Legion of Creatives Awards Digital Development Deal to LMU School of Film and Television Alumna Isis Grills

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Aug 03, 2016, 02:14 ET

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Digital entertainment studio Legion of Creatives (LOC) has named LMU School of Film and Television (LMU SFTV) alumna Isis Grills the first-ever recipient of their student digital development deal for her web series Jamal and Me. The award was presented in conjunction with SFTV's "Writing for Digital Platforms" class launched and taught by writer/producer Noam Dromi this past Spring. Graduate students enrolled in the course spent the semester creating a series for a digital media platform, and the LOC team chose one final project to develop and bring to the market.

"As the media landscape continues to evolve, it's essential that writers learn the necessary skills to best tell their stories across multiple platforms. The students in our inaugural digital writing course all rose to the occasion," said Dromi, one of the co-founders of LOC.

"Very few experiences in my creative journey have been as valuable and rewarding as writing in the digital entertainment course. I feel very fortunate to have worked under the guidance of someone as supportive and knowledgeable as Noam Dromi, while in the company of incredibly talented classmates. This course provided just the right mix needed to spark creativity, embolden risk taking and release my true voice. I'm equally humbled and grateful to have been selected for a development deal with Legion of Creatives," said Grills, who earned an MFA in Writing and Producing for TV this past May.

Jamal and Me is a comedic digital series about an irrelevant actress who decides to revive her life and career by adopting an African American child—following the trail blazed by the likes of Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron.

Actor, comedian and LOC President Orlando Jones said, "Isis' script ably demonstrated her understanding of how to engage a digital and mobile audience, but her masterful use of humor to talk about many of today's social issues really stood out. Viola Davis' Emmy® speech reminded us of the need to ensure opportunities for all voices, and we're honored to support a woman of color who is destined to be a force to be reckoned with as a writer and producer."

The partnership between LOC and SFTV supports the school's commitment to helping students develop their unique voices and the skills needed to succeed in today's creative economy. "We are thrilled that Legions of Creatives is fostering the growth of our young storytellers and visionaries," said Stephen Ujlaki, Dean of LMU SFTV, adding, "We congratulate Isis on her success and look forward to championing her work throughout her career."

About LMU SFTV
Movie industry moguls helped establish Loyola Marymount University's (LMU) current campus on the bluffs above west Los Angeles in the 1920s. By 1964, LMU was formally teaching film and television curriculum, and in 2001, the School of Film and Television (SFTV) was established as its own entity. Today, SFTV offers students a comprehensive education where mastering technical skills and story is equally important to educating the whole person, including the formation of character and values, meaning and purpose. SFTV offers undergraduate degrees in animation, production, screenwriting, film and television studies and recording arts; and graduate degrees in production, screenwriting and writing and producing for television. The school is one of the few film programs providing students with a completely tapeless model of production and post-production, and SFTV's animation program is one of the few worldwide that teaches virtual cinematography. Selected alumni include John Bailey, Bob Beemer, Francie Calfo, Melissa Blake, Brian Helgeland, Francis Lawrence, Effie Brown, Lauren Montgomery, Jack Orman, Van Partible and James Wong, among others. Get more information at sftv.lmu.edu.

About Legion of Creatives
Legion of Creatives (LOC) is an immersive content studio working with the world's leading storytellers. Recognized as a market leader in multi-platform narrative programming, LOC's principals won the first ever Primetime Creative Arts Emmy award for virtual reality storytelling in 2015. The company has brought together some of the best writers, producers, creators and consumer brands in entertainment to launch a global media business that will create, own and distribute premium programming tailor made for today's digital and mobile natives. LOC's business and production model disrupts traditional media's current approach to producing and distributing alternative content formats through the use of proprietary technology, digital strategy and integrated marketing expertise. Legion of Creatives was founded by former Walt Disney Company Executive and President of K.O. Paper Products, Jay Williams; Actor/Writer/Producer Orlando Jones and Digital Guru/Writer/Producer Noam Dromi. Roberto Orci serves as the company's Executive Creative Director.

For more information, contact:
Julie Porter
LMU School of Film and Television
[email protected]
310-338-1697

SOURCE Loyola Marymount University