03/10/2026
Interactive Design and Video Production are excited to announce we have SIX student projects nominated for the Crystal Pillar Student Production Awards from the Upper Midwest Emmy Foundation. The awards ceremony will be held on April 10.
Fiction Short Form Content Category
Light Snack
https://youtu.be/oHs0JC3vcJ0?si=dag62XWHsdLOmBoW
Animated by Peter Rudolph, Saadman Maheer, Aidan Lynch, Jack Hinze, John Genco, and Eduardo Dominguez Castillo.
John McCaffrey: Advisor
Fiction Short Form Content Category
The Forest
https://youtu.be/17TYTe19dnQ?si=Za8YvJms4HubsiiF
Kobe Session: Writer, Director, Editor
Additional crew and actors:
Nathan Petersen, Peter Rudolph, Ellie Mae Knudsen, Makizza Rich, Ezekiel Thurston, and Matthew Donath.
John McCaffrey: Advisor
Non-Fiction – Short Form Content Category
Dementia
https://youtu.be/-SpGfzqxX70?si=-_1ZTDHsusz99LcX
Makizza Rich: Director and Editor
Brian Schroeder: Advisor
Interview/Discussion Category
Reel 2 Real: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
https://youtu.be/GDkigFh58lA?si=_5z7lgfeCFMJpaBT
Makizza Rich: Director
Luna Miller: Writer
Jack Kleppe: Host
Ezekiel Thurston: Host
J Kolden: Technical Director
Matt Donath: Audio
Spencer Jones: Video Playback
Grayson Kohout-Spidahl: Audio
Ryan Hall: Advisor
Public Service Announcement (PSA) Category
Fatherhood
https://youtu.be/gaCwzRNEgJo?si=ofAAJHMprQeO0g0L
Ezekiel Thurston: Director
Spencer Jones: Cinematographer
Ava Muehlbauer: Writer
Brian Schroeder: Advisor
Animation/Graphics/Special Effects Craft Category
Light Snack
https://youtu.be/oHs0JC3vcJ0?si=dag62XWHsdLOmBoW
Peter Rudolph: Animator
John McCaffrey: Advisor
Light Snack is the story of an astronaut who has spent too much time alone on his spaceship. In this animated movie the students created all the models and a...
