A Look Back at 11 Years of Annual Salute
Celebrating Our Military Student and Alumni Community
The Los Angeles Film School has hosted its Annual Salute honoring the veteran community since 2009. Our population of military students has grown from over 100 active students in 2010 to more than 1,000 students as of 2020. We are proud of the men and women who have not only served our country but have seized the opportunity to pursue their passion for entertainment. Veterans in the entertainment industry know how to overcome obstacles and push the boundaries of their creative pursuits. This is a special community that lives and breathes film, music, animation, entertainment business, graphic design, writing and so much more. It is a great honor to recognize these individuals year after year.
We have collected the highlights from past Annual Salutes as a thank you to our veteran and military community! Find out more about our military benefits program at The Los Angeles Film School.
Veteran Alumni Working in the Entertainment Industry
We love connecting with our veteran alumni! Here are just some of the amazing alumni working in the entertainment industry.
Alumnus: Danny Arroyo
Program: Film 2017
Service: U.S. Air Force
Career Path: Actor / Co-Producer / Co-writer
Notable Projects: Nobody’s Angel | Switched at Love | Sangre Negra
Alumnus: Casey Mcbeath
Program: Film 2012
Career Path: Cinematographer
Notable Projects: The Mercenary | Casey Film Education
Alumnus: Christian Garrido
Program: Film 2019
Service: U.S. Marine Corps
Career Path: Entrepreneur /Camera Department
Notable Projects: Hollywood Critics Award – 25th Critics’ Choice Awards Monogamy | Shameless | Westworld | Borat 2 | Jackass 4 | Veteran Entertainment Network
Alumnus: George Ohan
Program: Film 2012 | Entertainment Business 2014
Service: U.S. Army
Career Path: Producer, Marketing, Public Relations and Communications professional
Notable Projects: Fulton Film Company, West Africa
Alumnus: Lyvell Gipson
Program: Film 2011
Service: U.S. Army | Purple Heart Award
Career Path: Director | Photographer
Notable Projects: Crazy Woke Asians Video | Los Angeles Riots to Peaceful Protest |
Past Photography Work: P. Diddy | Common | Nas | Lisa Ling | Tina Knowles | Marques Houston
Alumnus: D.J. Haye
Program: Film 2011
Service: U.S. Coast Guard
Notable Projects: DJ and colleagues have been working on the new Nickelodeon sitcom Side Hustle.
Alumnus: Paquita “PQ” Hugues
Program: Film 2014
Service: U.S. Army Reserves and U.S. Navy
Career Path: Key Assistant Location Manager at Hulu
Notable Projects: Perry Mason | Little Fires Everywhere
Alumnus: Christian Leyva
Program: Film 2019
Service: U.S. Navy
Career Path: Camera crew | Tactical advisor | Content Producer
Notable Projects/Clients: Nipsey Hussle, Hustle and Motivate Music | Eladio Carrion x Duki x Smokepurpp ft. Hide Miyabi – GELATO | Neighborhood Watch app
Alumnus: Ralph Lucchese
Program: Film 2019
Service: U.S. Air Force
Career Path: Production Assistant | filmmaker
Notable Projects: Star Trek: Picard | Billions | Mad for Love
Alumnus: David Mansanalez
Program: Film 2014 | Entertainment Business 2016
Service: U.S. Army
Career Path: Filmmaker
Notable Projects/Accolades: 2019 HBO Latino Short Film Competition Award | Best Film at the 2019 Official Latino Film Festival | HBO’s Slipping Into Darkness | The Secrets of the 33rd Parallel | Red Table Talk
Alumnus: Pedro L. Partida
Program: Film 2019
Service: Army
Career Path: Editor
Notable Projects: Estrella TV (Burbank Studio) | Cierre de Edicion (National News)
Alumna: Jennifer Pirante
Program: Film 2019
Service: U.S. Marine Corps
Career Path: Producer
Notable Projects: Andromeda | Nominated for 3 Emmys and won a PROMAX Gold Award
Alumnus: Davis Chris
Program: Music 2017
Service: U.S. Navy
Career Path: Co-founder of DFD Music
Notable Projects/Artists: DFD Music | 3X Multi-Genre Billboard Charting Artist & Producer Yo Gotti | Young Dolph | Boosie | Club Godzilla | Project Pat | Moneybagg Yo | YRN Duke Deuce
Alumnus: Shane Foster
Program: Entertainment Business 2017
Career Path: Co-founder of DFD Music
Notable Projects/Artists: DFD Music | 3X Multi-Genre Billboard Charting Artist & Producer Yo Gotti | Young Dolph | Boosie | Club Godzilla | Project Pat | Moneybagg Yo | YRN Duke Deuce
Alumna: Yolanda Benning (FRANKIE)
Program: Recording 2015 | Entertainment Business 2017
Service: U.S. Army
Career Path: Founder / Producer / Branding / Camera / Sound Editor
Notable Projects: iamYBenning Multi-Media Group | Sprk Global Network |Real Film Productions Llc | The Fems La Show | PaCity Clerk Campaign | The Pan African Film Festival
Alumnus: Mario Taylor
Program: Film 2014
Service: U.S. Navy
Career Path: Rapper, Singer, Songwriter
Notable Projects/Clients: Quavo | Anderson .Paak | Dr. Dre | The Art of Rap Tour with Ice T | Sada Baby | Jim Jones | Marvin Gaye Biopic Soundtrack | Grand Theft Auto Soundtrack | M DOT Taylor debut album
Alumna: Kierra Graves
Program: Entertainment Business 2015
Service: U.S. Navy
Career Path: Writer/Producer
Notable Projects: A Secret In the Woods | The Root of Things
Alumnus: Raymond Lott
Program: Music Production 2016
Service: U.S. Marine Corps
Career Path: Rapper
Notable Projects: WORLD WAR CYPHER (FEAT. SHAGGY)
Alumnus: Matt Cavanaugh
Program: Film 2013 | Recording Arts 2015
Service: U.S. Air Force
Career Path: Sound Designer
Notable Projects: Godzilla King of the Monsters | Bumblebee | Sonic The Hedgehog | Avocado Toast | Jungle Cruise | Quiet Place II
Alumnus: Ruddy Anthony Salazar
Program: Recording Arts 2013
Service: U.S. Marine Corps
Career Path: Production Assistant | Filmmaker
Notable Projects: Spontaneous | To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You | The Perfect Date | The Curse of la Llorona | I Am the Night | Pen15
Alumnus: Joshua Harris
Program: Animation 2012
Service: U.S. Marine Corps
Career Path: Art Lead
Notable Projects: GreenPark Sports | Blizzard Entertainment
Alumnus: Derek Hultquist
Program: Animation 2013
Service: U.S. Air Force
Career Path: Visual Effects | Senior Layout/Environment Artist at Lightstorm Entertainment
Notable Projects: Avatar 2 | Avatar 3 | Ant-Man | Jurassic World | San Andreas | Mad Max: Fury Road | Avengers: Age of Ultron | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Guardians of The Galaxy
Alumnus: Marlon Rivas
Program: Animation 2015
Service: U.S. Army
Career Path: Visual Effects Artist
Notable Projects: Avatar 2 | Star Girl | Cosmos: Possible World | The Way Back | Doolittle | Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw | Zombieland: Double Tap | My Spy | Legion | Spider-Man: Far From Home
Alumnus: Oscar Garcia
Program: Entertainment Business 2014
Service: U.S. Marine Corps
Career Path: Filmmaker
Notable Projects: Fulton Film Company
