Kent State University's TeleProductions sent a crew to the
Super Bowl in February 2013 to run the satellite/uplink truck
for the BBC Sport TV broadcast and again to the 2014 Super
Bowl to support a live broadcast of the game. TeleProductions
earned three Telly Awards for recent productions.

Twelve thousand entries, 500 judges and national recognition: Kent State University's TeleProductions’ work ranked among the best, earning three Telly Awards for recent productions.

The hard work and talent of the TeleProductions’ professional and student crew did not go unnoticed by the Silver Telly Council. Productions in three non-broadcast categories – motivational, history/biography and sports – won awards.

Staff and members of the student crew collaborated on all three award-winning productions. TeleProductions’ staff members pride themselves on being a resource for students interested in the field of video production. A student crew is involved in almost every production created by the department, allowing students to gain professional experience while still learning the skills of the trade.

“It’s a wonderful experience – being able to watch students grow within the field,” says Mark Warzinski, production manager for TeleProductions. “These students have been with us for a long time, so it’s exciting to watch their skills progress with each and every production.”

Creating Productions for a Cause

Two of the award-winning productions were created for the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, a local organization that works to “improve the lives of people with serious mental illness by investing in innovative projects in Northeast Ohio having a national transformational impact,” according to the foundation’s website at www.mcmfdn.org.

TeleProductions has worked with the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation for the past five years producing various videos for awards and recognition ceremonies.

“The videos are critical to our Impact Awards recognition program,” says Rick Kellar, president of the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. “They highlight local, regional and national leaders and partners pursuing the foundation’s mission. Each video is unique in its ability to convey the passion and excellent work of our partners.”

Kent State senior electronic media major Andres Kisimoto-Taba worked alongside TeleProductions’ Media Specialist Shane Roach on the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation productions.

Both videos told stories of organizations working to assist a demographic in need, with the Smart Summer Camp assisting with academic opportunities and Clara Rankin working to better the lives of those facing mental illness.

“We were able to achieve different styles for every location we went to,” Kisimoto-Taba says. “We had different activities and locations we had to cover so we really had to think on our feet when we were recording video.”

Students Gain Real World Experience, Recognition

TeleProductions’ team entrance video for the Kent State men’s basketball team also was honored with a bronze Telly.

Behind the scenes of the award-winning men’s basketball team entrance video were two Kent State students: senior electronic media major Mike Donelan and junior electronic media major Dante Gramuglia.

Both students have been with TeleProductions since their first year at Kent State, and their hard work has now been recognized by the prestigious Silver Telly Council.

“The final video that was submitted was actually the combination of two pieces,” Donelan says. “The first half played prior to the team’s starting lineup announcement. The second half played right before tip-off.”

The video was created through collaboration with the men’s basketball team, which Donelan says was very cooperative in helping TeleProductions create their vision.

“I just love the way it came together,” Gramuglia says. “A lot of the time when we have ideas, it’s hard to put what is in our heads on the computer screen, but I think Mike did an awesome job of laying out the design of the logo in [editing software]. It came out just how we pictured.”

The 36th Annual Telly Awards

The Telly Awards are one of the most prestigious award programs for local, regional and national video productions, films and commercials. According to the Telly Award’s website, each year more than 12,000 entries are submitted for judging from all 50 states and five continents.

Silver and bronze Telly Awards are given to productions that meet requirements based on a high standard of merit. While entries do not compete against each other, judges have specific criteria they look for in award winners. More than 500 industry professionals, all previous Telly Award winners, judge all entries.

To learn more about the Telly Awards, visit www.tellyawards.com.

For more information about Kent State’s TeleProductions, visit www.kent.edu/teleproductions.