Winners of the Dolby Institute x Ghetto Film School Filmmaker Challenge: Finish the Script 2021 Announced

SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK, Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB), a leader in immersive entertainment experiences and award-winning nonprofit Ghetto Film School (GFS) today announced the winners of the Dolby Institute x Ghetto Film School Filmmaker Challenge: Finish the Script 2021. The competition challenged GFS alumni ages 18—35 to create an original short film proposal in response to a creative prompt from award-winning filmmaker Carlos López Estrada (Blindspotting, Raya and the Last Dragon). This year’s winners include filmmakers representing four different projects Alejandra Araujo, Eleanor Cho, Christian Osagiede, and Antonio Salume and Amy B. Tiong. The winning projects will each receive a $25,000 grant to fund the production costs of their short films, as well as mentorship throughout the production process from Estrada. In addition, a Dolby team will be available to provide inspiration and guidance to the winners on how to best use the ultravivid color of Dolby Vision and the immersive sound of Dolby Atmos to complete their projects. The winning films are currently expected to be showcased at an exclusive live premiere event in Los Angeles in 2022 and distributed on Dolby and GFS digital platforms to a global audience.

Ghetto Film School’s access to top-tier talent and Dolby’s premiere audiovisual technologies have led the two organizations to an advantageous partnership, pairing diverse storytellers with the industry’s leading innovative technologies to develop impactful stories through motion pictures. Since their original collaboration in 2014, GFS and Dolby have helped bolster the careers of over 8,000 emerging filmmakers annually across the United States. Under this initiative, they’ve successfully upheld their mission to support underrepresented voices, advance the creative industry, and promote an inclusive culture through various programs such as the Finish The Script challenge and the EMERGE! Filmmaking Lab.

“As a previous recipient of the Dolby Institute Fellowship and frequent collaborator with the Ghetto Film School, I am ecstatic to mentor the winning filmmakers of this competition, which intends to create a more equitable future in film by supporting the voices of emerging filmmakers,” said Director Carlos López Estrada.

“It’s inspiring to continue our eight-year partnership with Dolby, where we have provided opportunities to thousands of young visionaries. Through this program, we have created a vessel for innovative storytellers to kickstart their careers as well as gain the necessary knowledge and competitive skillset to succeed in today’s entertainment industry,” said Sharese Bullock Bailey, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer and Principal of SCOPE, the consulting arm of GFS.

“Ghetto Film School provides great opportunities for the next generation of filmmakers to develop their creative voices and learn their craft,” said Dolby Institute Director, Glenn Kiser. “We’re excited to support these young filmmakers with Dolby technology and resources to get their stories out into the world. We’re also thrilled to be working again with Carlos López Estrada, who received the Dolby Institute Fellowship for his movie Blindspotting, to design this year’s challenge and mentor these amazing young filmmakers. We can’t wait to see what they make. See you at the premiere!”

For more information about the Dolby Institute x Ghetto Film School Filmmaker Challenge: Finish the Script 2021 please visit:
https://www.dolby.com/institute/filmmaker-challenge/finish-the-script/ https://www.ghettofilm.org/dolby.

For a press kit, please visit:
https://news.dolby.com/en-WW/media_kits/227633

About the Filmmakers
With Shipped Out, Alejandra Araujo (Jamaica, NY) has presented us with an animated short tale that takes place in a dystopian future and touches on immigration, abuses of power, and the strength of family. A native New Yorker with Colombian roots, Alejandra is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and works as a director and editor.

With Dinner is Ready, Eleanor Cho (Artesia, CA) has served up a story that mixes together the love between mother and daughter, the power of food to bring us closer together, and grief. Eleanor is a Korean-American filmmaker who drew inspiration from her immigrant parents’ hardships to create stories of those underrepresented in film.

Hunted by Christian Osagiede, also known by the artist name “Yami”, (Los Angeles, CA) mines the horror genre to tackle the difficult emotions of fear, disgust, and envy. Christian considers horror to be at it’s best when it depicts physical violence/gore as a conduit for the emotional and social violence we experience in our daily lives. A young filmmaker from Houston with roots in the Niger Delta, Christian Osagiede graduated with honors from Stanford University.

Antonio Salume (Mexico City) and Amy B Tiong (Waterbury, CT)
Take Care Zora shows both the hardships and joys of raising someone with Down syndrome while also weaving in the coming-of-age story of one of the caretaking siblings. Inspired by the work ethic of her immigrant parents, Amy is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she was a Dean’s Scholar. She currently works as a producer's assistant and at Vice Media Group. Antonio grew up in Mexico and has been a visual storyteller since childhood. Also a graduate of Tisch, he now works as a director, writer, and producer.

About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) is based in San Francisco with offices around the globe. From movies and TV shows, to apps, music, sports, and gaming, Dolby transforms the science of sight and sound into spectacular experiences for billions of people worldwide. We partner with artists, storytellers, developers, and businesses to revolutionize entertainment and communications with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, Dolby Cinema, and Dolby.io.

About The Dolby Institute
The Dolby Institute was created to educate, inspire, and empower the next generation of content creators. Through educational programs, strategic partnerships, and direct artist support, we help creatives think critically and creatively about sound and image, unlocking the power of technology to help tell their stories. To learn more about the Dolby Institute Fellowships or Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast, visit https://www.dolby.com/institute/  

Dolby, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, Dolby Cinema, Dolby.io, and the double-D symbol are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.

About GFS
Ghetto Film School (GFS) is an award-winning nonprofit founded in 2000 to educate, develop, and celebrate the next generation of great storytellers. GFS annually serves 8,000 individuals, 14—34 years of age. With locations in New York City (est. 2000), Los Angeles (est. 2014), and London (est. 2020), GFS equips students for top universities and careers in the creative industries through two tracks: the Fellows Program — an introductory education program for high school students, and the Roster — early-career support for alumni and young professionals. Our Fellows Program is a 30-month cinematic storytelling course for high school students. Roster ensures opportunities for GFS alumni and other young professionals so that media professions become accessible to more diverse future generations of visual storytellers. https://www.ghettofilm.org

Media Contacts

Dolby Laboratories
Karen Hartquist
Karen.Hartquist@dolby.com

Ghetto Film School
Alyx Sealy
asealy@hstrategies.com