Full Sail University graduates once again made their mark on television this year, with more than 190 alumni credited across more than 170 projects nominated at the 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Spanning 94 award categories, the Emmy-nominated projects credited the work of graduates from programs including Film, Recording Arts, and Entertainment Business.
More than a dozen grads were also nominated for their own Emmy awards, including Eric Kovtun, who was Executive Producer on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series), John Pitron as Production Mixer on The Amazing Race (Outstanding Reality Competition Program), and Jeffrey Roy and Marc Fishman as part of the sound mixing team on The Last of Us (Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series).
Other grads recognized in the Outstanding Sound Mixing category include Jamison Rabbe (Production Mixer – The White Lotus), Patrick Christensen (ADR Mixer – The Bear), and Trino Madriz (ADR Mixer – Shrinking). In total, 13 graduates received individual nominations, contributing to shows including The Pitt, Love, Death, and Robots, and Secret Level.
From Outstanding Drama Series nominees like Andor, Paradise, and Severance to Outstanding Comedy Series noms for Abbott Elementary and The Studio, some of the year’s most celebrated television had Full Sail graduates in roles that included lighting, visual effects, sound editing, and more. Grads also contributed to nominees in categories like Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series The Penguin, Black Mirror and Outstanding Television Movie The Gorge, and Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.
Full Sail grads also contributed to projects spanning animation, comedy, and unscripted series, including titles like Arcane, The Righteous Gemstones, What We Do In The Shadows, Love is Blind, and more.
Full Sail’s level of industry presence is a result of the way it prepares its students for careers in the film and television industry.
“Full Sail’s unique, hands-on approach to education is unique in that it is structured to emulate the real-world experience,” says Rick Ramsey, Full Sail’s Education Director of Visual Arts. Students train in facilities that mirror professional environments, with access to soundstages, professional-grade cameras and lenses, a Hollywood-style backlot, a Dolby-certified Dub stage, and a virtual production studio. “Our students have access to hardware and software recommended by our Program Advisory Committee, and production days follow industry standards with 12-hour days.”
Networking is another cornerstone of the student experience. Full Sail often welcomes professional productions, including recent partnerships with WWE’s Raw Classics, Orlando City Soccer, and Coca-Cola. Students also collaborate across degree programs, working together on cross-platform projects like virtual production shoots where 3D Arts students design environments and film students adapt them for use on set.
“This type of cross-platform networking allows students from varying degrees to see how their skills interact with other programs, thus expanding post-graduation opportunities for employment,” adds Rick.
Combined with career readiness courses and lifelong career development services, these opportunities give graduates the tools and connections needed to thrive in a competitive industry.