Hackettstown N.J.- A Centenary University student and a recent graduate were honored at the New Jersey Young Filmmaker Festival recently.  The event included a screening and awards ceremony at the home of Thomas Edison’s film studio, the Black Maria, at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange.  Daniel Sullivan (Flanders, N.J.), a May 2016 graduate, won second place at the 2016 New Jersey Young Filmmakers’ Festival for his lego animation “Play vs. Work.”  Student Timothy Polyak (Green Township, N.J.) was awarded an honorable mention for his film “Wait for Me.”

“This was such an honor to be recognized in this manner,” says Sullivan.  “I put countless hours into this project and to be selected as second place is such an accomplishment.  It encourages me to continue to produce and continue to create.”

“This accolade is an indication to me that I should continue on this path,” says Polyak.  “I will definitely submit again next year.”

NJ Young Filmmakers is a project of the Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium, an independent non-profit organization operating in association with NJCU’s Department of Media Arts.  It was founded in 1981as a tribute to Thomas Edison’s development of the motion picture at his laboratory dubbed the “black maria” film studio, the first in the world, in West Orange.  It provides young filmmakers, who either live in or attend school in the State of New Jersey, the opportunity to exhibit work and have it evaluated by prominent representatives in the field of media arts.  Since its inception, the purpose of NJ Young Filmmakers has been to recognize, celebrate, and encourage emerging talent in NJ, the state in which Thomas Edison first developed the motion picture.

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world.

Centenary University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County).  The Centenary University School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in the following locations: Parsippany, Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.  The School of International Programs recruits international students for study at Centenary and Centenary students for study abroad opportunities.

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