Erin Sides

University of Montevallo
Sunday April 19, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT
W313

2:00pm PDT

Media Writers Pitch Session
Sunday April 19, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
This annual panel provides the opportunity for student writers to pitch their films, television shows, or other narrative media to professional screenwriters. The students receive feedback on both their scripts and their pitches. This session is part one of a two-parter with the same writers; it is followed immediately by their second panel, “Media Writers Q&A Session.”
Moderator: Raymond Dennis Seymour Anderson, University of Guam
Panelists: Rosanne Welch, Stephens College
Jon L. Vandergriff, Cal State Fullerton
David Morgasen, California State Fullerton
Moderators
avatar for Raymond Anderson

Raymond Anderson

Professor of Communication and Media, University of Guam
Script writing
Cinematography
Editing
Media and Film studies and history
Speakers
avatar for Rosanne Welch

Rosanne Welch

Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting
Rosanne Welch (Ph.D.) is the Executive Director of the Stephens College MFA program in TV and Screenwriting in LA. She has written for Beverly Hills 90210, Picket Fences, ABCNEWS: Nightline, and Touched by an Angel. She edited When Women Wrote Hollywood (2018), runner up for the... Read More →
avatar for Jon Vandergriff

Jon Vandergriff

Cal State Fullerton
Jon Vandergriff (MFA Screenwriting, USC) has written professionally for sitcoms, including Coach and Home Improvement, serving on the latter as Staff Writer and then Supervising Producer. He was also Co-Executive Producer on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Along the way, he wrote... Read More →
avatar for David Morgasen

David Morgasen

Cal State Fullerton
Dave Morgasen (MFA Screenwriting, Cal State Fullerton) got his start on primetime awards shows, writing jokes for everyone from Eddie Murphy to Dick Van Dyke. Since then, he has written, directed, and/or produced for film, television, and viral online content. His parody of David... Read More →
Sunday April 19, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
W311

3:15pm PDT

Festival of Media Arts: Faculty Showcase Session & Awards - Interactive Multimedia, Sports, Audio & Scriptwriting Competitions
Sunday April 19, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT
Please join us as we recognize all of the Faculty Festival winners from Film & Video, IMET and Sports competitions.  

After the awards are handed out, we will hear from our Best of Competition winners.
Confirmed Presenters

Interactive Multimedia
Emerging Media & Technology Category
Capturing New Perspective in Modern Media: Using Drone Videography to Showcase the Sam Houston State University Community; Antonio Bocanegra II, Sam Houston State University

Interactive Reality Category
Eyes of Freedom Immersive; Pat Clark, University of Colorado Boulder

Sports Competition

Long Form Sports Video Category
Authentic ACC: Syracuse Spring Football; Jordan Kligerman, Austin Beehner, Mike Lang & Richard Wiesmann, Syracuse University

Audio Competition
Long-Form Production Category
The Traveling Radio Show Goes to the CSU!; Jeff Jacoby, San Francisco State

Scriptwriting Competition
Narrative Feature Category
Hole-in-the-Wall; Matthew Evans, University of Georgia
Moderators
avatar for Heather Dunn

Heather Dunn

Arizona State University

Speakers
avatar for Jordan Kligerman

Jordan Kligerman

Visiting Asst. Professor, Syracuse University
Jordan Kligerman is in his third year as a Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor in the department of Television, Radio and Film within the Newhouse Sports Media Center as part of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. In his current role, Kligerman teaches Sports Documentary... Read More →
avatar for Matthew Nolte Evans

Matthew Nolte Evans

Assistant Professor of Entertainment & Media Studies, University of Georgia
avatar for Antonio Bocanegra II

Antonio Bocanegra II

Lecturer of Mass Communication, Sam Houston State University
Antonio Bocanegra II, MFA is an emerging digital media practitioner whose work bridges academic insight and real-world production. As a Lecturer of Mass Communication at Sam Houston State University and a Video Consultant Contractor for Perry Homes, he blends teaching, creativity... Read More →
avatar for Pat Clark

Pat Clark

Assistant Professor: Critical Media Practice - Faculty Director: Immersive Media Lab, University of Colorado Boulder
Pat Clark is an assistant professor in the department of Critical Media Practices and the faculty director of the Immersive Media Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder. As a media maker and researcher, he is interested in new methods of interactive storytelling and how they can... Read More →
JJ

Jeff Jacoby

San Francisco State University
Sunday April 19, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT
W308

3:15pm PDT

Media Writers Q&A Session
Sunday April 19, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT
This annual panel provides the opportunity for attendees to hear real-world stories about writing professionally in the entertainment industry. Q&A allows attendees to gain inside perspectives on the challenges and successes of writing in “Hollywood.” This session is part two of a two-parter with the same writers; it is preceded immediately by their first panel, “Media Writers Pitch Session.”
Moderator: Edward J. Fink, California State University - Fullerton
Panelists: Rosanne Welch, Stephens College
Jon L. Vandergriff, Cal State Fullerton
David Morgasen, Cal State Fullerton
Moderators
avatar for Edward J. Fink

Edward J. Fink

Professor, California State University - Fullerton
Speakers
avatar for Rosanne Welch

Rosanne Welch

Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting
Rosanne Welch (Ph.D.) is the Executive Director of the Stephens College MFA program in TV and Screenwriting in LA. She has written for Beverly Hills 90210, Picket Fences, ABCNEWS: Nightline, and Touched by an Angel. She edited When Women Wrote Hollywood (2018), runner up for the... Read More →
avatar for Jon Vandergriff

Jon Vandergriff

Cal State Fullerton
Jon Vandergriff (MFA Screenwriting, USC) has written professionally for sitcoms, including Coach and Home Improvement, serving on the latter as Staff Writer and then Supervising Producer. He was also Co-Executive Producer on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Along the way, he wrote... Read More →
avatar for David Morgasen

David Morgasen

Cal State Fullerton
Dave Morgasen (MFA Screenwriting, Cal State Fullerton) got his start on primetime awards shows, writing jokes for everyone from Eddie Murphy to Dick Van Dyke. Since then, he has written, directed, and/or produced for film, television, and viral online content. His parody of David... Read More →
Sunday April 19, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT
W311

4:30pm PDT

ASC Presents Team Deakins
Sunday April 19, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Team Deakins is the creative partnership of Roger Deakins and James Ellis Deakins. Together, they have collaborated on films, a podcast (Team Deakins), and two books, as well as other sundry projects. For over 30 years, this partnership has continued to evolve into a unique working collaboration. The session will be moderated by 7x Emmy-nominated cinematographer, Adam Bricker.

Roger A Deakins
Roger A. Deakins CBE, ASC, BSC, is one of today’s most honored cinematographers, renowned for his vast and varied body of work. He has been nominated for an Oscar 16 times and has won the award twice for the films Blade Runner 2049 and 1917. He has also received 17 nominations for the top honor awarded by the American Society of Cinematographers and has been nominated 11 times for the BAFTA award, winning five of them. Some of his other Oscar nominations are for: Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners and Sicaro; The Coen Brothers’ Fargo; Martin Scorsese’s Kundun; The Reader; Sam Mendes’ Skyfall; and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken, just to name a few. He has also been recognized by his British peers, with 11 British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) nominations and 7 wins. His myriad professional honors also two Independent Spirit Awards, numerous Critic’s awards and the National Board of Review’s Career Achievement Award. He is the sole cinematographer who has been honored with a CBE and a knighthood from his home country of England. Together with James, they have published two books: BYWAYS (a monograph of stills) and REFLECTIONS, a visual memoir.

James Ellis Deakins
James Ellis Deakins is the creative work partner of Roger Deakins. Born on the east coast of the United States, she double majored in college in Latin and Greek, doing a graduate course in Latin as an undergraduate. Once out of school, she began her film work in New York City as a film lab technician at DuArt Film Laboratories and then as a script supervisor in production. After moving to Los Angeles, she met Roger Deakins on a film set and their creative collaboration began. Eventually relinquishing the role of script supervisor to more fully enter into their collaborative partnership, she and Roger developed their unique working style which has continued to evolve as they enter into new enterprises including a podcast (“Team Deakins”), a website, BYWAYS (a book of still photography) and a visual memoir, REFLECTIONS. James’ natural affinity with technology proved essential when productions moved from the use of film capture to digital. Team Deakins create their approach to a film and execute the plan together. James oversees the many details that need to be coordinated which allows Roger to focus on capturing the visual. Working together, James and Roger have strived to create memorable images as well as share their knowledge with others.

Adam Bricker
Adam Bricker, ASC is a seven-time Emmy and five-time ASC nominated cinematographer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Chicago, Adam’s first camera was a MiniDV Handycam, a gift from his parents for his thirteenth birthday, and his first credits included the films he shot starring his three younger sisters. Adam studied digital cinema at DePaul University before graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he fell in love with cinematography. Adam’s most recent work includes Hacks (HBO), Chef's Table (Netflix) & American Vandal (Netflix).


Sunday April 19, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
W316

4:30pm PDT

Nonlinear Narrative Storytelling: Exploring the pros, cons, and intrigue of complex plot structures: Phase 2.
Sunday April 19, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
This panel will consider the appeal, utility and marketability of non-linear narratives.  This is Phase 2 of a 3 year look at such narratives. Previously we defined and explored different framings to help engagement with this approach.
Next year the panel will look more specifically at how to help students write for and film a nonlinear short.

Moderator: Raymond Anderson, University of Guam

Panelists:
Raymond Anderson, University of Guam; Look Again: The Utility of Non-linear Storytelling
Non-linear storytelling exists because of several key advantages for the creators and the industry they serve. But it also provides benefits to the audience and the broader culture, with cross cultural allure. We will explore non-linearity’s roots, presence and challenges. Consideration for its place in the classroom is also discussed.

Jonathan Mason, Rowan University; “You’re Doing What?”: The Challenges of Marketing & Distributing Non-Linear Narratives
This segment looks at the push and pull between artistic freedom and commercial reality: the thrill of fractured, time-bending storytelling on one side, and the headaches it causes for distributors, programmers, and streamers who have to frame it for audiences trained on straight-line narratives. We’ll dig into how these projects are pitched and sold, how marketing tries to give audiences a way in without flattening what makes them unique, and why some non-linear films manage to catch fire while others never quite find their crowd.

Khaled AlqahsKuwait University;The Appeal of Non-Linear Narratives in Arab Cinema and Television
This presentation explores the appeal of non-linear storytelling in Arab cinema and television, focusing on how these narratives engage audiences beyond conventional linear structures. By disrupting chronological order through flashbacks, parallel plots, and circular openings, Arab filmmakers and television writers create works that reflect the complexity of lived experience while heightening curiosity and emotional impact. Such approaches not only challenge audiences to piece together meaning but also offer distinctive cultural resonances tied to themes of memory, identity, and social change. The session highlights how non-linear structures enrich Arab visual storytelling and expand its creative possibilities.

Alessandra Bautze, Georgia State University; Non-Linear Narratives as Anti-Hollywood: A Tool for Screenwriters
What is the appeal of non-linear narratives for screenwriters? How do screenwriters employ non-linear narratives to explore character motivations, interiority, and relationships? By framing non-linear narratives as “anti-Hollywood” (as delineated by Michael Z. Newman in his indie cinema viewing strategies), this presentation will examine these and other questions, arguing that non-linear narratives occupy a specific place outside of traditional Hollywood filmmaking, often in the realm of “Indiewood” (as delineated by Geoff King).

William Hanff, University of the District of Columbia; Fabula & Syuzhet in Transmedia Narratives and Non-Linear Storytelling
This presentation problematizes the structure of both linear and non-linear visual storytelling by applying the Russian Formalist ideas of narratology to contemporary media productions. Comparing and contrasting how different levels of ‘Suspension of Disbelief’ are challenged in different genres, formats, and ‘story presentations’—research from Vladimir Propp, Walter Benjamin, and Henry Jenkins can be deployed to explore and systematize non-linear narratives. From early beginnings of flashbacks and flash-forwards in early films, to non-linear gameplay, postmodern cinema, and V.R/A.R. applications the concepts of fabula (story content) versus syuzhet (story arrangement) remain central. Technological determinism of digital storytelling tools, and the relation to narrative form will also be explored.

Moderators
avatar for Raymond Anderson

Raymond Anderson

Professor of Communication and Media, University of Guam
Script writing
Cinematography
Editing
Media and Film studies and history
Speakers
avatar for Khaled Alqahs

Khaled Alqahs

Assistant Professor, KUWAIT UNIVERSITY
Assistant professor, Mass Communication Dept., Collage of Arts, Kuwait University. Ph.D. in Broadcasting (2000), Southern Illinois University- Illinois, USA. TV Director and producer. Newspaper columnist.  TV & Radio host. Media Trainer and expert in Dealing with media, Media crisis... Read More →
AB

Alessandra Bautze

Georgia State University
JM

Jonathan Mason

Rowan University
Sunday April 19, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
W310

5:30pm PDT

2026 Best of Festival Awards Ceremony
Sunday April 19, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm PDT
During the ceremony, recipients will be recognized with a specialized screening of their winning project and a cash award of $1,000 from the Diana King Memorial Endowment.

The 2026 Best of Festival winners were selected from a pool of over 2,250 entries, representing over 300 colleges and universities in the following competitions: audio, documentary, film & video, interactive multimedia, news, scriptwriting, sports and two-year colleges.

2026 Best of Festival Winners

Audio Competition - Faculty
The Traveling Radio Show Goes to the CSU!; Jeff Jacoby, San Francisco State University (Long-Form Production Category)

Audio Competition - Student 

Deliver U.S.; Krystal Guerra, Texas Christian University (Narrative Audio Category)

Documentary Competition - Faculty 

Chicken Ghetto; Sangsun Choi & Paul Lee, Kennesaw State University (Short-Form Category)

Documentary Competition - Student 
Hunter; Jack Hanning, Carter Moore, Nick Reed & Rylie West, University of Tennessee (Documentary Feature Category)

Film & Video Competition - Faculty
Kid Super Pilot; Christian Washington, Huntington University Arizona (Narrative Video Category)

Film & Video Competition - Student
Southern Apocrypha; Eli Murray, Ethan Hickey, Jordan Moore & Amy Csaki, Middle Tennessee State University (Narrative – Mini Narrative Category)
Komets Blackout Night Promo; Bryce Garrett, Huntington University (Promotional Category)

Interactive Multimedia Competition - Faculty
Eyes of Freedom Immersive; Pat Clark, University of Colorado Boulder (Interactive Reality Category)

Interactive Multimedia Competition – Student
As Tough As Ice; Murphy McFarlane, Syracuse University (Multimedia Storytelling Category)

News Competition - Faculty
From Denver to Mecca: A CNN producer’s personal pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest site; Kareem El Damanhoury, Muhammad Darwish, Angelica Pursley & Matog Saleh, University of Denver (Television Feature News Reporting Category)

News Competition - Student
40 Feet In the Air; Boone Kilpatrick, Syracuse University (Radio Reporting Category)

The New Florida Follies; Alex Land, University of Florida (Television Reporting Category)

Centre County Report: April 4, 2025; Allie Wenskoski, Sarah Schultz, Francie Ebert, Hannah Neurohr, Owen Gelber &
Denys Khrulov, Penn State University (Television Newscast Category)

Scriptwriting Competition - Faculty
All These Lonesome Graveyards; Nathan Patton, Missouri State University (Original Television Series Pilot Category)  
Scriptwriting Competition - Student Bandit; Cooper Johnson, Missouri State University (Original Television Series Pilot Category)

Sports Competition - Faculty
Authentic ACC: Syracuse Spring Football; Jordan Kligerman, Austin Beehner, Mike Lang & Richard Wiesmann, Syracuse University (Long Form Sports Video Category)

Sports Competition - Student
Ball State Sports Link: My Black Is; Nate Locker & Amadou Diallo, Ball State University (Promotional Video/Tease/PSA Category)

Student Two-Year Colleges Competition

25 Years of Harper Radio; Zoe Meshenberg, Harper College (Non-Narrative Audio Category)

Graduate Student Competition

Piloting the Past into the Future; Rio Harper, Dian Ling, Nicole Cummings & Nathan Olszewski, Syracuse University (Documentary)
Speakers
avatar for Heather Dunn

Heather Dunn

Arizona State University

Sunday April 19, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm PDT
W316
 

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