July 2023
I want to start by wishing everyone a happy summer break! I want to extend my congratulations to those who have recently graduated. This is an outstanding milestone, and I don’t doubt you are destined for greatness.
This edition of Storyteller is full of exciting stories, accomplishments, and features that highlight the incredible work form our students, graduates, and instructors.
You will find out more about Children's Media graduate Khalila Brooks who has a new children's show, "Aunty B's House," set to premiere on CBC Kids this fall, Professional Writing - Communications Instructor Kelly McConvey, who recently travelled to Germany to present her team's research, Public Relations students and their remarkable campaigns, which earned them several awards at this year's Canadian Public Relations Society ACE awards, inspiring grad profiles that showcase the impressive careers our graduates have embarked upon, and so much more!
I hope you thoroughly enjoy this edition of the Storyteller newsletter. It is a testament to the talent and achievements of our School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design community! I wish you all a rejuvenating summer and look forward to what's ahead!
CHILDREN’S MEDIA GRADUATE'S SHOW, AUNTY B’S HOUSE, LANDS ON CBC
Exciting news! CBC has picked up a fantastic preschool show called Aunty B's House, brought to life by Khalilah Brooks, a graduate of our Children's Media program.
This live-action children's series is centred around Aunty B, a foster mom, and her three foster children. Each of the 20 seven-minute episodes focuses on an important topic that Khalilah says can apply to children whether they are in or have experienced foster care. For instance, one episode highlights one of the children losing a tooth, something all children experience. However, the episode sheds light on what that experience might be like for a child in a foster home, as the child is worried about the tooth fairy finding them.
Aunty B is a character Khalilah created many years ago for her travelling live performance turned YouTube series, Aunty B & Friends. The charisma, authenticity, and enthusiasm that Khalilah brought to her role as Aunty B during that time extend to her character now in Aunty B's House, and we are thrilled for Khalilah and her incredible accomplishment.
"Anybody that wants to get into media, children's media specifically, definitely should be attending the Children's Media program. There's no doubt about it." Khalilah shares.“If I hadn't attended Children's Media, I would not be here today. I know that for sure.”
The series will be available on CBC Kids and CBC Gem in the fall.
PR STUDENTS WIN FIVE AWARDS AT THE ACHIEVING COMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE (ACE) Awards
We are proud to announce that students from our Public Relations - Corporate Communications program took home FIVE awards at the annual Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards ceremony in the student category for their work in their Storyworks class with not-for-profit organizations.
Positive Pet Parent was the campaign that won ACE Student Communications Campaign of the Year. Students worked with the Toronto Humane Society to create a media campaign to bring awareness to the rise in the number of pets being abandoned in GTA parks post-pandemic.
Do Supm Toronto won ACE Student Communications Plan of the Year. Working with Heritage Toronto, students launched a three-week campaign on social media to encourage those living in Toronto to visit and engage with the Little Jamaica community.
My Grandmother Taught Me won the ACE Student Communications Plan and Student Communications Campaign of the Year. Working with the Grandmother Project, students created a campaign to encourage Canadians to recognize the influential roles diverse grandmothers contribute to communities in Canada and Africa.
Congratulations to the winners, including Rohalea Morris, the 2023 CPRS Student of the Year Award recipient! We are immensely proud of the remarkable efforts displayed by all the students in our PR program. We know their unwavering dedication and hard work will pave the way for even more remarkable accomplishments as they forge ahead in their careers.
NEVILLE CLARKE SELECTED TO SEND ARTWORK FOR THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III
Seven prominent watercolour artists in Canada were selected to send artwork for the coronation of King Charles III on May 6th, and Neville Clarke, an instructor in our Fine Arts Studio program, was among the seven!
Neville shares, "Being part of this group is amazing. [It is] a great honour to be included on this special occasion and to contribute to such a major historical event. The painting will be an acquisition for the Royal Trust Collection at Windsor Castle, where many great works of art are kept and curated."
Neville's First Time Meeting King Charles III
During Neville's presidency of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC) from 2001 to 2003, he presented a juried selection of 15 watercolour paintings by CSPWC members to King Charles III. The paintings were added to the Royal Collection alongside 60 existing works.
Neville shares that King Charles III, an accomplished watercolourist himself, enthusiastically engaged with each artist and later invited them to his Highgrove Home in Gloucestershire. During the visit, the King showcased his own watercolour paintings from various countries, which was the first time a group of artists were invited to view the King's work.
The gifting of the painting for the King’s Coronation came about during a conversation between the (CSPWC) Royal Collection organizer and the Head of Prints and Drawings at Windsor Castle, who Neville says seemed delighted about a possible gift of watercolour paintings from Canada. That led to information being sent out asking Neville's involvement along with six other artists.
Congratulations Neville!
The image to the left is the painting Neville created for the Coronation.
PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM TAKES PART IN THE SCOTIABANK CONTACT PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL
1,2,3,4,5 Human Senses was the exhibit students in our Photography program put together at this year's CONTACT Photography Festival. From May 24–31, the exhibit was on display at Billy Bishop Airport and then later at Sherway Gardens from June 8-15.
Joseph Marranca, Program Coordinator and Instructor in the program, says the exhibit explored what we as humans sense. "By trying to think of the human senses as more than the obvious, we tried to show images that can lead someone to think about a sense from a different angle," he explains.
Sara Delves, a student in the program, shares, "Participating in the festival was both an exciting and challenging experience. Taking part was a great balance of technical practice and being able to express my creativity in my own way. Being able to showcase my work in not one, but two public spaces so early in my career has been an amazing opportunity that I am so grateful to be a part of."
GRAD PROFILE
Sara Koonar
Sara Koonar, a 2009 graduate of our Journalism program, is the President of Platform Media & Management Inc,, a successful Canadian Influencer Marketing agency that represents a talented roster of influencers.
"What I appreciated most about my Journalism program was its emphasis on hands-on learning and the intimate classroom setting. The program allowed me to gain real-life experience in the field and apply what we were learning to real-world situations. With a smaller class size, I had the privilege of developing closer relationships with my teachers and classmates, fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment," she shares.
After graduating, Sara launched her digital magazine and later became editor-in-chief at a digital media company. From there, she founded her own influencer marketing and content-creation company in 2016.
"My background in working at an online magazine gave me a solid grasp of the digital landscape, which was crucial when I noticed a gap in the Canadian market for an influencer talent agency in 2016, during the early stages of the influencer phenomenon in the country. Recognizing this need, I eagerly seized the opportunity, knowing that my unique skill set allowed me to advocate for content creators and bridge the gap between them and advertisers," she explains.
CENTENNIAL GRADUATES PRODUCE AWARD-WINNING PILOT: THE DIRECTOR
Jared Valkki, a graduate of our Broadcasting—Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program and Script to Screen–Advanced Television and Film program, brought his ideas to life to create the pilot episode of his show, The Director, which has been awarded Best TV Pilot at the Toronto Independent Film Festival of CIFT.
The Director is a comedy mockumentary series that Jared says pays homage to B-movies and notoriously bad and eccentric directors. The idea of the series has been in development for nearly a decade, and receiving this award is an exciting achievement. It also provides motivation as they seek additional funding and grants to bring the show to fruition and produce the first season.
"It began as a series of short web sketches initially made in 2014. During that time, I was a student in the Broadcasting and Film program. After many years, I kept receiving feedback that the idea had a lot of comedy potential and should be revisited. From 2018-2022, I began developing a pilot script and show ideas," he explains.
In September 2022, Jared says the team crowdfunded and shot a full pilot episode in the TV studio at the Story Arts Centre. He shares,“The campus helped us with the space and provided gear for the project, which we are extremely grateful for.”
Numerous Centennial graduates have actively participated in the creation of this series. Among them are Script to Screen graduates Navneet Virdi and Deep Desai, who served as producers. Additionally, other talented graduates took on diverse roles such as sound recordist, production coordinator, gaffer, and more, adding their unique expertise to the project.
GRAD PROFILE
Meng-Ke Hsieh
From a young age, Meng-Ke Hsieh, a two-time Centennial graduate, was passionate about exploring the media industry. Growing up in a generation surrounded by technology, television, and computers, Meng-Ke’s passion for art and desire to become an artist, whether as a painter, filmmaker, or photographer, helped him navigate his next steps.
This passion led to our Communications and Media Fundamentals program. This launching pad allowed him to learn various aspects of media and communications and paved the way for him to enrol in the Photography program.
The programs helped Meng-Ke prepare for his career by connecting him with professionals outside of school. For instance, in the Storyworks component of the Photography program, Meng-Ke worked with fashion designer Izzy Camilleri to photograph for her brand, IZ Adaptive – a clothing line designed for individuals with physical disabilities. Meng-Ke also had the opportunity to photograph at Nuit Blanche, which the Story Arts Centre took part in.
GRAD PROFILE
Justin Serran
Justin Serran, a graduate of our Broadcasting - Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program, is a Content Creator and Video Editor who started his own company and YouTube channel.
With a combined Youtube, TikTok, and Instagram following of more than 100k, Justin shares content on video editing techniques, industry-related news, and more.
"I originally started content creation, or just making videos in general, to film my friends and me skateboarding at 11 years old, which led me to start editing that footage. It just snowballed from there. I originally had a YouTube channel for my skateboarding content back in the day, and decided to start a new one about five years ago to focus on video editing content amongst a few other things like travel, etc.," he explains.
As Justin reflects on his time in the program at Centennial, he points to the editing course, as he says it established some of the editing skills he uses running his post-production agency and being a full-time editor. Additionally, Justin says, "I really enjoyed the internship portion of our program, which gave us real-world experience, and in my case, even led to a solid job right out of the program."
Stay tuned for an upcoming episode of our podcast Storyteller In-Depth. Justin will be a guest to discuss video editing and how artificial intelligence plays a role in his work today.
GRAD PROFILE
Jun Kim
2022 graduate of our Broadcasting - Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program Jun Kim has dreamt of becoming a storyteller since he was young. His extensive travels throughout his life have exposed him to diverse people and situations, greatly influencing the person he has become.
The Broadcasting program has been instrumental in developing his skills and capabilities. He says he finds the program particularly captivating due to its strong connection to the industry and the teachers who go the extra mile to connect students with professionals and organizations. Jun says this program's hands-on approach holds more value than simply studying from textbooks.
Currently working as a colorist at Noodle Factory Post, Jun is entrusted with the final stages of picture post-production. His responsibilities include EOTF management, colour correction, colour grading, and final packaging. The nature of Jun's work varies depending on the specific project, encompassing feature documentaries, short films, feature films, music videos and TV shows.
PROGRAM PROFILE
ARTS MANAGEMENT Q&A
The Arts Management Graduate Certificate program helps prepare students for a career in the evolving arts and cultural industry.
This one-year post-graduate program provides mentorship and networking opportunities, a seven-week placement, the chance to organize a student-led professional arts symposium called Arts Ahead, and more. Course material is taught by experienced faculty who work in the industry, which is a significant plus for students looking for work.
Rebecca Peirson, the Program Coordinator, shares, "The training that the program offers is needed more now than ever as the industry evolves, grows, and morphs into requiring arts workers trained in the foundations such as arts marketing, fundraising, financial management, government relations, policy, arts education and more."
She adds, "The industry needs engaged arts workers who are knowledgeable about city planning and development, and the complexities of community needs and how the arts fit into the community and vice versa. It is common practice now for hiring arts organizations to require a post-graduate arts management credential as we offer at Centennial."
ARTS MANAGEMENT STUDENTS ATTEND EMERGING ARTS LEADERS SYMPOSIUM
With the help of Centennial College's SAGE, Rebecca Peirson, Program Coordinator of our Arts Management program, took four students (now graduates) to Washington for the Emerging Arts Leaders Symposium at American University in March.
This symposium, similar to the Arts Ahead Symposium run by the Arts Management students every year, allowed the students to learn more about the arts sector in the United States, connect with the organizing students, and bring home some ideas for improving Arts Ahead. While they were only there briefly, they were also able to make some incredible stops, including the Smithsonian Museums.
Reid, who attended the symposium, shares, "The entire trip was extremely engaging as we could attend a symposium similar to the one that we had just put on, but on a larger stage. Making contacts and connections from all over the USA was an incredible way to increase our network as we moved on into working in the arts."
KELLY MCCONVEY ATTENDS CHI CONFERENCE IN HAMBURG, GERMANY
Kelly McConvey, the Program Coordinator and Instructor in our Professional Writing – Communications program, attended the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computer Systems--a prestigious annual conference that unites researchers and practitioners globally on the topic of Human-Computer Interaction.
Kelly, who is pursuing her Ph.D. in Human-Centered Algorithm Design, and her co-authors submitted their research paper for peer review in September 2022 to be considered for the conference. After making it through the first round of submissions for revision, the paper was selected in January 2023. This meant that only four months later, Kelly could attend the conference and present the findings from the paper.
During the conference, Kelly presented her and her co-authors' research paper to a room full of attendees. "It was so nice to feel part of a community in-person again. I think the most memorable part for me was the feeling of being surrounded by such an impressive group of people who all share the same interest, and maybe even concern, that I do about the technologies and algorithms that have become so ubiquitous in our lives," she shares.
Stay tuned--Kelly was a guest on our podcast Storyteller In-Depth where she shares insight into how artificial intelligence plays a role in the writing industry.
GRAD PROFILE
Steven Bidwell
Steven Bidwell, a 2021 Film and Television – Business (FTVB) program graduate, began a career in the entertainment industry a few decades ago. From attending the Acting for Film & Television program at the Vancouver Film School to moving to New York City, where he attended Circle in Square Theatre School, Steven’s journey has taken him through various creative endeavours, including producing cabarets and charity events upon graduating.
Steven sought to broaden his production knowledge in the Canadian film industry. He explored graduate programs and discovered the FTVB program at Centennial.
During his time in the program, Steven participated in a Storyworks project with Border2Border Entertainment, where he helped put together a funding package for the Bell Fund for the show Drag Heals.
"I was excited about the project, but it was also very cool to then work on the show itself and to see its release. Seeing something through from the early stages is very rewarding," he shares. Steven's work within the Storyworks project is something he continues to do now, as he says every project needs new documentation for new applications and pitches.
GRAD PROFILE
Shantia Cross
What started as watching user experience (UX) videos on YouTube at 2 a.m. after just quitting her retail job eventually turned into Shantia pursuing our Interactive Media Management (IMMT) program, which she graduated from in 2021.
After completing her journalism degree at TMU, Shantia pursued the IMMT program to enhance her skills and quickly adapt to the changing job market. "What I liked about the IMMT program was the different courses they offered in the program that gave you a little bit of everything. It helped me become a well-rounded UX professional," she adds.
As a Content Strategist at BMO, Shantia works on reviewing public-facing website copy and is involved in several redesigns for the BMO site. She expresses gratitude to the program's professors for their knowledge, which she shares has elevated her career and encourages continuous learning.
"If you're not sure about where you'd want to start or how to start, then start with this program. Each class taught me something valuable that I use today in my career and it has helped me better understand how to work with my stakeholders, fellow strategists, designers and developers."
THE 2023 DONNY AWARDS
The Donny Awards took an exciting turn this year, with a record number of entries and a new approach to the evening’s festivities that took place on May 24th.
The Donny Awards are the College’s annual celebration of student work from the School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design (SCMAD). The Awards are named in honour of founder and retired faculty member Don Gray.
This year, the producing team for the Donny Awards, Broadcasting faculty members Karen Shopsowitz, Ognen Georgievski and Jim Lambie, decided they needed a student host. They were also toying with creating a short promo piece to showcase the awards. Why not combine the two?
Sammy Hosts the Donnys was born. The idea was pitched, and once it was greenlit, a script was written, and a student production team was assembled, composed of 4th and 5th-semester students from the Broadcasting program. They dove straight into prep and, with the expertise gained from their production classes, brought the production in on time and on budget!
It was filmed over two days, one of which was at the Story Arts Centre (SAC). There are numerous guest appearances, including one from our Dean, Nate Horowitz! Can you spot the others?
The short film was screened before the awards presentation at the Royal Cinema. The idea was to bring some context to the audience, introduce the Story Arts Centre to see our students at work, and further showcase the talents of those same students. It was a hit and a great night.
Heron Sculpture
Our pond got an upgrade this spring with the addition of a beautiful heron sculpture. The heron sculpture made its way to us through a kind benefactor, Peter Murchison, who donated the sculpture in memory of his partner Stephen Brancati.
The sculpture was added earlier this year, and the pond has come to life for the season, making the heron look right at home. Plans are underway to add a memorial plaque to commemorate this generous donation.
STORYTELLER IN-DEPTH PASSES 10 EPISODES!
Our podcast, Storyteller In-Depth, has already featured incredible students, graduates and faculty. We are thrilled that we have published 11 episodes so far. We can't wait to share even more great stories and topics in the coming episodes.
You can find our podcast on your favourite podcast listening platform, or click the link below to take you directly to our episodes.
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