From Happy Gilmore 2 to Euphoria: L.A. Film School Alumni in Production and Post
L.A. Film School Alumni Behind Happy Gilmore 2 and Feature Films
In addition to Spotlight Academy member and director Kyle Newacheck (Film 2004), two other L.A. Film School alumni contributed to the success of Happy Gilmore 2. Spotlight Academy member Marlon Rivas (Animation 2015) worked as a Postvisualization Artist, while Matt Cavanaugh (Film 2015) served as a Sound Effects Editor. Cavanaugh also added credits as Sound Editor on Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club and as Sound Effects Editor on the reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Rivas’ recent work also includes Superman, where he collaborated with Adrienne Bugbee (Film 2010), who served as a Key Assistant Location Manager.
Alumni Contributions to F1: The Movie and The Naked Gun
Chunning Chang (Film 2013) was a Production Assistant on both F1: The Movie and The Naked Gun. Fellow alum Sofia Ochoa (Film 2013) also contributed to both films as a Key Assistant Location Manager. Spotlight Academy member Brandon Trost (Film 2000) brought his expertise as cinematographer on The Naked Gun, further highlighting the strong alumni presence in major productions.
VFX Alumni Bring The Wizard of Oz to Life at the Sphere Las Vegas
Julia Ruscio (Animation 2023) is lending her VFX artistry to the new Wizard of Oz show which premiered at the Sphere in Las Vegas. This ambitious reimagining of the 1939 classic transforms the film into an immersive experience across a 160,000-square-foot LED wall- spanning three football fields and rising 22 stories high- complete with wind and debris effects to replicate the iconic twister.
Camera Work by Alumni on Marty Supreme and Motor City
Alec Nickel (Film 2014) is credited as 1st Camera Assistant on the upcoming Marty Supreme, an American sports adventure comedy-drama starring and co-produced by Timothée Chalamet. Nickel also took on the same role for Motor City, a gritty 1970s-set crime drama.
L.A. Film School Alumni in Production and Post-Production Roles
Jessica Bail (aka Jessica Bolton, Film 2009) is credited as an Associate Producer on Alien: Earth. Her career also includes previous work as Post-Production Coordinator and Supervisor on the award-winning TV series Fargo.
Joshua Bramer (Film 2010) is currently filming the new season of Euphoria as Property Master, after recently contributing to Freakier Friday in the same role.
Casting and ADR Highlights from Alumni in Television
Shelby Holt (Film 2012) recently worked as a Casting Associate on the newest season of The Summer I Turned Pretty and the series The Hunting Wives. Spotlight Academy member Mehrnaz Mohabati (Recording Arts 2014) also contributed to The Hunting Wives as an ADR Mixer, showcasing the depth of alumni talent in television production.
Celebrating Emmy-Winning Alumni
We also salute all our alumni whose dedication, creativity, and hard work were spotlighted at the 2025 Emmy Awards, where alumni from L.A. Film School contributed to 18 Emmy wins across multiple productions, including a standout achievement by Jesse Sternbaum for The Studio.
For those interested in learning more about where our alumni have been, what they’re doing now, and how they continue to shape the entertainment industry, check out our Alumni page.