A huge roar of applause is coming to Dodge College student Nathan Flanagan-Frankl this weekend!

We’ve just received word that later today, on a pre-taped episode of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the winners of the “Team Oscar” challenge will be announced, and one of the six lucky winners is our own BFA Film Production candidate Nathan Flanagan-Frankl.

Created last year in conjunction with the Academy to empower students currently enrolled in higher education to produce great stories, the Oscars producers describe the contest:

We created this contest last year to give students who are passionate about film, the opportunity to set their sights on the future,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.  “We received so many inspiring submissions this year that it made for a difficult choice, but the talent and stories of these six winners really represent what Team Oscar is all about and convinced us that they are a perfect fit for the Oscar stage.

The “Team Oscar” winners are:

  • Zaineb Abdul-Nabi – University of Michigan (MI) – Hometown: Bronx, NY
  • Tayo Amos – Stanford University (CA) – Hometown: Mountain View, CA
  • Nathan Flanagan-Frankl – Chapman University (CA) – Hometown: Northbrook, IL
  • Jeanpaul Isaacs – Rutgers University (NJ) – Hometown: South Brunswick, NJ
  • Bryson Kemp – Muhlenberg College (PA) – Hometown: North East, MD
  • Mackenna Millet – Pepperdine University (CA) – Hometown: Laguna Niguel, CA

“I was blown away by the quality of the videos the students created, and more importantly, by the visions they represented,” said Channing Tatum.  “It was a tough choice, but I’m proud of the winners we chose and can’t wait to share the Oscars stage with them.”

The winners were individually notified by show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

Administered through the Academy’s Facebook page, “Team Oscar” was open to U.S. college students and required them to submit a creative short video explaining how they will contribute to the future of movies and answer a brief essay question on a similar topic.  Winners were selected by Zadan, Meron, Tatum and the Academy.

United Airlines, the official airline sponsor of the Academy and of the Oscars telecast, will roll out the red carpet to fly the winners to Los Angeles to participate in “Team Oscar.”

In addition to their appearance on the Oscars, the students will be treated to a week of industry experiences including a visit to the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library to see its renowned collections; studio tours; and meet and greets with filmmakers at Oscar Week events.

Samsung Galaxy®, a proud sponsor of the Oscars, will be providing each winner with a Galaxy device to document their experience.  The behind-the-scenes stories of “Team Oscar” will be seen on Oscar.com and Samsung social sites.

Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

While you’re sure to be tuned into the live broadcast in just under a month with the rest of the world, you can get a taste of what earned Nathan this prestigious award by watching the short video he submitted for consideration, above.

Congratulations, Nathan – and thanks for making the Oscars even more exciting this year!