Film Professor Takes Home First n3D Excellence Award at DIRECTV 3D Film Invitational

Film students at Loyola Marymount University now have a new 3D expert to learn from as one of their professors, filmmaker Vanessa Newell, took home the first-ever n3D Excellence Award, along with $25,000. Newell’s wacky horror/comedy 3D short “Hazelwood,” which follows a genetically altered lab rat that is accidentally let out of its cage, won over the hearts and eyes of the 3D judges at the 2011 DIRECTV n3D™ Film Invitational, Presented by Panasonic, held at the Paley Center For Media on July 20.

"Telling this story in 3D added a new twist for me as a filmmaker,” said Newell. “Being part of the Invitational was an incredible learning opportunity.  I'm looking forward to working more with this exciting technology."

Newell, who wrote and directed the project, collaborated with fellow faculty members Mikael Kreuzriegler, cinematographer, and Kurt Daugherty, production sound.  The film was shot in three days on campus in a Seaver Science Hall lab with a student crew.
 
“Congratulations to Vanessa and her LMU crew,” said Stephen G. Ujlaki, dean of the School.  “The fact that she won this award only reinforces the high caliber of talent we have teaching throughout our program.”


“This invitational really brought out each filmmaker’s true creative spirit and we want to congratulate and thank all of the participants for their dedication and hard work throughout this process,” said Chris Long, senior vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment and Production. “Our ultimate goal going into this venture was to open the door to 3D to those who didn’t have the resources to make films in this medium.   We believe we achieved this goal and had a great experience working with and learning from each participant. DIRECTV remains committed to the category and will continue investing in 3D to help increase consumer adoption around the world.”

The featured filmmakers were selected out of a pool of talented individuals who presented an original, live action short film concept that followed this year’s invitational theme of “Anything is Possible,” to a panel of distinguished judges, which included two-time Emmy® Award-winning director and producer, Paris Barclay (“Sons of Anarchy,” “NYPD Blue”).  The selected filmmakers received 3D camera training and were loaned the latest 3D equipment from Panasonic, participated in Technicolor’s renowned 3D Master Class training and received funding from DIRECTV to create their 3D short films. The winning film will premiere on DIRECTV's exclusive 3D channel, n3D™, powered by Panasonic, this fall.

Newell is an award-winning writer, director and editor, who also teaches film production and editing at Loyola Marymount University. She has edited numerous documentaries that have aired on network and cable television, as well as independent features and many short films, including the Emmy-nominated film “Sway.” As a writer/director, her short films have won awards and screened at film festivals across North America and Europe.