For the first time at Ithaca College, a narrative show is nominated for a college Emmy.
On Feb. 11 seniors Jordan Edelstein and Rob Bowman found out their ICTV show “Almost College” had been nominated for the best narrative series from the College Television Awards council.
“Everyone involved had done a lot of things before,” said Edelstein, who wrote, produced and directed the show with Bowman. “But this is the most proud I have ever been, and it’s the best feeling I got from something I had worked on.”
If “Almost College” wins one of the top three places, one of the producers will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award at a gala April 10. They will also receive between $500 and $2,000, depending on their place, the chance to pitch their project to a development executive and be paired with an industry mentor. Last year, University of California-Los Angeles student Shane Acker’s animated piece “9” won a CTA, then was produced and released by Tim Burton as a feature film.
Edelstein said he and Bowman were unsure whether the Emmy judges would understand the tone of the show because it caters to a college audience. But their Video Workshop professor, John Scott; manager of television operations for ICTV Peter Johanns; and CTA board member professor Steve Gordon all encouraged Edelstein and Bowman to submit the show.
“It doesn’t have any of the hallmarks of poor student productions, which is really bad sound, really bad lighting, really bad performances and shoddy storytelling,” Scott said.
Senior musical theatre major Ryan DeNardo played Mark on “Almost College.”
“Everyone was just really good at what they did and stepped it up for the project and it definitely showed,” DeNardo said. “It was a great collaborative experience.”
The only other time an Ithaca College show won a College Emmy was when Newswatch won an award in 2004. While winning would be great, Edelstein said they are glad to receive recognition for something they love doing.
“It is really cool when you do something and put your whole life into it,” said Edelstein. “Then when people understand and appreciate your work it is a really good feeling.”
“Almost College” airs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 10 p.m. on ICTV.
