Written by Sadie SwAyze
For all those wondering what our members have been up to, here is your official update! As always, we are all booked and busy!
Grant Morris was hired to be the new General Manager of Emerson Independent Video! He was joined on the board by two other DKA members, Fallon Heelan and Kai Okai-Brown. Fallon is the Deputy General Manager and runs EIV’s development program. Kai is the Marketing Director and runs all official EIV social media pages. EIV is the largest student-run production organization in the United States. Emerson students are able to gain experience on field sets, as well as in-studio. Several DKA members are executive producers on several EIV shows and films last spring, including The Box Score, Boylston Report, The Crickets, and I Love You, Special.
Riley Dewey was in her second semester of being President of Stand Up in the Park! It is Emerson’s largest stand-up comedy group and they do shows every Friday in the Boston Common. Riley also wrote, directed, and produced an independent music film, Battleground State. Several other DeKAs, including Cate Foy (Producer), Elizabeth Fuire (Casting Director), and Bobby Wu (Director of Photography), worked on the project. It premiered in April at a screening on campus.
Fallon Heelan was the Content Executive Producer of the EVVY Awards and plans to return next year! The EVVY’s is the nation’s largest student-run, multi-camera, live awards show. It is modeled after professional awards shows like the Emmys and Oscars. Throughout the year, Emerson students submit their work and it is sent to local and national professional judges. Students working on the EVVY Awards can gain valuable experience in many different fields, whether it’s creative, logistical, or technical. Many DeKAs worked on the EVVY Awards this year with Lily Sexton directing!
Our former President, Baine Avent, was hired to be the director of the FPS Spring Narrative: Episode 51: The Dead Road, Pt. 2. The script was written by fellow DeKA, Maeve Huttner. The story follows a high school teenager, Tina, discovering the dangers of obsession while on a search for the bizarre lost episode of her favorite cult 70s sitcom. It was filmed in late February and is currently in post-production! Jasmine Bonds and Gabbi Hughes executive produced the film and Grant Morris was the director of photography.
We also had two DeKas executive producing an Emerson Channel show! Founded in 1999, Emerson Channel is an award-winning television that is professionally managed and student-run. Our former Vice President, Cate Foy, joined the executive producing team with Sandro Rios on the show, Hit Point Hall, in its second season. Logan Steenbergen executive produced the show in the fall and has since graduated after spending their spring semester in ELA.
Hit Point Hall
Several DeKAs worked on the BA thesis films last spring. Our former Treasurer, John Carrigan, filmed his BA thesis film, Growing Greed, in early February. The film follows a greedy college student who must decide whether or not to fake a negative COVID test for $1000. Former Cinematic Affairs Chair, Alexa Roberts filmed her BA film, Red Dot Special, in late February. It follows a middle school girl as she experiences her first period in the form of a literal monster. Jasmine Bonds was the logistics EP on the film.
Cate Foy is currently preparing to film her BFA thesis, She Sees Ghosts, in the summer. She Sees Ghosts follows an emotionally distant, Diana, as she moves to a new city and struggles to let go of the (literal) ghost from her past. Maddie Kennedy completed her BFA thesis, Ocean’s Rose. It’s a documentary about the life and legacy of conservationist and dive master Ben Rose.
We welcomed a wonderful new class: Sarah Boutelle (2026), Jessi Cassullo (2024), Will Curtis (2024), Lindsay Decker (2024), Ethan Kroes (2024), Gabriel Landeros (2024), Imani Njau (2023), Leila Parker (2024), Avi Scheinberg (2025), Win Scott (2026), Sadie Swayze (2025), Lexica Taylor (2026), Martin Tran (2026), and Amanda Winters (2024).
We are also saying goodbye to many amazing members this semester who are graduating: John Carrigan, Lily Sexton, Maeve Huttner, Tyler Campbell, Ben Peterson, Kolbie Jones, Dylan Scott, Grace Fitzgerald, Abby Matzke, Imani Njau, Trinity Jackson, Michael Hospodarsky, Lela Schroder, Logan Steenbergen, Kevin Desnoyers, Maddie Kennedy, Amanda Lazar, and Ian Jonassen.
Big Little Reveal Spring 2023
As you can see, our Rho chapter members are extremely active members of the Emerson Community. Thanks to the community the Rho chapter has provided all of us, we work together on many different projects!
Spring 2023 Associate Class (Missing Will Curtis)