Get insight into the Entertainment Industry from Los Angeles Film School and LA Recording School Alumni and learn about their latest projects.

Meet Samantha Wilkins, Art Outsource Supervisor at Riot Games

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Samantha Wilkins currently works at Riot Games in Los Angeles. Her responsibilities and talent transitioned seamlessly from VFX to video games as she joined Riot Games as an Art Outsource Supervisor for VALORANT, the now top trending FPS tactical hero shooter game. In 2023, The L.A. Film School nominated Samantha for the Spotlight Academy where she will be inducted on June 29, 2023, in a live ceremony at Ivar Theatre.
Spotlight

Get Ready for The Spotlight Awards 2023

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The Los Angeles Film School will host its 4th annual Spotlight Awards ceremony honoring the new members of the Spotlight Academy Class of 2023. This year’s award show will be a LIVE, in-person celebration at Ivar Theatre in Hollywood, California. Stay tuned for updates on special guest appearances from entertainment industry leaders and exclusive chats with the inductees during the show. 
A Thousand and One movie

Interview with Film Editor and Alum Jim Carretta

Jim Carretta is a 2006 film alumnus who works in Los Angeles as a film editor. He's earned credits on major blockbuster movies including Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, Deadpool, Pitch Perfect 2 & 3, and The Good Place. His most recent project, A Thousand and One, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and opens in theaters Friday, March 31, 2023. We caught up with Jim to chat about his work as a film editor and gain insight into the world of movie editing.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Behind the Scenes of Shazam! Fury of the Gods–Sound Effects

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We interviewed alum Matt Cavanaugh at his home studio in Burbank, CA, and talked about all things sound effects for the new Shazam sequel. Matt was part of the team of sound effects editors who worked on the creature sounds and action sequences for Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Check out our interview and follow along as Matt shares a behind-the-scenes look into what it was like working as a sound effects editor on Shazam! Fury of the Gods movie.
Kylie Hazzard

Film Alum Kylie Hazzard on Her Music, Film and Photography Career

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L.A. Film School alum Kylie Hazzard has a creative edge that most people only dream of discovering within themselves. A triple threat with music, film and photography, Hazzard stays busy creating all sorts of interesting side projects in her home studio in Los Angeles. We're excited to catch back up with Hazzard about working for FOX Sports Super Bowl coverage and the other creative projects she has in the works.
Freedom's Path AJ Winslow

Meet Up-and-Coming Producer AJ Winslow

Writer-director Brett Smith brings Freedom’s Path, a Civil War drama starring Gerran (1917), RJ Cyler (The Harder They Fall) and Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting), to the silver screen. The film tells the story of two young men: a wounded Union soldier and a free Black man who strike up an unlikely friendship. The pair navigate the dangers of helping runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad while escaping a ruthless slave catcher who tries to bring everything to a devastating end.
2023 GRAMMY Noms

65th GRAMMYs: Alumni Work on Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, & Carlos Vives’ Albums

Four alumni from The Los Angeles Film School contributed their talents to GRAMMY-nominated artists including Mary J. Blige (Good Morning Gorgeous), Christina Aguilera (Aguilera), and Carlos Vives (Cumbiana II). We proudly recognize Jaycen Joshua (audio 2003), Andrés Borda Zabala (Recording Arts 2011), Jhair Lazo (Recording Arts 2012), and Julio Ulloa (Recording Arts 2015) for their contributions including vocal engineering, immersive mix engineering and producing.
Oscar 2023

Oscar-Nominated Sequels Go Head-to-Head for Best Picture. See Our Alumni Contributions.

We're excited to share the five alumni from the Computer Animation Program at The L.A. Film School who worked on Oscar-nominated sequels. Both blockbuster movies Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water are in the running for Best Picture. For the first time in a long time, both the No. 1 (Avatar) and No. 2 (Top Gun) highest-grossing films of the year globally are going head-to-head for Best Picture, according to Deadline.com. This rivalry could aid in a much-needed rating boost for this year's televised award show on March 12.
Golden Thesis Film Festival

A Night Celebrating Golden Thesis Film Projects in Hollywood

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The first annual Golden Thesis Awards Ceremony is an alumni and student showcase of 2020-2022 thesis and original short films with a writer, producer, director, cast or theme featuring a diverse voice. This includes creatives of all backgrounds, including ethnicity, culture, gender identity and members of the LGBTQ+ community. The festival is organized by the Career Development and Film Departments with the purpose of championing dynamic and diverse storytellers who have or are currently studying at The L.A. Film School.