Locals get chance at Emmys

Frank discussions on sex and violence and outstanding camerawork and

editing have earned Emmy nominations for several Burbank residents.

Among them will be Burbank students -- makers of the “Teens in

Action” local television series -- and a camera person and an editor

from NBC’s “The Contender.”

“To me, its just really a privilege to know that we are on the

right track with the community,” said Colleen Felix, a producer for

Burbank TV6 who works with the teens on the program. “Teens in

Action” is created and produced by Burbank teenagers. The most recent

installment of the program, “Sex: What you don’t know can hurt you,”

was nominated for an Emmy in the category of education for the Los

Angeles area. A live Web cast of the Los Angeles-area awards will be

shown at https://www.emmys.tv at 5 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s great to know that kids are producing a show that’s

recognized by the industry as something that’s worthy of network

television,” Felix said. “The kids work a lot of hours and really do

a great job, along with staff.”

The nominated show covered issues such as teen pregnancy, sexually

transmitted diseases and talking to parents about protection. The

teens who created the show conducted interviews and surveys while

producing and filming the show with the guidance of Burbank TV6

staff.

Ani Torosyen, 16, is a senior at Burbank High School and has been

working for the Teens in Action program for four years.

“I’m really impressed and really happy the hard work we’ve been

putting into it has really paid off,” said Ani, who is a segment

producer for the show.

Teenagers who watch the show will be more apt to listen to it

because it’s made by people their age, Ani said.

“The show is done from our point of view, it’s teens to teens,”

she said. “That makes it much easier; people actually listen.”

Teens in Action have made several installments in addition to this

year’s Emmy-nominated show, covering topics such as suicide and drug

and alcohol abuse. They are working on a show about teen violence,

with a focus on dating violence.

Maria Lavarreza, 16, has been working for the Teens in Action

program since last year.

“It helps people. Teenagers don’t always know these things,” she

said. “We do a lot of research, and put it in a proper,

understandable manner, so that teens can get to know things better.

You see changes in people when they watch it, saying ‘Oh, I didn’t

know that.’”

Maria is also excited about attending the Los Angeles Area Emmy

ceremony at Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre Saturday in North Hollywood.

“It’s really exciting,” Maria said. “It’s not something you have

every day. It’s good to know we’re doing something for the city and

something that we like.”

Another Burbank resident, Therese Sherman, is nominated in the

Creative Emmy category of Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction

Program for her camera work in NBC’s “The Contender.”

The award ceremony is Sept. 11 at the Shrine Auditorium, and parts

of that program will be shown on E! Entertainment Channel.

“I’m excited to be nominated, I’m excited to attend and I’m pretty

proud of it,” Sherman said.

Sherman graduated from Columbia College in Chicago in 1990 and has

done work in cinematography ever since. She was a camera person for

shows such as “Fear Factor” and “The Biggest Loser” and worked as

director of photography for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and

several of Nickelodeon’s shows.

“It’s ultimately about what’s pleasing to the eye to watch,” said

Sherman, reflecting on what makes good cinematography.

Sherman, who is now working on a new NBC show, “Three Wishes,” in

Utah, says she is pleased to be recognized in her career field.

“I’ve been working in film for about 20 years now,” Sherman said.

“It’s nice to get some recognition.”

Fellow Columbia College graduate and Burbank resident J.D.

Sievertson was also nominated for his work on the series “The

Contender.”

Sievertson is on a team of editors who compiled footage and cut

them into the final form that viewers saw.

“We compile the stories and make a dramatic beat out of that,”

Sievertson said.

Sievertson has worked mainly in documentaries. He has done work

for the Discovery Channel for things such as “Shark Week” and the

“Unsolved History” series.

“It’s cool. It’s the first time I’ve ever been nominated,”

Sievertson said.

“It’s an honor, and I’m sure we’ll have fun.”