NewsRelease

Graduate Student Receives ABC New Talent Grant
 
GREENSBORO – Alaina Niemann, a broadcasting and cinema graduate student at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, has received a $20,000 New Talent grant from ABC Television Entertainment to fund her science-fiction film “Corpulent Power.”

ABC will get first rights to buy or distribute the film or develop it into a television show or feature film. If ABC and its affiliate companies – Miramax, Buena Vista Pictures, Disney and Touchstone Television – do not pick up the film, it will make the film festival circuit. Corpulent Power was shot in Durham March 21-30 and sent to ABC June 30.

“It's very rare to get a $20,000 grant for film and video production and it's extremely rare for a student to get such a grant from ABC,” said Emily Edwards, faculty advisor for Niemann’s project. “This is a huge honor for Alaina and it reflects the talent and caliber of the graduate cinema students that UNCG attracts.”

The 30-minute film takes place in a world that reverses contemporary beauty ideals. The Rubenesque body is praised, while the slender are looked down upon. In the opening, the film introduces Jade Davine and Amelia Stout, who wake up on the day of a job interview. Jade is the thin, under-confident one, while Amelia is cheerful and always singing opera. As the day’s events unfold, viewers see the prejudice Jade faces and the bizarre reason corpulence is prized.

Niemann said she was inspired to create the film while discussing the seeming energy crisis with her family. She hopes that audiences will be encouraged to think differently about life after watching the film.

Emmy Award-winning photographer Flip Minott (“Captiva Island”) is director of photography and Michael Corbett of Piedmont Community College is the executive producer. The cast includes Melissa Gibson, Christina Cupo, Antuan Hawkins and Kate Sandford.

For more information, visit http://www.pccfilm.com/projects/corpulent_power.
 
 

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