Five Alumni Join The Los Angeles Film School’s Prestigious Spotlight Academy

Inductees for the 5^th annual awards ceremony include Emmy nominees and other leaders in the film, animation, and audio industries

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Los Angeles Film School (L.A. Film School) hosted its 5th annual Spotlight Awards ceremony last night, celebrating the Spotlight Academy Class of 2024. This distinguished honor is reserved for the L.A. Film School’s most accomplished alumni and the event showcased the remarkable journeys of these individuals who have made significant strides in the film, animation, and audio industries. Each Spotlight Award recipient was presented with the award at the Ivar Theatre by an influential person in their life.

The newest inductees to The Los Angeles Film School Spotlight Academy include: 

• Joshua Gitersonke (Film 2007): A director of photography and Steadicam operator, Joshua Gitersonke has worked on “The Amazing Race” and National Geographic’s “Race to the Center of the Earth.” He has been nominated for a 2024 individual Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program. He previously won an Emmy in 2019 for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork. This year’s Emmy nomination marks his 11th overall.
• James Cotten (Film 2001): With more than 25 years in the industry, award-winning filmmaker James Cotten has directed and produced numerous films, including the hit “La Linea.” He operates two post-production facilities and has more than 50 VFX-producing credits, including “Pitch Perfect” and “Extraction 2.”
• Marlon Rivas (Animation 2015): An immigrant and veteran, Marlon Rivas is a visualization generalist who has contributed to films like “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” “Aquaman,” and “Zombieland.” After his military service, he pursued his passion for film at The L.A. Film School, earning both associate and bachelor’s degrees.
• Mehrnaz Mohabati (Audio 2014): Mehrnaz Mohabati, a skilled ADR mixer, has collaborated with actors such as Al Pacino and Willem Dafoe. Her work has earned her industry recognition, including an MPSE Golden Reel Award nomination and an AAAA Best Sound award.
• Peter Munters (Audio 2014, Entertainment Business 2015): Former singer for Over It and Runner Runner, Peter Munters has made his mark as an audio engineer and casting director for animation and video games. He has received Daytime Emmy nominations and won a Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Award.

This special ceremony is a collaborative effort, put on by students for students, and by alumni for alumni. Many aspects of the event – including production and direction – are led by students and faculty from all departments of The L.A. Film School, with alumni also contributing their expertise throughout the week. Together, they ensure the tradition continues, celebrating each other’s achievements and paving the way for future graduates. This year’s ceremony is particularly significant as The L.A. Film School celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall.

“The L.A. Film School is proud to reach this milestone and to continue shaping the industry by redefining film, animation, and audio,” said Jackie Otero, alumni relations manager. “Our alumni community includes more than 15,000 graduates across all 50 states and spans 67 countries, from Argentina to Zimbabwe. Collectively, our alumni’s collective credits exceed 120 Oscar-winning films, 500 Emmy-winning series, and 575 Gold, Platinum, and Diamond records. They are the best mentors we could possibly offer to our current students.”

About The Spotlight Academy

Through a detailed review from an organizational-wide committee of staff and faculty, L.A. Film School’s 2024 Spotlight Academy Class and Spotlight Award recipients were selected from hundreds of potential candidates. This honor reflects their commitment to their craft, their notable achievements in career milestones and the ways they inspire the next generation of L.A. Film School students.

About The Los Angeles Film School

The Los Angeles Film School is an accredited higher education institution located in the heart of Hollywood. The school has served the community and its students since 1999 and offers entertainment-focused bachelor of science degrees in Animation, Audio Production, Digital Filmmaking, Entertainment Business, Film Production, Graphic Design, Media Communications, Music Production and Writing for Film & TV; and associate of science degrees in Audio Production, Music Production, and Film. The campus facilities include the historic RCA Building at 6363 Sunset Boulevard and the studios at 6690 Sunset Blvd., where students have access to industry-standard equipment, editing labs, dub stages, and recording studios. 

The school’s faculty of industry professionals have earned credits on major motion pictures, video games, and music recordings. Numerous alumni have received awards at film festivals worldwide, engineered multi-platinum selling albums, and some credits include GRAMMY and Oscar nominations and wins. The school is a VA-approved institution and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).

For more information about The Los Angeles Film School, please visit: lafilm.edu or call 323.860.0789.

SOURCE The Los Angeles Film School