PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Five Towns College and Canon U.S.A Celebrate Excellence in Digital Artistry on Long Island
Annual Event Showcased Local Student Artwork and Two Students Won New Canon Cameras

Dix Hills, NY – The Performing Arts Center at Five Towns College in Dix Hills was aglow with the pageantry of Hollywood Boulevard, as the winners of the Long Island Media Arts Show were presented with this year’s Luminary Awards. The event was sponsored by Canon U.S.A, Inc., which helped support the entire conference. Canon U.S.A, Inc. also provided camera packages to winners of the Best Overall College Film and Best Senior Thesis Film, which included the Canon EOS RP with RF24-105 F4-7.1 IS STM Camera and Lens Kit and peripherals.

This year, nearly 250 high school students representing 27 Long Island high schools joined nearly 200 Five Towns College students to enter student films, photography and digital artwork into an artistic competition that was evaluated by nearly 50 industry professionals and media arts teachers from the New York area. In the end, 14 high school and 26 college students left the red carpet clutching their hard-won Luminaries.

“This year’s Media Arts Show was an incredible success, and we thank Canon U.S.A for its support and inspiration as we showcased the incredible work of students throughout Long Island,” said Five Towns College President David M. Cohen. “The show has been attracting national recognition for Long Island Media Arts students.  The participation of Canon this year underscores the quality media arts education programs across Long Island, the respect they are earning from a leader in digital imaging solutions, such as Canon. We are thrilled to welcome them as a sponsor.”

Canon’s sponsorship was part of the company’s ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility efforts to support art and education programs throughout Long Island, where the company has been headquartered for more than 50 years.

“Empowering the next generation of artists is a pillar of Canon U.S.A.’s corporate philosophy of Kyosei, and we are proud to support this year’s Media Arts Show at Five Towns College,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “The students’ photography, videography and digital artwork displayed truly embodied the innovation, entrepreneurialism and environmental stewardship that Canon holds dear. We thank Five Towns College for organizing such a wonderful event to celebrate Long Island students, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

Michael Guillaume

Michael Guillaume

Dominick Broccolo

Dominick Broccolo

Two lucky student winners each received a substantial prize from Industry Sponsor, Canon U.S.A., Inc. These prizes went to Five Towns College Junior Dominick Broccolo, winner of Best Overall College Film for his Junior Thesis film: Blue Jay, and to Michael Guillaume, winner of Best Senior Thesis Film for his film Slender. Broccolo is a 2020 graduate of Hicksville High School and resides in Hicksville, Long Island. Guillaume, a New York native, is a 2018 graduate of College Les Oliviers in Port-Au-Prince, Hatti and resides in Huntington.  Guillaume will graduate from Five Towns College this year with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in Film and Television at the College’s 49th Annual Commencement Exercises on May 25th.

Among the winners were Five Towns College Seniors Jameson Micca & Daniel Hassell who received the prestigious Sol Negrin Luminary Award for Excellence in Cinematography. The Sol Negrin Award is named for the Long Island native who founded the Film and Television Department at Five Towns College, and who served as long-time president of both the American Cinematographers Guild, but also the local IATSE Local 600,  International Cinematographers Guild camera union.

The Long Island Media Arts Show is the annual gathering of Long Island school districts to celebrate the media arts.  Begun decades ago as part of the iconic New York State Summer School for the Arts program, the festival moved to Five Towns College in Dix Hills nearly 30 years ago where it has been held ever since. The event combines a daylong educational conference, where media arts high school and college students come together with industry professionals to learn about the craft of filmmaking, photography and digital arts. The Hollywood-style awards show is held three weeks later where the winning submissions are announced.

You can learn more about the Long Island Media Arts Show at www.ftcmediaarts.com.