CSN student filmmakers have made their mark in a big way, earning a jaw-dropping 18 Student Production Emmy® Award nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter. Yes—18! That’s not only the most in CSN history, it’s the best showing in the state of Nevada, and among the top 5% of all student programs across the nation.
“It’s extremely rare to see numbers like this,” said CSN Film faculty, John Aliano. “We should really celebrate the success of these talented individuals.”
The nominations span nearly every category, from directing and editing to writing and special effects. And leading the pack is none other than Hisonni Johnson, a multiple nominee whose work on Legend Has It: The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain is up for several honors. Johnson will also take the stage later this month as CSN’s 2025 Commencement Speaker.
The Emmy®-nominated student productions include everything from poignant documentaries to gripping fiction shorts. Titles like Silenced, Breaking Barriers, Verisimilitude, Eighteen, and 9010 highlight the diverse and bold storytelling emerging from CSN’s film program.
Some of the nomination categories:
Student Programming – Fiction/Non-Fiction (Short Form): Silenced, The Great Garden Wars
Student Programming – Fiction/Non-Fiction (Long Form): Legend Has It, Breaking Barriers, Verisimilitude
Animation/Graphics/Special Effects: Legend Has It
Writer: Legend Has It, Silenced, Getting Cut, Eighteen
Photographer & Editor: Multiple nominations for Silenced, Legend Has It, and others
Director: Legend Has It, Breaking Barriers
The official nominee list will be published soon, but this early peek proves one thing: CSN’s storytellers are a force to be reckoned with.
Stay tuned to see how many Emmy® wins we bring home!
