College Broadcasters, Inc. named Berry College’s student-run multimedia website, Viking Fusion, winner of two national student production awards.
“Ay, Mi Amor,” Viking Fusion’s first bilingual short, was awarded “Best Comedy.” A story about love being “lost in translation,” the film was produced by Rachel Reiff (a 2016 graduate.)
“Wireless Fidelity,” a horror parody produced for Viking Fusion’s 48-hour Film Challenge, placed second in the category.
“I feel like the film is the culmination of both of majors, communication and Spanish, and four years of hard work at Berry and abroad,” Reiff said. “I wrote it for my host mother from Argentina and the other friends I met there. Seeing it recognized nationally is a testament to them and the beautiful country that inspired me.”
“The Studio Awakens,” a parody of the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” trailer, won “Best Vodcast.” The short film was produced by Chris Scott, a senior communication major from Knoxville, Tenn., and Kelsey Merriam (a 2016 graduate), and starred the Viking Fusion staff.
“It’s always great to have your work recognized at this level, but the true joy for me is that this production showcased the true collaborative nature and passion of the Viking Fusion staff,” said Scott, who also directed “Wireless Fidelity.”
Viking Fusion’s promotional video for the broadcast of Berry’s inaugural football game played in Valhalla Stadium, “Welcome to Valhalla,” also was recognized, placing fourth in the “Best Video Station Promo” category. Luke Chandler (a 2016 graduate) produced the video.
“Our staff has worked to take our productions light years from where we started, and it's so exciting to see that hard work pay off,” said Deanna Cunningham, executive director for Viking Fusion and a senior theater major from Franklin, Tenn. “It proves that we should keep pushing the limits and testing ourselves.”
“The Studio Awakens” and “Welcome to Valhalla” were recognized earlier in the year as nominees for Southeast Regional EMMY Awards and are finalists in the College Media Association Pinnacle Awards.
The productions were recognized at the National Student Production Awards annual ceremony as part of the 5th Annual National Student Electronic Media Convention held in Philadelphia this month.
The awards and the convention are sponsored by College Broadcasters, Inc., an organization that represents students involved in electronic media, such as radio, television, webcasting and other related media ventures. Approximately 100 entries out of more than 950 are named finalists across 24 categories.
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Written by Public Relations
