The Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) has announced the winners of the 2008 J. Michael Brinkman Scholarship Awards honoring students and industry professionals committed to excellence and a desire to further their careers in post.
Four college students were awarded scholarships: Jose Ho-Guanipa of Duke University, Silvestre Grimaldo of California State University Long Beach, and Daniel Reams Jr. and Nicholas Batchelder of California State University Northridge. Additionally, Ryan Erik Lam, a student at Hawaii Pacific University, and Debrah Lemattre, founder of Filmanthrophy, will receive registrations to HPA’s 2009 Technology Retreat.
“Encouraging the development of young people who will help shape the future of the postproduction industry and the continuing education of those already in the industry is central to the mission of the HPA,” said Leon Silverman, HPA president.
The scholarship program is open to individuals working in the industry in Southern California or students who intend to live and work in the area upon leaving school and fulfill specific application requirements.
In recognition of teachers’ contributions toward the students’ success, the HPA awards a stipend to the recommending instructors of scholarship winners to be used in support of their scholarly endeavors. Among the educators recognized this year are Mary Schaffer, Director of California State University Northridge’s Cinema and TV Arts program; James R. Thompson, faculty director of the Duke University program in Los Angeles; Patricia Gillespie, video production teacher at the Kamehameha Schools in Hawaii; and Barbara J. Stanton, executive director of the Entrepreneur Education Center Inc. in Watts, Calif.
This is the fifth year of the J. Michael Brinkman Scholarship program. It’s named after the longtime VP of strategic business development for Panasonic Broadcast and Television Systems, who died in 2003 at the age of 54. Brinkman was a leading figure in Hollywood’s broadcast and post communities and a founding member of the HPA. He spent 16 years with Panasonic and prior to that was a producer/director working in documentary and educational production.
Brinkman was a mainstay member of the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers and the former International Teleproduction Society (ITS). He became a founding member of the HPA because he believed the demise of the ITS created a void that needed to be filled. But that was only part of his motivation. He felt the HPA could do even more than ITS to better the industry and foster a much needed sense of community. Brinkman talked about the need for post artisans and executives to band together, share information, address issues and have a collective voice. He envisioned the HPA as being inclusive of all those who make their livelihoods in post.
Brinkman spent his professional life helping others understand technology in the service of the creative endeavor. His enthusiasm and willingness to mentor touched many lives. In his memory the HPA via the scholarship program bearing Brinkman’s name hopes to continue his legacy to the industry and the people who choose to make it their career.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Reach Divorce Settlement After 8 Years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood's most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause... Read More