Students in Focus

Stories That Shape Us
Premiered: December 14, 2024

This week's Students in Focus showcases student storytelling through three distinct lenses: a community spotlight, a sports highlight, and a short film. We also meet Olga Pedraza-Cano, a first-generation student at Salt Lake Community College, who shares with us her path to finding her voice behind the camera.

Mentorship in Motion
Premiered: November 30, 2024

Join us on this episode of Students in Focus as we spotlight Wayra Arias, a talented young filmmaker from Spy Hop Productions' PitchNic program. Explore the behind-the-scenes magic of this year-long program and the process of creating various short films. We'll also hear from Loren Brunken, a seasoned nonfiction film mentor who's been inspiring the next generation of filmmakers at Spy Hop.

Voices of the West 2024
Premiered: November 16, 2024

Join us as we travel to the heart of Utah's rural communities! In this episode of Students In Focus, we'll meet talented young American Indian filmmakers who are part of the Voices of the West Apprenticeship Program at Spy Hop Productions. Discover their unique perspectives and witness their passion for storytelling as they share their short films with us.

Fresh Perspectives
Premiered: November 2, 2024

This episode features student filmmakers exploring the link between winter sports and climate change, an interview with a race-car driver, and a spotlight on talented student filmmaker Elsa Hintz from Utah Valley University. Additionally, there's an interview with Samantha Highsmith, media services lead at LAIKA Studios, sharing her expertise in animation and film.

From Classroom to Camera
Premiered: October 19, 2024

Discover the talent of Utah’s young filmmakers in this episode featuring films from Spy Hop Productions’ Reel Stories class. These aspiring directors share their unique perspectives through captivating five-minute documentaries. Plus, we chat with industry professional Bryan Rowland, showrunner of Welcome to Wrexham, about his journey and insights into the world of filmmaking.

The Art of Storytelling
Premiered: October 5, 2024

In this episode of Students In Focus dives into the world of young filmmaking with a feature on Spy Hop Productions' Watch This! Bootcamp. Discover how these students are using film to explore important issues through a variety of genres. We'll also spotlight the accomplished costume designer Carolyn Leone, whose impressive portfolio boasts over 100 design credits and continues to grow.

Tumbleweeds Festival For Kids Special 2024
Premiered: September 21, 2024

Join the host of Students In Focus, Katie Neal, and guest host Ramona Gale from the Utah Film Center at the 2024 Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition! This episode features screenings of the winning films along with exclusive interviews with the young filmmakers. They share their inspirations and excitement about seeing their work on the big screen.

Frame by Frame
Premiered: September 7, 2024

Students In Focus returns with an exciting new season! Our premiere episode features an interview with a talented animator who contributed to the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. We also shine a spotlight on Olympus High School's television production program and Judge Memorial High School's robotics team. To close out the episode, we sit down with script Penny Johnson, whose career spans over four decades in the film industry.

A New Season of Students in Focus
Premiered: September 1, 2024

Our second season of Students In Focus will be airing this month, so stay tuned! We hope you'll join us as we showcase the talents of our students!