Film and Video students take home Capital Emmy Student Production Awards

Students from George Mason University’s Film and Video Studies Program collaborated in the classroom to create films that earned them their first Capital Emmy Student Production Awards. These awards, sponsored by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, recognize outstanding achievement in video production in the region.  

“I knew I loved editing my whole life. When I was a little kid, I thought ‘I'm going to be a famous YouTuber and make videos,’” said senior film major Xavier Jimenez, who received an award in the commercial category for “Media Production Program: Behind the Scenes.” 

“It wasn't until my senior year [in high school] that I realized editing kind of falls into film, and I started researching more about videography and cinematography,” said Jimenez, who has a minor in photography. 

During his junior year, Jimenez took COMM 358 Multi-Camera Studio Production with Department of Communication instructor David Miller at the Student Video Center. 

“That semester was my first time meeting Professor Miller. I showed him some of my previous video work of our basketball and soccer teams, and asked if I could borrow the Sony FX3 camera,” explained Jimenez, who also creates content for George Mason Athletics.  

Miller was thoroughly impressed by Jimenez’s videography skills, permitting him to use the new camera on the condition that he create a “behind-the-scenes” promotional video for the course aimed at prospective students. This project, directed, shot, and edited by Jimenez with Miller’s guidance, ultimately earned him his first Emmy Award.   

“I always tell my students that the only prerequisites for my course are curiosity and hard work. I noticed that right away in Xavier,” said David Miller, who is the media production coordinator in the Department of Communication.  “Honestly, Xavier appears to have an innate talent, and giving him additional challenges and opportunities will only help him reach new heights—he’s just that good.” 

The promotional video was finalized in May 2024, and Miller submitted it to be considered for the award. 

George Mason alumnus Mauricio Alarcon, BA Film and Video Studies ’24, also received a Capital Emmy Student Production Award in the Fiction-Long Form category for his film “La Vida.”  

He wrote and directed the film under the guidance of his supervisor, Film and Video Studies professor Thomas Britt. Alarcon created the film across three semesters involving two courses: FAVS 498 Development for Senior Project and FAVS 499: Senior Project. 

“I wrote about 10 drafts of the script with Professor Britt and I received meaningful feedback every time,” said Alarcon. “It was nice to always have him in my corner supporting and reassuring me that I could do it. He helped me make sure the story could be told in the most impactful way.” 

Britt, whose guidance covered everything from the initial script draft to the final sound mix, said he was proud, but not surprised by Alarcon winning an Emmy Student Production Award. 

“It was a pleasure to work with Mauricio across three semesters on this project,” said Britt. “His vision for the film was strong from the beginning, so much of what I did was intended to help him bring that to the screen without losing his enthusiasm or purpose for the film.”  

Alarcon has many excellent qualities, said Britt, but one that stands out is his follow-through. 

“At every stage of the filmmaking process, he showed that he could deliver on that ambition, so he always backed up his goals with results that meant he did not have to compromise,” Britt said. 

Alarcon’s film centers on a 17-year-old boy named Jorge who is the son of immigrants and whose aspirations to make his high school soccer team are halted by his father’s sudden absence and having to take care of his younger sister, Alarcon said. 

“I wanted to diversify the Latino American narratives. The Latino population in the DMV is primarily Central American, meaning El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. I was lucky enough to work with Xavier, who's also El Salvadoran, as assistant camera,” said Alarcon, who minored in global affairs. 

Alarcon’s film crew was made up of fellow film majors who he met during his time in the program. He was able to secure his locations through connections in the Arlington community, filming at his elementary school and local apartments buildings, as well as on George Mason’s soccer fields. 

“La Vida” was shown at the Mason Film Festival, the Georgia Latino Film Festival, International Kolkata Short Film Festival, and the Chandler International Film Festival. 

Alarcon, who hopes to continue telling Latin American narratives, is currently in grad school at Loyola Marymount University studying film and television production.