November 2018
USC School of Cinematic Arts selects the Dimitri Tiomkin Endowed Fund recipients for 2018-2019

USC Tiomkin Award 2018

Miles Alva, Olivia Tiomkin, and Jack Walterman

The University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts selected three graduate students—Miles Alva, Joshua Scammell, and Jack Walterman—enrolled in Film and Television Production for the Dimitri Tiomkin Endowed Fund for Student Assistantships for 2018-2019.

“I’m pleased that the artistic and financial success of my husband—who before realizing the American dream as a composer in Hollywood overcame substantial obstacles in Russia, Germany, and France—will benefit a new generation of young filmmakers,” offered Olivia Tiomkin.

READ: Pandora and the Flying Dutchman; Tiomkin tries to bring Azef to the big screen
(Dimitri Tiomkin executive-produced Tchaikovsky (1971), coproduced Mackenna’s Gold (1969), and had a hand in motion picture production as early as 1949 to secure financing for the film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman.)

Elizabeth M. Daley, Steven J. Ross/Time Warner Professor and Dean School of Cinematic Arts, in acknowledgment of Olivia’s donation wrote, “Your generous commitment to our programs has been a valued resource to deserving students, many of whom would not be able to fulfill their academic dreams without aid.”

READ (pdf): Tiomkin Endowed Fund for Student Assistantships

The Tiomkin scholarships at USC allow students to further their education and film production studies, help reduce their financial burden, and offer encouragement for professional success. The three recipients are Miles Alva,  Joshua Scammell, and Jack Walterman.

Miles Alva

Miles Alva

Miles Alva, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, is a first-generation college student, having attended Pasadena City College and California State University, Northridge. Miles produces films that highlight marginalized groups, particularly in Los Angeles-area communities. His work has been exhibited at venues including the Hammer Museum at UCLA, the Writers Guild of America, and the Vancouver Film Festival. Miles’ objective as a producer is to make films that address race relations and assist groups who are statistically underrepresented in creative roles in the film industry. He is the founder of Fifteen60 Productions. Miles can be found on LinkedIn, IMDb, Vimeo, and YouTube.

Joshua Scammell

Joshua Scammell

Joshua Scammell was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received both his B.A. and M.A. in Film Studies from Carleton University in Ottawa. His 2016 Master’s thesis, “The Cinema of Virtuality,” discussed four short avant-garde films by Japanese filmmaker Matsumoto Toshio.

Scammell wrote and directed numerous micro-budget shorts (experimental, narrative, and hybrid forms) before moving to California, where he gained experience working on fiction and non-fiction films on a much larger scale. To strengthen his versatility as a filmmaker, Joshua has acquired skills in multiple areas, including camera, sound, writing, and directing. His goal is to make ethical, challenging, and idiosyncratic media that meld the spirit of the avant-garde with engaging narratives. Joshua can be found on IMDb.

Jack Walterman

Jack Walterman

Jack Walterman is a Minneapolis native who graduated with a B.A. in Theatre Arts: Acting/Directing from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. His undergraduate studies brought him to London and Ireland, where he spent time with the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin.

At USC, in addition to his short film, Move-In Day; he producing a USC thesis film, Father by Law; and is first assistant director for a 546 film, Teddy Mate. His energy is focused on writing, directing, and producing stories about people who overcome personal fears and allow more love into their lives. Jack can be found on LinkedIn and IMDb.

READ: November 2017: Tiomkin award goes to Merawi Gerima (The first recipient of the Tiomkin award.)

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